SoP Waiting List Mention?

[Tritonetelephone]

I'm still very interested in attending a school that waitlisted me last year. I've done a lot to improve my application since then, including raising my GRE scores, taking grad classes, getting GRA and TA experience, etc.

So will they remember me, or should I drop a mention on the SoP? ("Since being waitlisted by XYZ in spring 2008, I...")

Or should I leave it out and contact the grad secretary to make sure she knows?

How do they usually perceive 2nd time applicants?

I'm leaning towards leaving it out and letting my exp speak for itself.

[CAPoliSciPhD]

Hm...that is tricky...maybe a line in the SOP showing that you were motivated to better your app and were still interested - I don't think that would hurt you...they liked you well enough to waitlist you last year...

Were you in contact with anyone about being waitlisted? Could you e-mail/call them?

I kind of think it won't matter too much - new year, new people to look at, that kind of thing...but mentioning it probably can't work AGAINST you...

leaving it out though also won't hurt I don't think....

ha so this post wasn't much help...

but new year, new cycle, and new app (w/ better stats for you!)....so I'm not really sure how much being waitlisted last year matters...

[drpsych]

Hmm I wonder if there's a way to say that you've improved your application without saying "since being waitlisted.."?

Was this any other transition point as well, such as "since graduating from ---" or something along those lines.. I don't know if it will hurt, but just in case it does? It does seem like you've improved your application significantly since your last round though so you definitely want to focus on how your application is stronger.

[CAPoliSciPhD]

That doesn't make much sense though to talk about improving your application without say anythign about being waitlisted...wouldn't the automatic assumption then be that he improved since being rejected?

I think you either acknowledge it or don't -- if you dance around it, it might come off confusing

[linden]

Tritonetelephone:

Most of the applications I have filled out ask if I have applied to X university before and whether I was accepted. So, it seems like they will be able to easily tell if you applied the previous year and what the outcome was. But, who knows?

Nevertheless, if I were on an adcom, I would be impressed if I came across an applicant who had been previously waitlisted and who took concrete steps to bolster her/his application. I feel it would give you a leg up on other applicants who are considered to be as qualified as you. (For example, let's say you end up in a pool of 25 applicants who are all considered to be equally as good.I feel that the fact that you took action--especially if you implemented the suggestions the school gave you for improving your application--would make you stand out.) And, the only way to be certain that the adcom knows that you worked hard to address the "deficiencies" in your profile is to point out that you were waitlisted. But, my advice could be completely wrong.

You might want to see what advice you can get from people who might know a little bit more about how adcoms view these things. Try posting your question to these forums.

http://www.admissionsboards.com/

http://chronicle.com/forums/

Good luck!

Linden

[Tritonetelephone]

Thanks, guys. I did finish my BA the spring after I was waitlisted, so most of my SoP's say "since graduating with my BA in sociology..." which is what I was considering changing to "since being waitlisted..."

But after reading over the terrible SoP I sent in last year, I'd almost rather have them not remember me. :oops:

I did have to put on the grad school's application whether or not I applied before, but it only then asked whether or not I was accepted, which I had to say no to. Part of the FAQ for the grad school also says that if you've applied in the last 12 months, you need to contact the program.

I think I'll leave it out of the SoP, unless the grad secretary specifically says that I need to mention it (I'll call her in the morning. Also need to ask about whether or not the enforce a 500W length requirement - something I noticed last-minute in the depths of the application instructions from the grad school).

Thanks again!

[Tritonetelephone]

Just submitted my app. For the record, I DID end up including it.

It took me a while to word it right , but it ended up giving me a chance to really list all the things I've done in such a short amount of time - now I kind of wish my other SoP's took advantage of the same format. Oh well.