Interview went very well...waitlisted...what to do now??

[lazywindmill]

So I'm very confused about an interview that occurred in January. I was absolutely thrilled to even receive an interview invite from this school, so I'm not upset by any means about this decision. I'm just a bit confused, so I'd really love some suggestions about what to do going forward.

After the interview my interviewer told me that it had gone extremely well and that he was very hopeful to see me next year. He also emailed me post-interview reiterating these sentiments. I was subsequently waitlisted by this school. It was a completely open-file interview, so it seems like there shouldn't have been any part of my application not yet seen before the interview? And this is a school that screens very intensely before handing out secondaries/invitations. Is it likely that I was interviewing for the waitlist to begin with? Could I have done something wrong during the interview day outside of the interview? Perhaps on the tour?

I would love to hear any tips or strategies for getting off the waitlist. I am not in school, so I don't have new grades to report, but my PI at my research job said that I will likely be published on two or more papers before matriculation. Is this worth mentioning?

Thanks a lot!

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[veltron]

Unfortunately the interview is only part of your overall app. Some schools probably send interviews to kids who wouldn't be able to get in even if they did well in the interview. Pretty messed up, IMO, but that's the way it is sometimes. Sorry. Also, if you interviewed late and it's a rolling school, there just may not be enough seats by the time they review your file post-interview

 

[Euxox]

I agree with everything veltron said.

As far as trying to get off the waitlist, yes, it is definitely worth writing a letter to the school with information about those papers. Also, some (but not all) schools are receptive to letters of interest. These are letters which don't have any updated information about grades or extracurriculars and are purely about why you like the school and think that you would be a good fit there. You can find out if a particular school likes letters of interest by asking around on the school-specific thread and/or calling the admissions office.

 

[solitarius]

Nah, you're just the latest example of how overt praise from an interviewer means squat.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Nah, you're just the latest example of how overt praise from an interviewer means squat.

All the interviewers I had who were jerks put forward a good word to the admissions committee. Interviews are impossible situations to read -- this is my conclusion.

Edit: language

 

[solitarius]

All the interviewers I had who were dicks put forward a good word to the admissions committee. Interviews are impossible situations to read -- this is my conclusion.

My acceptances were from interviews where there was a positive vibe without any of the unnecessary praise.

To the OP, just keep begging until August.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Nothing means anything until its signed on paper. Your interviewer is only one vote typically. He might think you're the bees knees, but that doesn't mean anyone else agrees.

 

[gyngyn]

You can interview well and not be accepted for a number of reasons. The screeners have criteria used to invite applicants but a much larger group decides on admission. The screener may have hoped that whatever deficiencies your application may have, your strengths would outweigh them. Though the committee apparently didn't agree, it doesn't mean that they invited you in vain (or maliciously). You may still get in off the waitlist as well.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

The way I look at it: If your LizzyM score is way above the school average, and you get wait-listed, that could be a sign there was something they didn't like about you in the interview. Or, maybe they are trying to protect their yield and want you to beg them for an acceptance.

If your LizzyM score is below the school's average, and you get waitlisted, that's a GOOD sign. It probably means your interview was good enough to bump you up from the reject pile. You still have a chance of sneaking in off the waitlist.

 

[Goro]

In addition, the interviewers may have loved you, as did the AdCom, but the Dean might have overruled them, because you didn't match some rubric s/he uses to accept students....for exam, GPA has to be as high as possible.

You can interview well and not be accepted for a number of reasons. The screeners have criteria used to invite applicants but a much larger group decides on admission. The screener may have hoped that whatever deficiencies your application may have, your strengths would outweigh them. Though the committee apparently didn't agree, it doesn't mean that they invited you in vain (or maliciously). You may still get in off the waitlist as well.

 

[lazywindmill]

Thanks a lot, this makes a lot of sense given my GPA, which was probably my big red flag for waitlist vs. acceptance. Like I said, I'm grateful for the waitlist decision, and hopeful for some good news in the next few months. I'll be working on an update letter ASAP.

 

[pDeluxe]

I'll be working on an update letter ASAP.

@gyngyn @Goro I've seen your posts before saying how LOIs are largely useless, but update letters are welcomed... Have there been cases where an update letter has been significant enough to lead to an acceptance? I mean, there are a few success stories of applicants being told that it was there persistence in keeping in touch with the schools that helped them gain acceptance. But of those types of stories, was it merely keeping contact or the substance of those updates that had the most impact? Thanks!

@OP I feel for you, as I am in your situation. At one school, my interview told me I was a superstar and she thought I would make an excellent addition to the student body. At another, my interviewer got up out of her seat and gave me a high five for one of my responses and said she wished every applicant understood that particular topic on the level that I did. Though I realize the adcom reviews the whole picture, a waitlist after getting great interviewing feedback is disheartening! Good luck all the same

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn @Goro I've seen your posts before saying how LOIs are largely useless, but update letters are welcomed... Have there been cases where an update letter has been significant enough to lead to an acceptance? I mean, there are a few success stories of applicants being told that it was there persistence in keeping in touch with the schools that helped them gain acceptance.

Admissions offices are filled with these "LOI's" and "updates." If you have been told that these things are welcomed at a particular school, then do as you see fit.

In my experience the only time they have any relevance is at the point that the school is ready to pull from the waitlist (with an unranked list) and the candidate has been accepted to what might be considered a more desirable school. If the waitlist candidate is drawn at the discretion of the admissions dean and the best candidate is holding at what might be perceived as a better (or cheaper!) school, an email indicating that the waitlist school is preferred will potentially influence that dean. Otherwise a reasonable dean would potentially bypass that candidate for the next one holding at what would be perceived as a lesser school.

