How to Get off the College Waitlist: Tips from a Stanford Admissions Officer
Today we have a guest post from Dr. Jon Reider, former Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Stanford University from 1985-2000, and Kate Balingit from www.iAdmissions.com, a unique network of former admissions officers specializing in affordable, online college counseling.
At this moment, seniors across the county are either ecstatically celebrating the coveted Big Envelope of Acceptance, or miserably decrying the dreaded Postcard of Rejection. There are, however, a handful those who are dealing with the nebulous middle ground- the waitlist letter from their dream college- and this purgatory can in many ways be worse than rejection. In reality, few of these waitlisters will eventually be admitted, but all will certainly spend many sleepless nights anxiously wondering if there’s anything they can do to improve their inherently small odds.
So Dr. Jon Reider, former Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Stanford University, has recommended few steps to take if you have been waitlisted from your absolute dream college:
1) Choose an alternative! You still have to pick a school to attend that you were admitted to. Under no circumstance can you simply wait for the waitlist to be activated.
2) Be patient! The majority of schools do not start reviewing their waitlists until after May 1, so you have some time to think everything through.
3) Reflect with honesty! Caveat- When attempting to answer these questions, DO NOT cite US News rankings or prestige. Why is the school that waitlisted you better than the ones that admitted you? Does the waitlisted college seem more compelling because the act of putting something just out of reach makes it that much more attractive?
4) Find an advocate! Procure the name of the college’s admission officer who is responsible for your geographical area, and write him or her a SHORT letter explaining why Alma Mater U. is just the right place for you. You may also update the college on your recent grades, (assuming they are good- NO senioritis!) and anything else that is noteworthy in your life. And, if you can, explain with profundity, sincerity, and brevity how your current favorite high school class has passionately stimulated your interest in continuing your chosen study in this field when you get to college in the fall.
5) Be realistic! Don’t get your hopes too high. After all, most students do not come off waitlists, but it can help to try. Just don’t go overboard- flying across the country to visit and impress the waitlist college with your eagerness to attend will not earn you that coveted admissions spot. Believe me, I’ve seen it, and it is not pretty.
Good luck!
