When a client calls me, distraught that he has been waitlisted, I say, “Congratulations!” He then sounds very confused. On a waiting list, you are still in the running. On a waiting list, you still have some control over your future. On a waiting list, you can get into your dream law school. That’s why I say “Congratulations!” A waiting list means hope! (As does a “held” and “reserve” decision, by the way).
However, it also means that you need to get used to waiting.
Most law schools don’t even think about the people on their waiting list until after they have the first deposits from the people they’ve admitted. It’s pretty much a second admission cycle, so all those hopes you had of solidifying your life by April 1 should be washed away. You see, only once schools see how those numbers come back do they start to evaluate their waitlisted applicants.
When a law school starts to review a waiting list to admit people, they may have specific needs. For example, if more women sent deposits than men they may need to balance out the class this way. If the LSAT numbers for the entering class are looking strong but the GPAs are looking lackluster, they may go to people with strong GPAs. They might see that they have too many people from a certain undergrad school and not enough from another, or by geographic region, or there is room to expand upon ethnic diversity. These are all considerations when deciding who will be admitted.
And, within each of these categories that need to be filled, the Dean of Admissions is thinking, “Who do I like? Whose day do I want to make?” After all, this is one of the most fun things an admission officer gets to do. I want to call someone who I know is going to be very happy to hear from me. I get to be a hero today! So who do I call? That nice kid who has been in touch with me for six months! The guy who works down the street as a paralegal! The young woman who traveled from Ohio to visit the law school! This is where making effort makes all the difference. After all, I don’t want to have to make 5 calls to get someone who is happy to hear from me. I want the person who is the sure thing, because what I don’t want is to admit someone at this point in the year who is not going to attend.
If you do absolutely nothing beyond accepting your place on the waiting list, you will not get into the law school. That’s all there is to it. You must go above and beyond. You must launch your campaign to get in. If this chapter is more pep talk than tips, it’s because I’ve seen too many people discouraged by a wait list decision when they should be encouraged by it. Just this week, I had a client tell me that he wasn’t going to pursue the waiting list at Catholic or American because he might not hear back until August and he didn’t want to move in August. “Hello?” I said. “It’s only March! Campaign now! Hang in there now! If you still haven’t heard in July and you don’t want to stay on the waiting list then, ok. But you could hear something in May or June if you campaign now.” People give up too soon. Also, people assume there will be no scholarship offers from schools where they are admitted off the waiting list. This used to be the case, but in recent years this has changed and more schools are reserving (or redistributing) scholarship funds after deposit deadlines to both admitted students and those who are newly admitted from the waiting list.
Of course, I’ve had clients receive calls from their top choice law school while sitting in Orientation at their second choice law school. Sometimes this happens, and it can be an awesome (if stressful) thing. But most waitlist news comes in plenty of time for you to enter into a lease and buy books.
So, here is a schedule of things you can do when you find out you are waitlisted.
- Immediately and enthusiastically accept a place on the waiting list. Refrain from immediately bombarding the law school with letters and additional information, especially if you get your wait list notification before March.
- Schedule a campus tour and visit if you have not already done so and if it is economically feasible for you to do so. If you live in the same city or state and haven’t visited, the school isn’t going to think you’re very interested in attending. Does this really help? People ask me that all the time. I had a client who was absolutely dying to go to law school and he didn’t care where so long as he could practice law one day. He flew himself across the country to visit a law school where he was waitlisted, where he’d been told he would have ten minutes with the assistant director of admissions. The ten minutes turned into an hour, and two days later he was admitted.
- During your visit, try to get some face-time (don’t ask for an interview!) with an admission counselor/officer. Ask about the waiting list and what they recommend in terms of keeping in touch, and then follow that to the “T”. Talk to everyone you meet – ask students about their experiences at the law school, ask them what they did if they were waitlisted, introduce yourself to the professor whose class you are visiting, and follow up by writing thank-you notes (or emails) to each of them.
- Immediately after the deposit deadlines (since there is sometimes more than one) follow up with a letter expressing your interest in attending the law school – be specific!
