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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. |
