How to Get Off the Waitlist - Page 2

trackie10x · 03-18-2008, 05:40 AM

i definitely will. i called yesterday and my admissions counselor was at lunch so i left a voicemail, and no one's called me back yet (but it really hasn't been that long). then i emailed "just to confirm" that they got my voicemail and reiterate everything i said in the email. and of course i'm sending all my supplemental materials.

ctmomof3 · 03-18-2008, 05:57 AM

While I agree that you must contact them and keep in touch with any news about yourself, walk that ever so fine line about not coming on too strong, a simple email and/or letter indicating that this is first choice school, why after having visited you are meant to go there,etc........keep it simple, don't overload them with meaningless nonsense, as some I have heard doing which I think does not help, and cross your fingers.This has been an unprecedented year in college admissions, and its full of surprised. I do think there is a chance you can get off the waitlist, just hang in there. Best of luck!

oldfort · 03-18-2008, 07:37 AM

Just a bit of encouragement - last year my daughter was waitlisted at Cornell and Duke, and a friend's daughter was waitlisted at Cornell, Duke and NU. Both of them got off waitlist at ALL of those schools.

Both of those girls had very similar stats as OP, everyone was surprised they were waitlisted at thosed schools because other students that were admitted had lower stats.

Our GC prepared a new packet for those schools - Spring interim grades (that's why it's important to keep up senior grades), additional recommendation letters, and a statement of interest from my daughter. Our GC also kept in tough with those schools the month April.Our friend's daughter went to a public school where GC did not want to make those calls, they did it themselves.

CC was the biggest help to us. Here is where I found out when those schools were going to their waitlists. I called the GC as soon as I read it on CC. She called Cornell's admission, and they denied it (earliest would be next week, they said). The same day they called back and offered a spot to our daughter. Our friend followed suit and contacted those schools as well.

Here is a catch - when they offer you a spot, most of them want you to make a decision in a very short period of time (sometimes in less than 24 hours or on the spot). My daughter knew which one she would take, but our friend's daughter had a hard time deciding between NU and Duke. You would have a better chance of getting off the waitlist if you don't need FA, but they would let you have a chance to look over FA before you need to make a decision.

ctmomof3 is right - it's a fine line of showing interest and not coming on too strong. If at all possible, have your GC lobby for you.

Those girls went to the bitter end, senior year was pretty much a bust for them. But they are very happy where they are now (Cornell for my daughter, and NU for the other girl).

I will keep my fingers crossed for a happy ending for OP.

rodney · 03-18-2008, 07:49 AM

oldfort: great post and thank you for the advice; I have a strong feeling my d will definitely need it during April!!!

arwen15 · 03-18-2008, 10:33 AM

trackie, WUSTL has done the waitlist thing to the top set of students
every year from my public school while admitting the next tier. Just call
them and you are in.

trackie10x · 03-18-2008, 01:19 PM

i am trying very hard! washu.. it's just that it is THE perfect college. maybe not for everyone, but to me it is.

great advice, oldfort!

ahhhhhhhhhh · 03-18-2008, 05:17 PM

yeah trackie..don't go to overboard... you don't want to annoy the people there to an extend that they won't admit you...

icanread · 03-18-2008, 05:24 PM

You're too good for WashU; that's why they WLed you.
Have a counselor make a call and tell them that WashU is your #1 choice and you would absolutely go if accepted.

viperm90 · 03-18-2008, 05:27 PM

I got waitlisted at my top choice...sent in a letter of interest, additional Recs, good first semester grades and contacted the admission office by phone a couple of times and than got in!

So dont sit around and do nothing..do something about it..show interest and that will increase your chances a lot!

trackie10x · 03-19-2008, 11:34 AM

i got an email back from nanette tarbouni, dean of admissions. basically she said she'd forwarded my email to a couple people and that i was a competitive applicant, which was why i was waitlisted. she went on to say that washu had a very large, very strong applicant pool and they simply could not admit all the qualified applicants.

hopefully i'll hear back from the people to whom she forwarded it soon...

CallofDuty4 · 03-20-2008, 01:11 AM

We are rooting for ya!

trackie10x · 03-20-2008, 07:31 AM

thanks

you guys make me smile

spazattack · 03-23-2008, 01:50 PM

heard anything yet?

trackie10x · 03-23-2008, 02:04 PM

i haven't heard a single thing from them, which kind of bugs me. i had that one first email from nanette tarbouni, which was okay, but it didn't really give me any good (or bad, for that matter) information. so today i sent an email to mark hines, who is my admissions counselor, and hopefully he'll reply tomorrow. tomorrow i'm also overnighting my package to washu including a new recommendation, a new essay, updated awards and updated resume, and a letter of interest. then on tuesday or wednesday i'll call again to see if they got my package and what they think.. so we'll see! keep your fingers crossed, and thanks for the support guys

oldfort · 03-23-2008, 02:21 PM

They are not going to have information for you until May, when they know how many openings they have. They may not even go to their waitlist. This is also not a good time to bother them - too many kids are whining. I would let things quiet down. Wait until middle of April.