Is there a fate worse than the MBA waitlist? Um, flat-out rejection, perhaps?
We get it. No one wants to receive word that the admissions committee needs more time to evaluate your candidacy and so has invited you to remain on a waitlist. But it’s far better than the alternative. So take a minute to lick your waitlisted wounds, and then get to work.
If you’ve been waitlisted by a target school, you’ve got quite a few decisions to make. First, should you accept the invitation to remain in the running or bow out and give others a chance? This, of course, will depend on other offers you’ve received, which schools you still have to hear from, how much you had your heart set on the particular school in question and more.
In the event that you do decide to remain on the waitlist—don’t just wait there! Successfully navigating the waitlist is an art that requires patience, of course, but also a good deal of thought, strategy and skill.
You need to ruthlessly assess your initial application to identify weaknesses and think about ways you can strengthen your candidacy. You need to understand the ground rules of a given school’s waitlist policy—and abide by them. Where appropriate, you need to summon the troops to come to your defense, eliciting supplemental letters of support that could tip the scales in your favor.
Along the way, you also need develop contingency plans in case your waitlist campaign is unsuccessful. Should you put down a deposit at a school that’s not your top choice just in case? Should you apply to additional schools in later rounds? It’s a lot, we know.
Lucky for you, we’ve got your back. Tucked away in our Clear Admit Shop is a little gem that sometimes gets overlooked: The Clear Admit Waitlist Guide. We’ve packed it full of strategic tips and well-researched advice honed over years of helping applicants just like you. This handy guide clearly lays out school-specific waitlist dos and don’ts, provides step-by-step instructions for tackling any weaknesses that may have landed you on the waitlist in the first place and walks you through how to draft communications to the admissions committee that will have them hating themselves for not accepting you at their very first opportunity.
What are you waiting for? Get your copy of the Clear Admit Waitlist Guide today and get off the waitlist!
