In addition to actively evaluating the applications of round two applicants at this time of year, many top programs revisit their round one waitlists and consider the strength of those individuals with respect to the new information about the pool. While schools vary in their receptivity to correspondence from applicants, those programs that do welcome additional materials offer a great chance for waitlisted candidates to reaffirm their interest in the school and keep themselves fresh in the mind of the adcom. With the round two notification dates for a number of schools coming up in the next month, we wanted to offer some tips to waitlisted round one students while there is still time to tip the balances in their favor.
Adding to Your File (for schools that accept supplemental materials)
It’s clear that you should take advantage of this chance to add to your file, so the first real step is determining what you want – and need – to communicate in your waitlist correspondence. We suggest that you begin by revisiting your application with a critical eye. Being waitlisted is ultimately a positive sign of the strength of your candidacy, so it’s likely you’ve put together a very solid set of materials; you do, however, want to consider what you might have done to make your application even better. For instance, if your comments in your essays focused primarily on your work experience, you might want to convey some information about your outside interests and activities in your waitlist materials.
Another important aim is to address new developments and recent improvements in your candidacy. For instance, have you made any progress toward your stated career goals? Visited the school? Taken on additional responsibility at work or in an extracurricular? Improved the academic component of your profile (via a GMAT retake, outside coursework, etc)? Sharing impressive information about your work will help to underscore the idea that you are on an upward trajectory, while writing about additional steps you’ve taken to familiarize yourself with the program will emphasize your interest in attending.
In addition to considering content, presentation is also important. Rather than jotting off a few quick sentences to the adcom or the waitlist manager, you should treat any written contact as a formal element of your application, much like your essays, resume and data forms. This affords you a great chance to underscore your communication skills and ability to market yourself.
Finally, keep in mind that you are writing update materials, not an epic. Most schools allowed you only 4-7 pages of writing to convey 20-30 years of accomplishments; keep this ratio in mind when deciding how long to spend on your 2-3 months of accomplishments since applying in the fall. Though there are few hard and fast rules, waitlist letters/supplemental essays should generally be no more than 1 or 2 pages long.
For more information on navigating waitlists, applicants can also contact Clear Admit directly to learn more about our feedback reports and waitlist strategy sessions.
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