So you’ve been waitlisted. You’ve barely missed the cut for who knows what reason. Maybe the college was looking for an oboe player, or an opera singer, or for someone who found a cure to some obscure disease. For whatever reason, your application has been set aside. But there is still hope.
The acceptance game has increased in complexity with students applying to more and more schools. It’s becoming normal to apply to more than 10 schools. Some people even apply to 20, 30 or even 80, in some extreme cases. This means that it’s becoming harder for colleges to predict who will attend. This also means that more students are being added to waitlists.
The unpredictability of admissions is tough to navigate, but it is not impossible to get off the waitlist.
First of all, before you make a decision, make sure this really is a school that you would consider attending. If it is, great. Now start crafting an email to the school.
A lot of waitlisted students do this, so you will need to make your email stand out. After you express the basic message of “I want to go to this school,” try to add a few personal flourishes. For instance, you could address the reason you think you were waitlisted. You could list your senior year accomplishments since submitting the application. And you should have a creative subject line. Personally, for my letters, I made the subject, “Stoichiometry, The Waitlist, And Me.” This title includes a reference to the chemistry class that could have been a reason for their decision to place me on the waitlist.
Be firm and be confident. My opening sentence was "I am writing to reaffirm my desire to be on the wait list for admission to ______________. Actually, I'd like to be off the wait list, and on the accepted list.” I then followed with a couple brief sentences about why I love the school.
My next paragraph was all about me. It was a short biographical paragraph that lists some characteristics to give the admissions team a better idea of who I am.
"I am confident I will make a unique and valuable contribution to the Class of 2019 and the larger ________ community. By accepting me, you will gain a student who loves to tutor others on how to write persuasive essays (and on the raging debate about the Oxford comma), watches TED talks in her spare time and is a certified political nerd. (Who else in the incoming freshman class can name every United States Senator?)”
I then went on to list things I have done through my determination both extracurricularly and academically like:
"- Walk up to a U.S. Senator to ask about an internship after being told no high school students could apply (and, yes, I got the internship).
- During my first semester of junior year, I was one of 30 students to attend the U.S. Senate Page School. While working up to 60 hours a week as a Senate page, I received honors taking a course load that included college-level calculus.
- This year I am taking five AP-level courses and am doing better than ever, making my senior year my best yet.”
I then referenced the class I had difficulty with and said something cheesy like "the determination I've shown in the face of those struggles has made me a better student and a better person. When faced with a setback—like getting wait listed at _______—I do not give up.”
After a few more sentences about my personal situation, I even ended with "Please don't keep me waiting too long.”
So for the letter, just be yourself and talk about what makes you unique. Give the admissions team an idea of what you would be like on campus. Be creative. Be bold. This is your last shot, and you have nothing to lose.
On top of writing a kick-*ss email, remember to update admissions with any new accomplishments and avoid senioritis at all costs!
It sucks to not be accepted. But remember this: the admissions team is interested in your application. They didn’t want to turn you down. They know that you would be a good fit for the school but they just didn’t have room for you.
You might be annoyed at the schools that waitlisted you (I definitely was), but if you’re not sure if your other options are perfect for you, then it is definitely worth it to pursue your acceptance.
Personally, I got waitlisted at six schools, stayed on the waitlist at five, and got into four of them!
And what did I end up doing? While I waited on those schools, I came to think that one of the schools that accepted me in the first place was the best place for me after all.
The college admissions game is random, but hopefully, with a compelling letter and continued interest, you will be able to play their game. Good luck!
