| And with that inspiration, I'll continue asking myself questions:
* I'm on the waitlist. What, in your uninformed opinion, would you do if you were me?
1) Make sure that Chicago REALLY is worth pursuing before you start pursuing them like crazy. If you get into one of our friends and think you might like our friend better than us, it's kind of stinky to go back to your adcom and write a sob story... only to turn us down for another neat school in Evanston or Baltimore or Ithaca or St. Louis. It wouldn't be illegal, it would just be vastly uncool.
2) Speaking of sob stories... hold them. Send an e-mail to your adcom using the "less is more" mantra like whoa. Restate your interest in the school as passionately AND succinctly as possible. Ask if there is anything they might like to see from you to help them make decisions. Don't get discouraged if you don't get the response you're looking for-- this time of year there is enormous rubberbanding... first priority is the admitted students, second priority is seeing those deposits come in from admits, third priority is waitlisters.
3) If you know a U of C student, alum, or professor, see if they can write a letter for you. (Sorry, I don't count). Or see if one of your teachers or guidance counselors can write a "Shame on you, Chicago!" letter. If you come from a hoity-toity school, a letter or a phone call from your GC might have extra pull. It's in Chicago's interest to be diplomatic and play nice with guidance counselors. |