{"id":19178,"date":"2013-06-24T10:02:03","date_gmt":"2013-06-24T17:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=19178"},"modified":"2013-11-08T06:43:57","modified_gmt":"2013-11-08T13:43:57","slug":"the-5-best-strategies-to-get-off-the-waitlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/the-5-best-strategies-to-get-off-the-waitlist\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Best Strategies to Get off the Waitlist"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Today\u2019s post comes from Manhattan Review UK<\/a>, a well-known provider of MBA Admissions Consulting<\/strong> for Top Business Schools.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Being waitlisted for an opportunity, whether it\u2019s a spot in a college program or a fellowship, is a mixed experience: you\u2019re probably exhilarated to have made it that far and at the same time confused about what it means. Are there that many other, better candidates? Should you start to make plans, or is it premature? And is there anything you can do to improve your chances of getting in? Here are 5 strategies to get off the waitlist and into the program:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Reiterate Your Interest<\/strong>
    \nFew things are more interesting than, well, interest. If you\u2019re on a first date and your new friend ignores you, say by texting half the night, you\u2019re probably not going on a second date (unless you\u2019re a masochist who likes to watch people send texts). So when you\u2019ve been waitlisted, it\u2019s important to send an email immediately that reiterates your strong interest. Don\u2019t go overboard, but make sure the administrator knows you\u2019re still available and would gladly take the opportunity.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Follow Up<\/strong>
    \nIf you were waitlisted for a program after a phone or in-person interview, follow up by email with the people you spoke with and\/or met. When you write them, be sure to thank them for their time and consideration, reiterate your interest (as above), and ask if there\u2019s anything you can do to help affect their decision. Don\u2019t be afraid to come out and say, \u201cI want this opportunity, and if there\u2019s anything I can do to positively impact your decision, please let me know.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Use Your Network<\/strong>
    \nHave you been waitlisted for a college program? This would be a great time to activate your network. Does anyone in your network have a relationship with the program? Do you know alumni? If so, get in touch and see if they\u2019ll put in a good word for you. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for a favor, and offer to meet and speak with anyone in your network who might be able to help. If you\u2019re worried about asking a favor out of the blue, instead ask for advice. \u201cHello, I\u2019m applying to XYZ and was just waitlisted. I know you attended and I wonder if you can tell me about your experiences there. Would you recommend it?\u201d This will start the conversation, and if you play your cards right, you may be able to get a quick recommendation emailed, which can make the difference.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Make a Call
    \n<\/strong>If after all this you don\u2019t hear from anyone within a couple days, it\u2019s okay to make a phone call to the program and aim to speak with one of the decision-makers. If you call and go to voicemail, leave a polite message reiterating your interest and saying \u201cthank you\u201d for the consideration. And that\u2019s it. Don\u2019t call again, and don\u2019t leave another message. Most people will appreciate one call, but more than that will probably irritate them. Remember: the people making admissions-decisions are busy.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Befriend the Administrator
    \n<\/strong>It might be tempting to be brusque to the administrator who handles incoming calls and directs messages \u2013 after all, this person doesn\u2019t have any say in your admissions decision, right? Wrong. If you\u2019re abrupt to an administrator, he or she has the power to put your call directly to voicemail (rather than through to the decision-maker), and if you come across negatively to the admin, she might just mention it to the decision-makers. Make sure the admin talks about how lovely you are by phone and email.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you do all of this, you can rest knowing you\u2019ve done your best to push yourself over the finish line and into the program. All you can do now is (of course) wait<\/em>. Good luck!<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you are at the start of your MBA application, we recommend that you attend our free interactive MBA Admissions Webinars<\/a> where you gain lots of useful insight into the MBA Admissions process from Manhattan Review\u2019s Director of Admissions Consulting, who has been a member for the Wharton Admissions Committee for many years. The session will reveal many secrets of the admissions process to you and definitely will increase your chances of success. Don\u2019t miss this opportunity to get all your questions answered and get an inside perspective!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Today\u2019s post comes from Manhattan Review UK, a well-known provider of MBA Admissions Consulting for Top Business Schools. Being waitlisted for an opportunity, whether it\u2019s a spot in a college…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,113],"tags":[1243,1246,1244,1247,1245],"class_list":["post-19178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-applications","tag-application-waitlist","tag-college-waitlists","tag-how-to-get-off-the-waitlist","tag-waitlist-strategies","tag-waitlists","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t\n