How do "non-ranked" waitlists work?

[rms435]

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How do "non-ranked" waitlists work? Do they just sit down and look over allll the waitlisted applicants stuff again each time a spot opens up? That seems like a lot of work if waitlists are 100+ people (is this around the right number?). I'm so confused...

 

[NC Doc]

my guess is that they bring out the "waitlist dart board" and have a good time throwing darts at the waitlistees that will get rejected.

 

[mfrizzo3]

Ranked ----> Slim Chance
Non-Ranked ----> Please apply again

 

[Bond8204]

People tend to say "If the waitlist isn't ranked, make sure you update them regularly to show you're interested! The squeaky wheel gets the grease!"

This is true to an extent--and I bet some people are accepted off unranked waitlists this way, but the cynical way of thinking about it is more like:

1) Step 1: Class fills up with acceptances.
2) Step 2: A musically inclined hispanic female with GPA of 3.6 and MCAT 32 dropped us.
3) Accept a musically inclined hispanic female with GPA>3.5 and MCAT >30 off waitlist.
4) Repeat in similar fashion.

While this is hyperbole, I think it represents more how it actually works. Rather than selecting those who show the most interest (though certainly, as said above, some of those are accepted) I think it's much more based on how they can name certain paramaters of what they want and get it from the waitlist.

 

[Phoenix.]

People tend to say "If the waitlist isn't ranked, make sure you update them regularly to show you're interested! The squeaky wheel gets the grease!"

Actually, when I was at UVM, they basically said that most OOSers will get waitlisted, and this year it will be unranked, with those who show more interest (calls/letters) getting moved to the top. I'm sure there are some other schools like this, but I have no idea if that's the minority or majority view.

This is true to an extent--and I bet some people are accepted off unranked waitlists this way, but the cynical way of thinking about it is more like:

1) Step 1: Class fills up with acceptances.
2) Step 2: A musically inclined hispanic female with GPA of 3.6 and MCAT 32 dropped us.
3) Accept a musically inclined hispanic female with GPA>3.5 and MCAT >30 off waitlist.
4) Repeat in similar fashion.

Yup, that's how Mayo says they do it. 42 spots and 100 waitlistees. They claim that they accept someone off the waitlist similar to the type of applicant that just declined their acceptance in order to preserve the diversity of their small class. And by diversity, it could mean absolutely anything.

 

[rms435]

Actually, when I was at UVM, they basically said that most OOSers will get waitlisted, and this year it will be unranked, with those who show more interest (calls/letters) getting moved to the top. I'm sure there are some other schools like this, but I have no idea if that's the minority or majority view.

When you said showing interest via calls and letters what do you mean? I've written lots of letters of interest/update so I'm comfortable doing that, but what are you supposed to say in a phone call and who do you speak with? The only time I've ever called an admissions office is when I've had a question. Is it acceptable to be like "my name is blah and I love your school, please record thanks"? Ugh, I hate waitlists...

 

[Kaustikos]

my guess is that they bring out the "waitlist dart board" and have a good time throwing darts at the waitlistees that will get rejected.

I'm pretty sure it works something along those lines, that's why they don't tell you your rank. The correct question is your score.

 

[scowdeva]

I think that most schools have some sort of ranking to the list, even though they aren't all going to tell you what yours is. Just because they don't say "Oh, you're in the top 1/3" doesn't mean that they don't already have it ranked out some way. I know some schools specifically say they look at every file, but there's just no possible way...they probably have unofficial bins that they initially sort your files into once placed on the waitlist. One bin is labeled 'look here first', the next is 'need something a little different?' and the final one is 'aw, hellllllls no, unless everyone else falls through'.

Just because they're not fessing up to it doesn't make it any less of a probably real situation...

 

[TheRealMD]

A non-ranked waitlist is NOT a non-ranked waitlist. A non-ranked waitlist is simply a ranked waitlist where people can be skipped over. When you have hundreds of applicants, they aren't going to honestly review every single file.

You see, the important thing to realize that who will be picked may not be ranked, but the order in which people who eventually do get picked is. For example, let's use letters of the alphabet where earlier letters are "better" than later ones.

In a ranked waitlist, the order of who gets picked is A, B, C, D, E and so forth.

In a non-ranked waitlist, if C is picked, you can't assume A and B were, however if you know that F and S where BOTH picked, they decided on F being accepted first. In this case, it appears to be "non-ranked" because people automatically assumed that every letter before F will be picked before F is, but that isn't true.

Non-ranked waitlists are NOT about who gets into a school, but when!
See what I'm getting at?

 

[cardboardearrin]

I think that most schools have some sort of ranking to the list, even though they aren't all going to tell you what yours is. Just because they don't say "Oh, you're in the top 1/3" doesn't mean that they don't already have it ranked out some way. I know some schools specifically say they look at every file, but there's just no possible way...they probably have unofficial bins that they initially sort your files into once placed on the waitlist. One bin is labeled 'look here first', the next is 'need something a little different?' and the final one is 'aw, hellllllls no, unless everyone else falls through'.

