Manhattan Review InFocus Newsletter

Dear Future Business Leader,

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The Waitlist Paradox I – Why Me?

Some applicants receive a letter stating that they have been put on the waitlist. You too may have received such a letter. This letter means that you have the qualifications that the school is looking for, but due to other factors you have not been admitted. These factors might include you being too young, or being too experienced, or being less unique than desired, or having inconsistent track record, or not demonstrating compelling reasons for a great fit with the school. All in all, the admissions committee is not entirely convinced about your candidacy, but is willing to give you a chance.

If you have been put on waitlist by more than one school, then you should consider re-examining/strengthening your application. You should also consider applying for other schools who might take a different view on certain unchangeable elements of your application, such as you not being in the work force long enough. There are schools which may take prudent risks with young yet ambitious individuals who have a less proven track record.

To be put on the waitlist does NOT mean that you have been rejected. All programs have a limited number of applicants that they can accept each term. With the number of MBA applicants growing, the competition for admission is very intense. There are steps that you can take to improve your chances for admission.

Different Schools, Different Years, Different Policies

Some schools place an applicant on the waitlist early on in the admission process. The reason for this is that the school wishes to wait and see how the class composition is developing before making a final decision. Many times an individual who makes it to the second round of the process is competing not only against new applicants, but also against those on the waitlist. So being on the waitlist early on is not a bad thing at all. It is more like a deferment of admission. Other schools, especially those who are highly selective, rarely move people from the waitlist. This makes sense because very few people who are admitted to the top tier schools decline the offer to attend. Still other schools admit students from the waitlist who have shown improvement in their application. So each school has its own policy and procedure for the waitlist. Depending on each year’s application numbers and quality, each school may also adjust its waitlist policy a bit to better serve its admissions objective. Simply put, the “wait” for being taken off a waitlist might carry a different probability, depending on the school and the year.

Don’t Give Up!

The process is not over. You have not been rejected. There are many steps you can take to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist and being admitted. You have put so much effort into your business school application – from getting recommendation letters, to taking the GMAT and maybe the TOEFL, to writing great essays. Why would you want to give up now?

First Step – Follow instructions!

What should you do first? Follow instructions. Some schools have a strict policy against unsolicited materials from waitlist applicants. If the school specifically says that they don’t want to receive supplemental materials, then do not send them. The schools look unfavorably upon waitlist applicants who do not follow directions. What can you do if you are waitlisted at a school like this? Just wait.

If you have applied to a school that does not have such a strict policy, there are quite a few things you can do to improve your chances.

We will continue with our advice on how to cope with a waitlist letter next week.

If you need insightful advice on how to deal with a waitlist situation or another pair of eyes on your applications, our Admissions Consulting staff members are glad to help you and share their years of experience. Just visit us online at the website indicated in the email signature and sign up for any services of your interest.

Kind regards,

Manhattan Review Team

Manhattan Review US <www.manhattanreview.com>
V 212-997-1660
F 212-997-1669

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