Advice for Waitlisted Students

Advice for Waitlisted Students April 5, 2012 Waitlisted students must be proactive in the college admissions process. Letters of enthusiasm are a must. Weve got some advice for waitlisted students. If youre a student who has been waitlisted and youre hoping to earn a spot at the college that put you in limbo, you must not do nothing. If you do nothing, there is little chance that youll earn your way off the waitlist and into the incoming class. Youve got to be proactive. Indeed the first thing that you should be doing is mailing that card back, informing the university that you wish to still be considered for admission. What you should then do is ask your high school guidance counselor who youve ideally established a great relationship with over the years to reach out to the regional admissions officer at the university that put you on the waitlist. That personal contact can go a long way! Your guidance counselor can express your continued enthusiasm for the school and find out what you can do to earn a place in the class. Maybe your guidance counselor can inform the admissions officer of a significant accomplishment of yours since you applied. Maybe youve since won a major science competition or bettered your 800 meter time to the point where the track coach now actually wants you for his team. All of this could change your admissions outlook immensely! But one of the most significant things you can do to help get off the waitlist is to write what we call a letter of enthusiasm. In this letter to the admissions office at the university that waitlisted you, let them know directly from you how much you still want to go to this school. Let them know why you love them so much. Let them know why youd be such a great addition to the incoming class. This is your opportunity to express your thoughts in your own words. So make the most of it! Dont just send any old letter. Each and every word matters. We help students perfect these letters all the time! Check out our newsletter on advice for the waitlisted.