Just because they're not fessing up to it doesn't make it any less of a probably real situation...

I heart you scowdeva. 😍

 

[Kaustikos]

A non-ranked waitlist is NOT a non-ranked waitlist. A non-ranked waitlist is simply a ranked waitlist where people can be skipped over. When you have hundreds of applicants, they aren't going to honestly review every single file.

You see, the important thing to realize that who will be picked may not be ranked, but the order in which people who eventually do get picked is. For example, let's use letters of the alphabet where earlier letters are "better" than later ones.

In a ranked waitlist, the order of who gets picked is A, B, C, D, E and so forth.

In a non-ranked waitlist, if C is picked, you can't assume A and B were, however if you know that F and S where BOTH picked, they decided on F being accepted first. In this case, it appears to be "non-ranked" because people automatically assumed that every letter before F will be picked before F is, but that isn't true.

Non-ranked waitlists are NOT about who gets into a school, but when!
See what I'm getting at?

So it's like saying the waitlist is a rolling admissions process.

 

[Indigo252]

When you said showing interest via calls and letters what do you mean? I've written lots of letters of interest/update so I'm comfortable doing that, but what are you supposed to say in a phone call and who do you speak with? The only time I've ever called an admissions office is when I've had a question. Is it acceptable to be like "my name is blah and I love your school, please record thanks"? Ugh, I hate waitlists...

Great question -- any suggestions? I've just sent emails so far, but it sounds like some repetition and mix of calling/emailing is preferable? I would have thought one email would be sufficient and anything more would be annoying. How many different ways can you say "I love you"?

 

[Rotinaj1985]

Great question -- any suggestions? I've just sent emails so far, but it sounds like some repetition and mix of calling/emailing is preferable? I would have thought one email would be sufficient and anything more would be annoying. How many different ways can you say "I love you"?

Have you tried a Haiku or a Sonnet?

 

[151333]

i am a little confused with this process. i WAS NOT interviewed at penn state but i was put on hold. and i am still on hold. what does that mean?

 

[vicinihil]

i am a little confused with this process. i WAS NOT interviewed at penn state but i was put on hold. and i am still on hold. what does that mean?

Another $120 to process Secondary Application in 2009 please.

 

[151333]

Another $120 to process Secondary Application in 2009 please.

hate to think that i have to do it all over again!

 

[Phoenix.]

When you said showing interest via calls and letters what do you mean? I've written lots of letters of interest/update so I'm comfortable doing that, but what are you supposed to say in a phone call and who do you speak with? The only time I've ever called an admissions office is when I've had a question. Is it acceptable to be like "my name is blah and I love your school, please record thanks"? Ugh, I hate waitlists...

Great question -- any suggestions? I've just sent emails so far, but it sounds like some repetition and mix of calling/emailing is preferable? I would have thought one email would be sufficient and anything more would be annoying. How many different ways can you say "I love you"?

Well, I thought mentioning calling was a little odd, but I specifically remember them saying that. Perhaps they keep a log of when people call about their status/waitlist movement? I have no idea. If I were on their waitlist I might call once now to ask how many they expect to accept off the waitlist this year and/or what the numbers were like last year, and mention by-the-by, how eager I am to get off the waitlist. Then maybe I'd call again in late May to see how much movement there has been and reiterate my interest. I don't know if calls really make much of a difference, but I'd cover all bases.

I would, however, write several letters of interest. I remember my student tour guide say that he sent many letters of interest and intent, and ended up getting in at the very end (June/July?). He said that admissions said that his persistence and passion for UVM really tipped the balance and got him in. And that was last year, when I believe there was a ranked waitlist. They stressed they've done away with that, and that especially for OOSers, showing your interest in UVM will go a long way.

Have you tried a Haiku or a Sonnet?

Heh - that student tour guide at UVM that I mentioned above - he said that he sent so many letters, that at the end there he was mentioning his love of Vermont maple syrup for something new to add.

i am a little confused with this process. i WAS NOT interviewed at penn state but i was put on hold. and i am still on hold. what does that mean?

That's a pre-interview hold, not a waitlist. Basically, it means that they set your application aside to be reviewed later on to see if they'd like to extend you an interview spot. If Penn State is still handing out interviews, then you might still be in the running for one. Or, perhaps they've stopped giving them out, but simply haven't sent you any update yet. If I were you, I'd give them a call and ask if you're still on hold and "to be reviewed," or whether a final decision has been made.

 

[Phoenix.]

hate to think that i have to do it all over again!

Looks like someone just posted that they got a Penn State invite three days ago - it's not over yet!:

Penn state... 3 days ago for next week! according to a friend who goes there, they take a while.

 

[tacrum43]

Ranked ----> Slim Chance
Non-Ranked ----> Please apply again