| Always Have a Plan B
For all you poor souls on the waitlist, I hope you realize that getting to UVA off the waitlist is a lot like winning the lottery. Many people stand in line to buy lottery tickets, but very few people actually win the lottery.
If UVA is really where you want to go to school, work hard to show UVA that you are really worthy of admission for reasons other than "I've want to attend UVA since I was an infant." Also come up with a Plan B. Make sure that Plan B involves selecting another school. Make sure you select your Plan B school with the idea that you will attend that school. Embrace your Plan B school with open arms. Don't enroll thinking that you will simply transfer to UVA after one year.
I speak from experience. Both of my Ds ended up on the UVA waitlist one year apart. One was accepted off the waitlist; one was not. Forget what you hear about this person being a shoo-in or this person not having a chance. I can't tell you why D#1 got in and D#2 did not. Both worked hard to get in off the waitlist. Both called the Admissions Office, both wrote letters, both got additional teacher recommendations, and both told the Admissions Committee about new honors and achievements. They had equivalent records. D#1 got in. D#2 did not.
Both girls selected a Plan B school. It was not easy. D#2 cried bitter tears over her ultimate rejection letter from UVA (encouraging her to apply as a transfer student), but she is thriving at her Plan B school (W&M) and has not looked back. She also has absolutely no interest in tranferring to UVa. I don't want to start a big debate about which is the better school, but I have to say that D#1 (who is happy at UVA) is impressed by the ease with which her sister registered for classes. D#2's classes are also smaller and all taught by professors, not TAs. Many of D#1's classes are taught by TAs, and she's had a rough time getting her schedule set each semester.
Always have a Plan B and embrace your Plan B. |