- As you receive new (superb) grades and/or honors and/or promotions at work, or take on a new job or leadership position, email the admissions office with the news.
- Refrain from stalking the admissions office. Keep in touch every month until deposit deadlines have passed, then maybe every 2-4 weeks depending on the vibe you are getting from the school and whether you have real updates to pass along.
- If you feel very confident in your ability to raise your LSAT score by more than 2 points, then consider a June retake. You would probably still be on the waiting list in June, and improving your LSAT score could make the difference.
- Some law schools specifically invite you to submit additional essays, including Penn Law, Northwestern Law, Michigan State, and Southwestern. If you pass this opportunity by, the law school will assume you are not interested in attending.
39 Responses
Hey Ann, thank you so much for this blog post. I just got wait listed at my top choice and I am unsure what to do from there.
They said that their wait list is unranked, is there any chance that I can improve or stand out in a pool of…the same unranked people as I?
I am too scared to even email the admissions people to thank them. I don’t know when to send an LOCI.
I accepted a place on the waiting list but that is about it right now.
What should I do?
Thank you so much
I forgot to add that there’s almost 0 instructions on the email that they have sent me. I’m not sure if the “unranked” part affects that in anyway.
Please advise and thank you.
Of course, Amanda. Why are you scared? That’s so silly!
Hi Ann,
Is it okay to send a letter of continued interest to more than one school you’re waitlisted at?
Of course! Just don’t tell more than one school that you’d absolutely attend if admitted.
Why can’t you tell more than one school that you’d absolutely attend if admitted? I don’t see what the consequence of that would be given that a) they are not aware of it and b) they all look for this attribute when deciding who to admit from the wait list. It seems like not saying this could easily take you out of the running, especially when it comes to the top 20 schools.
I’m waitlisted at my top choice but I submitted a seat deposit at my backup. Their second deposit is due in June and since I am doing to LSAT June retake, I am assuming I won’t hear back from my waitlist until after scores are released July 6. So should I send an email to the school with my seat deposit and ask for an extension regarding my second one? And if so, what do I say?
Thank you!
You have to hold your seat at the “back up” school – if you later get into the WL school, you just risk losing your deposit.
Hello Ann! I got waitlisted for Emory University but live so far that it is not feasible for me to do a campus tour. In lieu of the tour, should I request a conversation with an admission’s officer? I have done everything mentioned above but can’t do a tour and don’t want it to hurt me during this process.
Hi Elsa,
It won’t hurt you. Emory is a school that doesn’t like a lot of communications from WL applicants. Write the letter they ask for and update them as necessary – just follow their directions.
Ann
Hi Ann,
I am waitlisted at Pepperdine Law, and it is my first choice school. I accepted my place on the waitlist and sent in a letter of continued interest within a day of being waitlisted. A few weeks later I also sent in an additional letter of recommendation. I feel like I should be doing something else, but I don’t want to annoy the admission office. I have already visited Pepperdine Law earlier in the year two different times so I have no desire to spend the money to visit a third time. However, I feel like the admission office might want me to visit? What should I do to improve my chances of getting off the waitlist? Should I even do anything else?
Ava,
I think you’ve visited enough, just remind them of your interest in writing. Good luck!
Hi Ann,
I was placed on the Priority Waitlist at my dream school in mid-March. Since then, I have submitted two letters of continued interest, spoken with two different admissions team members to pose questions, submitted a resume update re job promotion, and expressed my interest in short form via email. My last form of contact was mid-June at which point applicants were soon after informed via email that the class was full and that waitlisted applicants would be reviewed whenever spots become available on a rolling basis.
Is there anything you feel I can or should do at this time to distinguish myself or have I done everything I can feasibly do at this point? Is sending another quick email to this school expressing my interest and 100% plan to attend if admitted advised?
Thank you so much for your input.
Ann,
I have a seat deposit that is due on Friday (school awarded me a 100% scholarship), but a school that I am more interested in is still pending on a decision. Is it acceptable to email the school where my application is still in review and let them know that the other school requires a seat deposit in a couple days and notify them of how big of a scholarship they offered me? Please let me know.
