Still on a Wait List?

Law School Expert Blog

It’s July. And I know many of you are still on waiting lists. Those calls are coming in every day so don’t lose hope. But many schools will go to a wait list once Orientation has already started. It makes for some hectic changes, but no one will ever know you were a waitlist admit – you get the same degree and the same opportunities as everybody else.
For those of you still waiting, if you haven’t sent a letter expressing your continuing interest in the school then now is the time. If you can schedule a time to visit the school and meet an admissions officer, even better. The follow-up after that visit is crucial. I’ve also had clients offered a place in the class during a campus visit (Duke is one of those schools, btw).
Congratulations to T.M., one of my clients who was just pulled off the waitlist at UCLA this morning!

6 Responses

  1. I’m on 2 wait lists. I visited both the schools (one right after being wait listed – April – and one 2 months before being wait listed – early March).

    I’ve kept a moderate amount of contact with an admissions officer at each school. I sent a thank you after wards – being grateful for their time, but also to remind them I visited.

    I’ve also sent a LOCI and an updated list of activities, research, and jobs as well as an additional letter of recommendation.

    Should I visit again? I feel like it might be pointless because they may remember me and I don’t want to over do it. I know there is a delicate balance. But I do want them to know I’m serious….

  2. I was waitlisted at 4 schools – Hofstra, NYL, Pace, and Albany. I have already heard from Hofstra and NYL which have dissolved their waitlist. I have yet to hear from Albany and Pace. I visited Albany and sent a thank you note to the dean, in which she responded as follows:

    Erika,
    Normally we wait for a couple of days to see if we have anyone who drops out, but this year we enrolled 255 so even if we lose 5 people during orientation, we won’t go to the waitlist. I am sorry and you will get a more formal written notice, but I wanted to let you know ASAP.

    I appreciate her honesty, but I don’t understand if this is considered a rejection or not. I have yet to visit Pace officially. I was supposed to come and interview, but there was a snow storm and my interviewer decided to make it a phone interview. I visited the school on a weekend and loved it. I also should note that each month I write a continued interest letter and have called recently to express my interest. Do you recommend that I visit the school by meeting with someone this week to show that I am still extremely interested or do you feel that it is a wasted effort. Do you feel that I should just hope for the best and figure this is all I can do? Any advice would be greatly appreciate.

    1. Hi Erika,
      I believe you emailed me separately and I answered this question for you, but for the benefit of other readers I’ll share the advice here – show up on the first day of Orientation and be nice. The worst that happens is they turn you away.
      Good luck, and let me know what happens.
      Ann

  3. Hi there Ann,
    I hope you will see this! I am waitlisted at Penn State Law, University Park. Orientation is this coming Monday, the 17th. I’ve seen people have been admitted off the WL this week and also released via some online postings. I have sent 2 formal LOCI as well as a more informal photo of a school visit I had (because of covid). I am also an alumni. I wanted to arrive at orientation and was curious of your thoughts. Do I show up to orientation? I was instead thinking of sending an email early tomorrow morning and letting the admissions committee know my commitment to attending still and I will make myself available to be on campus on Monday should an opportunity to be offered admission, present itself. Thank them for their time and consideration ect s any info you can give me about this would be so appreciated! Thanks and all the best

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