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School Statement Strategies |
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Waitlist Follow-up
Letters
Every year, graduate schools across
the nation send out thousands of acceptance letters and even more rejection
notices. But what if you receive neither? What of the unfortunate souls stuck
in limbo, banished to the nebulous realm of the waitlist?
If you have been waitlisted by your
top choice, don't despair! Rather than think of the waitlist as something less
than admission, remember that you still have a chance--a chance that can grow
significantly with a well-crafted follow-up letter. Unless the school explicitly
requests that waitlisted applicants not contact the admissions office, you
should write a letter to demonstrate your continued interest in the school,
not to mention your determination.
Though this waitlist follow-up letter
should adhere to the same stylistic standards as your original admissions essays--concision,
specificity, enthusiasm--its focus must be different. Do not simply repackage
your personal statement.
Before you begin writing, revisit
your application and assess it honestly. What do you perceive as its biggest
weakness? If you were the admissions officer reading it, what would make you
question this applicant's qualifications? Part of the function of the waitlist
follow-up letter will be to address this weakness.
The other major goal of the letter
will be to reinforce the assertion that this particular school is ideal for
you as you pursue your professional goals. In preparation to write this follow-up,
make sure that you can list two or three specific details about the program
to which you are applying and convincingly explain why they correspond so well
to your career trajectory. If you can't do this, research the school until
you can.
Now, it's time to begin writing.
Make sure to thank the admissions committee right away for considering
your application, and avoid direct references to the fact that you were waitlisted.
Next, address the weaknesses
in your application without mentioning them explicitly. For instance,
if your grade point average was on the low side, point to good grades you
received since you sent in your application. You could also highlight the
upward trend in your transcript, expressing confidence that this improvement
will continue in graduate school.
This is also your opportunity to mention
recent accomplishments that augment your perceived strengths. Perhaps
you added another publication or performed more pertinent research, or perhaps
you received special commendation for your work. (An additional letter of
recommendation or two would complement this letter nicely.) Do not simply
restate the achievements already featured on your original application.
Finally, now that you have boosted
your qualifications for graduate school, remind your reader why this particular
program is ideal for you. Specific details are a must here, and they should
be more substantial than simply "School X is on the East Coast, where I could
be closer to my family." True as that may be, School X's admissions office
wants students who will take advantage of all that it has to offer, not simply
its location. Which classes do you want to take? Which professors would you
like to know? Essentially, you must answer this question: Why are you taking
the time to write this letter instead of simply going to another, perhaps less
prestigious school?
Though this may seem like a lot of
information, in reality the letter should be about a page long, perhaps a bit
longer if you have a number of recent accomplishments to detail. Remember that
unwarranted length will not only bore or even annoy a busy admissions officer,
but also make you seem desperate. Write succinctly, with all the confidence
you display in the classroom, and mail the letter knowing that you have taken
advantage of a second chance to sell yourself.
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