Alternate List- Please advice...

[5639953]

Hi all,

I have a problem and here are the givens:


1) I am on the very top of a waiting list post interview, in one of my top choices.

2) The school is done interviewing for this year and sent out all of their final decisions.

3) I have 0 acceptances in my pocket.

4) That school takes only 10 out of staters for the class and I am an out of stater.

5) If I want to be considered for some more schools, I have to turn in couple seconderies (WITH MORE FEES) for couple other schools that are not as prefered as the above school.

The questions are:

Should I have much hope in the waiting list for the 10 positions, especially that I am on the very top of that list? Could that mean an almost acceptance for the school?

Should I save money and not send the seconderies to the other couple schools at this point?

Do you think it would be a good idea to call the school and ask them for my chances of getting off that waiting list, and should I tell them about the other schools and whether I should turn their seconderies in?

I appreciate your advice and I am sorry for the length of my post...

Thanks all

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[ZekeMD]

It's pretty late to be sending secondaries out. I'm not sure when the deadlines are, but they may have passed. Even if they havent, it is hard to say if you'd even have a shot at those schools since it is so late in the game.

 

[periodic]

Hey,

Congrats on being at the top of the waitlist at one of your top schools! You probably want to call them asap to find out their view of whether a spot will open up.

If they can't tell you absolutely that you will get a spot, I'd recommend going ahead and doing some secondaries - that is, if you'd rather go to one of these other schools than waiting another year and re-applying.

But you should call for sure and clarify your position on the wait-list and also let them know you would definitely attend if accepted (if they don't know it already).

 

[ckent]

Be sure to send a letter of intent telling the adcom how much you loved their school too. That really makes a difference sometimes. Be professional about it too, don't send them a piece of scrap paper with something handwritten on the back (which is what I did for one of my schools for some reason). If you are really at the top of the waiting list, you probably have a really good chance of getting in as most schools go down pretty far on their waiting list. It's always easier to add acceptances rather then to rescind them in terms of planning for class size. If you don't get in, I'd reccomend holding off until next year since you want your first application to be your best and it's really late in the cycle.

 

[freesolo]

schools tell you what position your on in the waitlist??

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by Abraham
schools tell you what position your on in the waitlist??

Some do either in the wait-list letter they send you (they will put you tiers or groups) while others will do so if you call them. SOmetimes you can get past percentages by calling schools too (eg 70% of applicants in your pool were accepted last year).

 

[nikoo]

Send those secondaries in! I think it is definitely a good investment because the alternate of NOT doing those secondaries is that you could end up reapplying. If you are serious about applying to those schools and would actually attend if admitted, than you have nothing to lose (except the money)!

 

[5639953]

I recieved a general letter from the dean of the school-- i.e. can be directed to all applicants on the waiting list... It says that I was wait listed, but at least there is hope............ Then, at the very end after the dean's sig, it says if I had questions I could call the admissions office... then it says "N.B. You are #1 on the list"....

I don't know what N.B. meant... Note or something... who knows... But I assumed that they meant that I am on the very top of the list....

I guess what I was trying to find out, Am I almost accepted into that school knowing that they take only 10 out of staters???? Should I count on this??? Thanks Again

 

[CalBeE]

In some schools, zero applicant was pulled off from the waitlist in certain years, so there's always an element of uncertainty.

I know a friend who was waitlisted at UCSD last application year, but was told he was at the top of the list, and was almost certain will get in eventually. Turned out that year was a rare year where none or few people from waitlist got accepted.

Since my friend withdraw applications from all the other schools after hearing about the UCSD waitlist, he's applying all over again this year. It could have been a good thing, cause he just interviewed at UCLA, and may have a chance of getting in.

 

[dupp]

N.B. stands for nota bene . It's Latin for note well.

 

[5639953]

Thank you all for your replies... I am still thinking about it.

It is almost too late to send the other seconderies.... But, according to deadlines, it is not too late...

Would it be a good conclusion if I count on this waiting list, knowing that they have not taken anyone off of it, yet???

I know it is just for 10 positions for out-of-staters, but I also know that from the start of this list, I was on top... And they won't add anymore students to it... So, according to the letter I have, if they take any non-resident off that list, it should be me...

Can I really count on this? Any other opinions? I will take in as many votes as I can... Thank you so much..

 

[5639953]

Darn the school is closed today!!