For those who are interested - here's the Q&A letter to the Waitpool -
80 in total for R1 (inclusive of those who were not interviewed).Frequently Asked Questions About the WaitpoolBecause each school has its own policies and expectations of the waitpool process, it may be difficult for you to know how you should respond. Accordingly, we want to provide you with as much information as we can about the process. We respect the time and effort you have devoted to your application. We hope that you find the explanations and suggestions below helpful.
What is the “waitpool”?The waitpool is a group of hand-selected applicants who are very strong candidates for admission for the current year. It is not a consolation prize or an empty courtesy. Rather, we select applicants whom we wish to see in the class.
Why was I placed in the waitpool?Space constraints prevent us from immediately admitting all the highly qualified applicants we see in any given application round. Therefore, we create a waitpool of candidates whom we hope we will be able to admit as the year progresses. While you may wonder what aspect of your candidacy prevented you from being admitted outright, please be assured that being selected for the waitpool at Stanford means that there are no glaring weaknesses in your application.
What happens now? When will I receive a final decision?If you intend to remain in the waitpool (and we very much hope that you do!), you should accept your waitpool offer via your online application. This is an essential step, as we will only admit candidates who have accepted a spot in the waitpool by the Round 1 deadline of 14 January 2015. In March, May, June, July, and August we will review the waitpool candidates as a group. We will update your decision via your online application on one of the dates below that will offer you admission, deny you admission, or request that you continue in the waitpool:
Round 1: 25 March 2015
Round 1 & 2: 6 May 2015
Round 1, 2, & 3: 10 June 2015, 01 July 2015, 22 July 2015, 12 August 2015
I have been admitted to another business school, and that program requires a decision and a substantial deposit soon. May I receive an early decision?Unfortunately, no. The number of candidates admitted from the waitpool depends on the quality of applicants in Round Two and on the number of available places in the class. Our decision to admit a candidate from the waitpool also will depend on the degree to which that candidate complements the existing class profile. If you have been admitted to another school and are unable to postpone your decision, we strongly advise you to accept the other offer of admission.
What about financial aid?If you are admitted from the waitpool, US citizens, permanent residents and international citizens will be required to complete the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile. Note: the CSS Profile has a fee of US $25. We advise US citizens and permanent residents to begin the financial aid application process while in the waitpool by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). International citizens are not required to complete the FAFSA. The FAFSA is available online at
https://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. The Stanford GSB federal school code is G22249. If you choose to complete the CSS Profile prior to being admitted from the waitpool, please visit
https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/. The Stanford GSB CSS PROFILE school code is 0265. Do not send a copy of your most recent tax return/statement to the GSB Financial Aid Office until you have been admitted from the waitpool. You can find detailed information about the financial aid application process on the GSB Financial Aid web site at
https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/finaid.
Is the waitpool ranked? If so, what is my place on the list?Our waitpool is never ranked. As such, it is impossible to pinpoint your “rank” among the group of candidates in the waitpool. We base our decisions on the context of the applicant pool and the entering class as a whole.
How many people were placed in the waitpool? How many will be accepted? Can you give me some historical data?We selected approximately 80 candidates for the waitpool. In the past five years, we have had waitpools ranging from 75 to more than 200 people. Some years we are able to admit a high percentage of those placed in the waitpool; some years that percentage is zero. It varies so dramatically each year — based on a host of ever-changing factors — that historical statistics are misleading. As always, we hope to admit as many candidates from the waitpool as possible.
What can I do to help my chances? May I meet with staff? Should I send additional recommendations? May I arrange an interview?It is appropriate for you to reaffirm your interest in Stanford by uploading a brief letter in the Next Steps section of your online application. Additional submissions, above and beyond the brief letter reaffirming your interest, are neither requested nor suggested. Interviews are offered by invitation only. If you have not had an interview and we feel that one is necessary, we will contact you. Otherwise, please do not travel to Stanford specifically for that purpose. We also are unable to respond to your requests for individual appointments with Stanford alumni, faculty, staff, or students. If you have any questions or concerns about the waitpool process, please email us at
[email protected].
If I am not admitted this year, should I re-apply? Will being in the waitpool this year enhance my chances of being admitted next year?Being in the waitpool does not automatically increase the likelihood that you would be admitted if you were to re-apply. Rather, being in the waitpool shows that you are a competitive applicant for admission for this particular year. We regret that each year we are forced to deny admission to many qualified applicants including some who were formerly in our waitpool.
Is there any other advice you can give me?Our best advice is to accept your waitpool offer via your online application as soon as possible, because that confirms your place in the waitpool.We ask for your patience during this process. We are committed to your candidacy — that is why you were selected for the waitpool — and hope to be able to offer you a place in the MBA Class of 2017. Please be assured that we will devote our full attention to your application during the waitpool review. Thank you for taking the time to read this; we hope that it provides you with useful information about the Stanford waitpool.
10 Dec 2014, 14:15
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