What to do when waitlisted? Forum

[BoomBoom1986]

I was just waitlisted at UCLA and Vanderbilt. Does anyone know what course of action to take from here? Should I mail in a letter with the waitlist form? Call admissions? Etc, etc, etc? Also, does anyone know what the average percentage of waitlisted people eventually get in? Furthermore, how do the schools determine which waitlisted students get in?

[sirchristaylor]

1. Send in a LOCI immediately.
2. Send in WL form.
3. Visit school.
4. Send LsOCI each month.

This is what I've been told, anyway...

[vanwinkle]

Read this:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =2&t=70902

Also, generally, schools typically take people off the WLs that they are convinced will attend. Convincing them you will attend if accepted is what that above thread is largely about. However, they may also partly base acceptances off the WL on what numbers they need to maintain their rankings; having a high LSAT comes in handy if they end up needing another person with a high LSAT, and having a high GPA may come in handy if they end up needing another person with a high GPA. You have no way of knowing if they will need someone just like you, so all you can really do is just try to convince them that you really want to go there, and then hope that when they do have room, it will be for someone like you.

[BoomBoom1986]

Anyone know what the odds are of getting off of a waitlist for someone who is really committed to the school (generall speaking)? 10%? 20%? 30%?

[vanwinkle]

Anyone know what the odds are of getting off of a waitlist for someone who is really committed to the school (generall speaking)? 10%? 20%? 30%?

There are way too many variables to really just pin a number on it. However, I can say two things for sure:

1) There are a lot more people who don't get off WLs than those that do.

2) No matter what the school, those who I know got in off a WL were not shy about expressing their love of the school to the adcomms.

The more you show you want it, the more likely it seems. You can increase your odds from "almost never" to "a real possibility" with the amount and type of interaction you have with the school in question.

[Hattori Hanzo]

Anyone know what the odds are of getting off of a waitlist for someone who is really committed to the school (generall speaking)? 10%? 20%? 30%?

IMO this depends on why you were WL'd to begin with. If you were YP'd, showing committment may convince them that you'll attend if admitted and get you IN. If your numbers are borderline, I don't think being really committed makes much of a difference.

Also I have heard that UCLA admits a good percentage of its class from the WL.

Edit: Nevertheless you should show as much interest as you can like VW said. It can only help, even if it's a little and you might need just a little push to get in from WL.