Dee, I wouldn’t. I would send the seat deposit and just risk losing it if your dream school comes through.
Hi Ann,
Read your book; thanks for you help and insight!
I was waitlisted late in the cycle. Like, early July late. My application was submitted months after the school deadline. I have already submitted a LOCI.
I have two questions:
1) Is a late waitlist decision indicative of anything?
2) With school right around the corner, is there anything I can do at this point to boost my chances?
Thank you
Hi Ann,
Read your book; thanks for your help and insight!
I was waitlisted late in the cycle. Like, early July late. My application was submitted months after the school deadline. I have already submitted a LOCI.
I have two questions:
1) Is a late waitlist decision indicative of anything?
2) With school right around the corner, is there anything I can do at this point to boost my chances?
Thank you
Hi Devon,
I’m not sure what you mean by #1…. IT probably means that if you’d applied earlier, you would’ve been admitted. Is that what you’re asking?
One LOCI probably isn’t enough. I would make sure a school knows you’d attend if admitted. But, mentally, I’d prepare to reapply early this cycle.
Hi Ann,
I am unsure whether this response is like a waitlist or not, but I just received an email from NYU saying that the Committee was unable to reach a decision on me and that I should submit additional information. Is this type of response common? What else if anything besides my transcript ( I am still an undergrad) should I submit?
Lana, you’re in good company. I feel like a thousand people got the same email. Send the transcript and see what happens.
I have a decent scholarship from an unranked regional school and have been waitlisted by my first choice. I want to wait around for the dream school’s waitlist, but I’m afraid if I do and miss the deadline for the regional school’s deposit deadline they will pull the scholarship. What should I do?
Dillon,
YOU MUST SEND A DEPOSIT to keep the seat at the scholarship school. It doesn’t sound like they are asking for a binding commitment.
Hi Ann,
Just got waitlisted at Georgetown after doing their group interview and also got wait listed at Fordham. So far I got into GW with a $75,000 scholarship, but I’ve applied to other T-14 schools and am extremely nervous looking at wait list statistics that if i was waitlisted at these schools, I will probably have the same fate for the rest of them and the likelihood of me getting off the waitlists is really slim. I’m really REALLY stressed out and am nervous that sending in my applications in January has screwed me for this admissions cycle. Do you have any advice for me?
Hi Ann,
I was just waitlisted at GW. I’m drafting a LOCI and I don’t really have anything new to report since I applied. I just expressed gratitude and excitement to be considered. Should I state that I’m willing to retake the LSAT in June? I truly do believe I could do better. The score I received back in September was the same as my diagnostic score.
I also mentioned that I’d be in DC for an Admitted Students Day at another school. Is that okay to mention? It was in context when expressing how I’d like to schedule a campus tour at GW while I’m in town and meet with someone in admissions if possible.
Hi – retaking the LSAT could work for you, Sadie. You should absolutely schedule the visit, yes. And think about stating the certainty you feel that you would attend if admitted.
Dear Ms. Levine,
Thank you for your March 2018 article. It helped me to have a better perspective on the waitlist process. I received a waitlist notification from my top school in early January of this year. In February, I attended a tour/info session and soon thereafter, I sent a letter of continued interest to the Director of Admissions to thank them for the tour, my interest in attending the school and informing them that should I be given an invitation to attend, I would accept. I also had the good fortune of having a conversation with one of the professors who I also followed up with to thank for their conversation.
Now that the application deadline has come (just over a week ago), would you advise that I send another letter to the admissions office (approximately 6 weeks after my initial letter)? I should say that there have been no recent noteworthy developments to either my application or what I wrote in my first letter. Further, my LSAT score was not what the school would consider high. I did consider taking it again, but the fact is I spent the better part of 2018 studying for it and the score that I earned in September was by far the best that I received to date. I’m not confident that I would get a few points higher than my last score and it still may not be in the range this school wants to see.
I certainly do not want to pester anyone with repeated letters or e-mails. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them and will take them into consideration.
Many thanks again for your insight into the waitlist process.
