Lesson
Ten: Wait-list Follow-up
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Wait-list
Follow-up
If you've
recently been wait-listed, take heart: you still have a chance.
However, too many wait-listed applicants assume that the only
way to get off the wait list is to wait. Unless the school
specifically advises otherwise, you should follow up with the
school to reiterate your interest and fill them in on any thing
new that might help your chances.
Schools
want to admit people who will attend; this is particularly true
of the wait list. There will be many people on the wait list who
already made a decision to attend another school; there will be
others who desperately want to attend the school in question.
Admissions officers can only distinguish these two groups of
people by the level of interest you show after being
wait-listed.
You
should write a concise wait-list letter in which you:
1.
Express your interest in attending the school. You should
thank them for considering you and not mention your
disappointment at not being accepted. You might even let them
know this is your first choice school. At this stage, they
will believe such a claim since if it weren't your first
choice school, you would not bother to write an essay.
2.
Mention your recent accomplishments / activities that will
impress the admissions committee. Maybe you improved your GPA
or led a successful business team. Maybe you volunteered as a
big brother or started a business. Mentioning these things can
only help your case, particularly if you make the wait-list
letter consistent with your first personal statement.
Admissions officers will reevaluate your whole application
before admitting you off the wait list.
3.
Realize the school did not accept you for a reason. You are
wait-listed because they saw a small weakness in your
application. Perhaps you had a low test score or inadequate
extracurricular activities. Without mentioning your weakness,
mention things that strengthen your application and eliminate
a perceived weakness.
4.
Let them know you are serious about attending the school and
can provide additional references, information, etc.
Whatever
you do, don't write more than 1.5 pages. These admissions
officers read hundreds to thousands of essays and don't want to
see information repeated in a wait-list letter. Send a letter
every 3 - 4weeks. It never hurts to include another strong
letter of recommendation as well.
From
ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO BUSINESS SCHOOL, by Amy Burnham,
Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan. Copyright 1998 by Dan
Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's
Educational Series, Inc.
© Copyright 2002-2010 MBA Programs - All Rights Reserved
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