Applicants holding nowhere have little to gain by writing the LOI's. We already know you will accept.

 

[sourdoughllama]

Admissions offices are filled with these "LOI's" and "updates." If you have been told that these things are welcomed, then do as you see fit.

In my experience the only time they have any relevance is at the point that the school is ready to pull from the waitlist (with an unranked list) and the candidate has been accepted to what might be considered a more desirable school. If the waitlist candidate is drawn at the discretion of the admissions dean and the best candidate is holding at what might be perceived as a better (or cheaper!) school, an email indicating that the waitlist school is preferred will potentially influence that dean. Otherwise a reasonable dean would potentially bypass that candidate for the next one holding at what would be perceived as a lesser school.

Applicants holding nowhere have little to gain by writing the LOI's. We already know you will accept.

So what you're saying is that, say, you're accepted at Drexel and wait listed for Harvard, they're more likely to pull you off?

 

[gyngyn]

So what you're saying is that, say, you're accepted at Drexel and wait listed for Harvard, they're more likely to pull you off?

No, if you are accepted to Yale, your state school may presume you would rather go there unless you remind them how much you would prefer to stay in Oklahoma.

 

[sourdoughllama]

No, if you are accepted to Yale, your state school may presume you would rather go there unless you remind them how much you would prefer to stay in Oklahoma.

Sorry, I meant to ask the opposite. Is it good then, if you want to go to Yale (wait list), but have an acceptance at Oklahoma?

 

[gyngyn]

Sorry, I meant to ask the opposite. Is it good then, if you want to go to Yale (wait list), but have an acceptance at Oklahoma?

No need for an update there! Yale already believes you will come.

 

[yankees26]

@gyngyn is there any preference to pull those without any acceptances vs a candidate who has an acceptance at a "lower ranked" school?

 

[moop]

In addition, the interviewers may have loved you, as did the AdCom, but the Dean might have overruled them, because you didn't match some rubric s/he uses to accept students....for exam, GPA has to be as high as possible.

How often does this happen.....?

 

[chenzt]

Sorry, I meant to ask the opposite. Is it good then, if you want to go to Yale (wait list), but have an acceptance at Oklahoma?

And you become like 99% of other waitlister at Yale

 

[Goro]

Can't speak for other schools, but it happens at my school infrequently.

How often does this happen.....?

 

[Jimsy]

@Goro @gyngyn Based on your experiences, can you elaborate on the process of how a school pulls from an unranked waitlist? For example, do schools usually accept a waitlister that is very similar stats-wise to the person who just withdrew or are the waitlisters reevaluated without being compared to those who just withdrew? Thanks.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn is there any preference to pull those without any acceptances vs a candidate who has an acceptance at a "lower ranked" school?

Not at my school.

 

[gyngyn]

@Goro @gyngyn Based on your experiences, can you elaborate on the process of how a school pulls from an unranked waitlist? For example, do schools usually accept a waitlister that is very similar stats-wise to the person who just withdrew or are the waitlisters reevaluated without being compared to those who just withdrew? Thanks.

This will vary by school. I'm not sure how an explanation of how it works at one institution will help (and it's complicated).

 

[malaika]

Interview went very well...waitlisted...what to do now??

Write them an emotional love letter tell them why you like their school and why they should like you. Then simply relax and expect your acceptance letter in the mail, it will come shortly after that.

 

[ducksau5]

do schools still care about GPA/MCAT at the point of waitlists? Or is it more about fit?

 

[Goro]

Without giving too much away, our Dean has a criteria that he values among applicants, and so he just goes down the list according to that. However, if the AdCom really really liked a candidate, that may get someone bumped up a bit. Conversely, if our explanations were uniform and in the "against" column, then despite having a marker the Dean likes, this person will be passed over.

A rough rule of thumb I wil pass on is that if you know you're low down on the wait list, or you're simply "low wait", it's highly unlikley that you'll get into that school.

@Goro @gyngyn Based on your experiences, can you elaborate on the process of how a school pulls from an unranked waitlist? For example, do schools usually accept a waitlister that is very similar stats-wise to the person who just withdrew or are the waitlisters reevaluated without being compared to those who just withdrew? Thanks.

 

[Jimsy]

Without giving too much away, our Dean has a criteria that he values among applicants, and so he just goes down the list according to that. However, if the AdCom really really liked a candidate, that may get someone bumped up a bit. Conversely, if our explanations were uniform and in the "against" column, then despite having a marker the Dean likes, this person will be passed over.

A rough rule of thumb I wil pass on is that if you know you're low down on the wait list, or you're simply "low wait", it's highly unlikley that you'll get into that school.

How would you know if you're low or high on the list if the waitlist is unranked?

 

[Goro]

Alas, you don't Some schools will break the list down for you into high/medium/low. I was thinking about that scenario.

Otherwise, patience is a virtue, and it's always wise to have backup plans.

How would you know if you're low or high on the list if the waitlist is unranked?

 

[hughnguyen22]

I really feel for OP. I would feel as I get cheated on in your situation. My advice is to write them a letter of interest and updates if they are receptive to those. If you only have one interview, it is a good time to build up your apps by fixing the weak areas, more research or volunteer, and to plan for next year app cycle. Applying for an SMP is a good idea also. Good luck though.

 

[gyngyn]

do schools still care about GPA/MCAT at the point of waitlists? Or is it more about fit?

We care about it all.