Wait list strategies?

[killerbees]

Hi,

As you can see from my signature, I'm on the wait list at three schools. I've yet to be accepted anywhere. I would really, really prefer to get in to a school this year and wait to reapply for fall of 2011. With that in mind, are there any successful strategies for improving one's chances on the wait list? My supervisor has offered to write me a letter or even get one from the politician for whom we work. My supervisor's letter would be personal and detailed. The politician's, not so much. Would this sort of thing (though unsolicited by the school) help? Or would/could it actually work against me?

If doing nothing and simply waiting is the best option, that's fine. I can do that. However, if it's simply a matter of getting another (really good) rec. or visiting the school, I'd happily do that as well.

Many thanks, and good luck to all in similar positions. And for those of you who got accepted, congratulations. Now if you wouldn't mind finalizing those decisions .

Cheers.

[Swagato]

The admissions committee has already carefully evaluated your application, and clearly they have reached their conclusion -- which is to place you on the waitlist. This may not be any actual drawback in your application, but rather simply a reflection on the quality of those accepted. It isn't something you can readily impact. I would say keep up communications, express your passion and interest/dedication to your top choice, and IF there has been any update that materially changes your profile as an applicant (a recent publication, an award, etc.) then let them know. Otherwise, I don't think there's much to be gained by giving them additional material to evaluate.

[res2135]

I'm in the same position as you (applied to 5 schools, waitlisted at 3, yet to hear from 2). Swagato is right about updating them, but I don't think an extra letter of rec will hurt you. Will it help? I have no idea. Definitely go visit the schools if they invited you to in any way, I did that at my dream school and they have basically told me that I'm now at the top of their waiting list and they just need enough room for me. I also sent in another letter of rec.

[TMP]

Nope. Not too much that you can do except to express your enthusiasm for the program. If you get a politician involved... it just looks tacky, I think. If you already had strong letters of recommendation, there's really no reason for your prof to write another one. If he's got buddies at this schools, he could just call them up on your behalf to see what's the story.

[fuzzylogician]

If the wait-lists you're on are not ranked, I'd suggest you contact all the schools you're wait-listed at and reaffirm your enthusiasm to attend. If/when a slot opens for a wait-listed applicant, the adcom has to make an educated guess who to offer it to. The later it gets in the year, the less likely it gets that someone will accept the offer, so it's best for them if they can make the offer to someone who they are confident will accept (or that they at least know is still interested). If they make an offer to someone whose status they don't know, it's possible that that person will waste more time and end up declining the offer - making it even less likely that someone further down the wait-list will accept.

[killerbees]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree about the extra letter of rec... doesn't seem like it will do much good. I also agree that getting it from the Big Boss could look ridiculous. I just reeeeeally want to go to my first choice/dream school. I'll write them a nice short email tomorrow to let them know.

[Milkman95th]

On March 5th I asked the school (see sig.) if they had made admissions decisions yet. They emailed me back quickly and said that I had been put on the waitlist. Also, they asked me to keep them informed on competing offers. On March 12th I emailed them and told them that they were the one school I wished to attend. However, I have not heard anything from them since and I am to paranoid/nervous to contact them again. Any ideas? Should I just wait and see what happens or try and contact them again.

[killerbees]

Not really sure what to say. Did they give you any sort of timeline? If not, it may not hurt to contact them again.

[Milkman95th]

Not really sure what to say. Did they give you any sort of timeline? If not, it may not hurt to contact them again.

No timeline. They just said they would not know about the status of their current offers until March 19th, which was a while ago.

[killerbees]

Eh, what the hell. Why not contact them?

[Elle522]

I'm confused as to how these wait lists actually work. I know that schools accept more than they have room for because not everyone they accept will go to that particular school. If 1 person says they are not going, does that mean they will take the first person on the list at that time?

[socialpsychg]

I'm confused as to how these wait lists actually work. I know that schools accept more than they have room for because not everyone they accept will go to that particular school. If 1 person says they are not going, does that mean they will take the first person on the list at that time?

I've heard at least at some programs, they've switched to a rolling accept system. As accepting more than you can afford can lead to a large cohort (and no money to pay for them), they'll send out initial offers, see how that pans out, then send more offers from there.

[profound_g]

On March 5th I asked the school (see sig.) if they had made admissions decisions yet. They emailed me back quickly and said that I had been put on the waitlist. Also, they asked me to keep them informed on competing offers. On March 12th I emailed them and told them that they were the one school I wished to attend. However, I have not heard anything from them since and I am to paranoid/nervous to contact them again. Any ideas? Should I just wait and see what happens or try and contact them again.

At least they replied. I do notice the whole "competing offers" is going strong everywhere.

I'm just going to call them. Maybe you should too.

[cosmic dancer]

snail mail a letter to the DGS at each school, thanking them for considering your app, and letting them know that their program is one of your top choices. in the letter, be sure to maintain a grateful disposition for your placement on the wait-list, and include all your contact info in the case there is something you might be able to do to improve your chances of receiving an offer.

i tried this at a couple of schools and received personalized emails from each DGS, thanking me for the letter, and telling me that there is a very good chance they will make an offer to me by mid-april.

good luck!

[Postbib Yeshuist]

I contacted SMU (where I was wait-listed) to ask for input on my application "so I have a stronger application next year." Luckily, they had had another student decline that day and I was first in line, so they sent me a letter that afternoon. Obviously, my contact didn't matter since it could not have changed the other person's decision to decline, but it didn't hurt me either. The worst case scenario is that I would have gotten valuable feedback and they would have known I was still interested. Following up never hurts, imo.

[appletree]

I'm quite anxious, I was waitlisted for a school with a very small program. I'm first on the waitlist. But I'm only going to be accepted if over 50% of those who received offers decline. They told me they wouldn't have any info until the 15th, but I'm so anxious. Are my chances good, bad, indifferent???? This is my dream school.

Edited April 1, 2010 by appletree

[Milkman95th]

Yesterday (Thursday), I got a letter from the University of British Columbia offering me admission to their sociology program. In addition, they said they would be willing to offer me at least $20,914 for my first year of graduate study in the M.A. program and at least $10,914 for the second year. $10,000 of the first year’s money is from a graduate scholarship and they are also offering me a full teaching assistant (TA) position for years 1 and 2.

I will post more tomorrow, but for everyone who is on waitlists (like I was) there is hope, because you can actually get in as I have shown. Good luck.