Hi team! I know how much it sucks to be waitlisted but if you're interested in having a fighting chance of getting off the waitlist, you first need to understand why you are in this situation.
4 Reasons why you might be on the waitlist
:
1. Your narrative was too complicated.
Wharton Adcom members have thousands of essays to read through in a short time window. Do they have a lot of time to appreciate nuance and subtlety? No. Are they going to appreciate having to go back and re-read your story when it takes an unexpected turn? No. Are they in a hurry for you to get to your point so they know what your story is about? Yes.
Your job was to use your application to communicate a narrative story that was as simple and easy to digest as possible. If you did not accomplish that, then you need to start your analysis there. Complicated stories are far less compelling than simple ones, but they are a lot easier to write! That’s why you don’t see a lot of simple stories about waitlisted candidates.
2. You lacked a clear mission statement.
People are never as excited about supporting other individuals as they are about solving problems. Admissions Committees work in a similar way. They are more excited about marshalling the resources of their programs around candidates out to solve a clear problem in the world, than those just out for their own career progression.
When I read applications from waitlisted candidates, they almost always talk a lot about the job they performed or the life they want to lead without discussing the problem they want to solve or the vision for the future that they want to create. Simply put, an overachieving professional working in the healthcare industry is not as compelling a candidate as someone on a mission to end childhood obesity in America.
3. You did not differentiate yourself among a crowded field.
What is the difference between whole wheat bread and multigrain? All I know is that when I go into a new supermarket I have to sort through a wall of bread and sometimes get so overwhelmed that I don’t want to buy any. How do you think Wharton feels with management consultants? They all pretty much do the same thing in the same place for nearly identical companies. If you’re coming from a traditional pre-MBA background (consulting, finance, big tech), unless your application makes clear that you offer something very different than your peers, it’s likely that your admissions journey will take a detour via the waitlist overpass.
4. You didn’t seem sold on Wharton.
Wharton hates rejection as much as candidates do. If your application didn’t convey passion for Wharton, or a lot of specifics that show you have done your research, they might reasonably believe that you would go to HBS, GSB, Booth, or CBS if given the option.
_________________
Best,
Nate
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