Very truly yours,
Joey Santos
Dear Ms. Levine,
Thank you for your March 2018 article. It helped me to have a better perspective on the waitlist process. I received a waitlist notification from my top school in early January of this year. In February, I attended a tour/info session and soon thereafter, I sent a letter of continued interest to the Director of Admissions to thank them for the tour, my interest in attending the school and informing them that should I be given an invitation to attend, I would accept. I also had the good fortune of having a conversation with one of the professors who I also followed up with to thank for their conversation.
Now that the application deadline has come (just over a week ago), would you advise that I send another letter to the admissions office (approximately 6 weeks after my initial letter)? I should say that there have been no recent noteworthy developments to either my application or what I wrote in my first letter. Further, my LSAT score was not what the school would consider high. I did consider taking it again, but the fact is I spent the better part of 2018 studying for it and the score that I earned in September was by far the best that I received to date. I’m not confident that I would get a few points higher than my last score and it still may not be in the range this school wants to see.
I certainly do not want to pester anyone with repeated letters or e-mails. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them and will take them into consideration.
Many thanks again for your insight into the waitlist process.
Very truly yours,
Joey Santos
Hi Joey,
I’m glad the article was helpful.
Follow the Waiting List instructions that school has provided. Generally I advise keeping in touch, even briefly, about once a month.
Hi Ann,
I haven’t heard back yet from my top choice – basically it just says that my file is complete and ready for review. It has been about a month so far and I am getting very antsy as seat deposits for a regional unranked school I was accepted with a more than half scholarship to is due April 1. If I haven’t heard anything, is it inappropriate to email asking about the status? Or even send a Continued Interest letter?
Abigail, you would need to deposit somewhere else and continue to wait to hear from the other school. It sounds like you applied later in the cycle so it can take some time to hear back.
Hi Ann,
I was waitlisted at my top choice, Syracuse Law last Friday. I immediately accepted a spot on the waitlist and followed up with an email to the admissions committee letting them know it was my top choice. I have visited for an open house in the fall and plan on sending a LOCI. Do you think it is necessary to revisit the school again? Is it too late to do anything to boost my chances of getting in?
Hi Gigi,
No reason to visit a second time – just keep doing what you’re doing!
Hi Ann!
I found out on April 12th that I have been waitlisted at my first choice, Cleveland State. I received my official letter in the mail on Saturday, and made sure to fax in the letter accepting a position on their wait list today. I was wondering if you have any experience with wait listed students at Cleveland State? I do plan to send a LOCI, but the letter they sent me only referenced updating personal statements, letters of rec, and awards/other recognitions. Is it ok to send a resume? Should I acquire a LOR from my current employer (my boss is an alumni of the law school)? Any input/recommendations would be very much appreciated! Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Ann,
I am waitlisted at Notre Dame and did not submit the additional “Why ND” or “DKL” essays. Once waitlisted I did send a LOCI one page in length that combined elements of the “why ND” and “DKL” essays, which I think I should have done separately now that I think about it. But I am visiting on May 6th as a waitlisted student. Should I send an additional LOCI immediately after my visit? Or should I follow up my visit with thank you notes, and send the additional LOCI after the June 1st deposit deadlines?
Thanks so much!
Hi Kale. I would send a letter after your visit that elaborates upon reasons you’d be interested in attending. Each contact with a law school is an LOCI – it’s not a term of art really. Just showing interest is what matters – visiting does that, each thank-you does that, but also your more well-composed responses.
Hi Ann,
I was waitlisted at UC Hastings. I want to meet up with an admissions counselor/officer. If the opportunity arises, what questions should I ask?
Daniela,
There are no magic questions – just show sincere interest in attending and you can ask what you might do to improve your chances of admission.
Hi Ann,
I am currently on the waitlist for my top choice, a T-14 school. However, a committment deadline, no monetary deposit, of June 1 was requested by a regional school offering me a full scholarship. Will being listed as a member of the regional school’s class be known to other schools in the waitlist review process?
Thanks a ton!!
Hi Jimmy,
It shouldn’t be public – multiple deposits may be shared, but you’re entitled and expected to reserve a space in the class.