<p>Sooo, I've been wait listed at Princeton and just about everywhere else. I was just wondering if any of you have some advice as to how to improve my chances . I know that a lot of people say to write a letter expressing your interest or send another recommendation letter, but I just don't know what to do!!! Everywhere I applied this year had a "record number of applicants" so my chances were almost cut in half to begin with. Hello wait list!</p>
<p>My son was wait listed also. Of course, plan on going somewhere else at this juncture. Your chances have to be slim, even if kids are taken off the wait list. </p>
<p>What schools accepted you and are you considering?</p>
<p>On the letter sent out to kids who were waitlisted (I was), it didn't say you need to send in any supplementary materials. I know other schools (like CalTech b/c I was waitlisted there too) ask for updated information on senior year.</p>
<p>Should we send in updated materials anyways?</p>
<p>Just a thought but...Princeton has an optional letter of rec. Did you have that done already? If not, it can't hurt. Have someone write on why you should get off the wait list--what makes you perfect for Princeton and what can you give to the school?
If you really really want to go, you have to show it.</p>
<p>I get the feeling that the number of people on the waitlist is much larger than Princeton's correspondence leads us to believe (two from my school, and a bunch more throughout the district).</p>
<p>Since it's Princeton, after all, chances are slim to none, I'm guessing, though of course I'll jump at the chance if they admit me off the list. That said, now that I've already sent in my $400 deposit I'll be pretty miffed if they take me :).</p>
<p>swuster - </p>
<p>1,500 were offered to be on the wait list. So you have to guesstimate (a) how much will the wait list shrink and (b) what the yield of accepted candidates will be. I agree that waitlistee (one of which is my son) chances are probably slim to none. You sort of have to forget about it and move on.</p>
<p>To what school did you put down a deposit?</p>
<p>Don’t worry about that! My cousin was waitlisted into Princeton two years ago, but she went ahead and did some pretty fast/awesome things, and a week later they sent her a letter of acceptance. Basically she sent another letter expressing her interest, and she had her teacher send another recommendation. But (this might ruin it for you), she had won second place in an international music competition in Russia a few days after she received her wait-list offer, so she went ahead and sent that in. She really chased after them, and I think that helped a lot. </p>
<p>But otherwise, doing some other things would help (I read this in an admission book). Some said that just doing some random things, like taking a few photographs, posting them in a bank, and then getting some local critics to write about them would help if you turned that around and called yourself some state-renowned photographer who had been published. (Sorry about that super-long run-on sentence). Others said that simply sending in your interest, coupled with a few extra follow-ups might give the little bump you need (if you are sure you are so close to the cut-off line, anyway). </p>
<p>Sorry if the things I shared were mostly common sense.</p>
<p>Getting off the waitlist is as much a crap-shot as getting regular admit. Several variables play:
1. How many kids have sent in SIR acceptance - totally unpredictable this year given HP eliminated Early.
2. Ivyes playing with yield after they know actual numbers - are they willing to take a hit this year and blame it on record baby-boom crest applications or elimination of Early
3. How much they really wanted you in the first place (when they reviewed your app.)
Given "senoritis" strikes most kids, it is actually very difficult to point out something "spectacular" happened in the last few months since app was submitted. I am sure they can see through last minute bogus efforts to get in. In my opinion, they probably look at the profile of the matriculated students, the profile of the student body they are trying to fill and then take kids of the waitlist to fill the gaps. All this assuming there are still slots unfilled.</p>
<p>Another little-acknowledged fact might be a factor in getting off the wait list - whether or not you are a financial aid case, i.e. whether or not you will pay your own way. What think you all?</p>
<p>i don't think that matters. they said full financial aid is available to waitlist admitees, and a school as rich as princeton can afford to pay for the students they want.</p>
<p>Just to add a few support comments to what has been said. The 1500 on the WL to Princeton this year is unusual--Admissions says it is due to the inability to predict who will accept because of the end of ED.
I'm not convinced Financial Aid issues come into this. The Admissions office makes decisions apart from the FA office.
Letters do help.
Write to the Dean of Admissions directly--make your case.</p>
<p>I wrote a letter of interest as soon as I recieved my waitlist email... And recieved my admissions call this morning. The lady on the phone did say that full financial aid is still up for grabs.
Good luck to everyone else!</p>
<p>congrats, adanpry!! <em>cross fingers for me, please..</em> :)</p>
<p>For whatever it's worth: Didn't send any letters, mailed postcard early last week,
got call yesterday. Don't lose hope.</p>
<p>Thanks, roaritsstina~ I'm crossing my fingers for you, hope your phone rings soon.
Congrates, J'adoube~</p>
<p>is the princeton wait list over? have all 90 been called within last week?... i HOPE not...</p>
<p>have the waitlist people been called already and are they taking internationals?</p>
<p>any new admits? are they still calling?</p>
<p>yeah...has anyone got a call this week?</p>
<p>they have already taken 86 students off the wait list.. so im assuming they have 3-5 days to decide and after they say yes or no, another round of calls will be made.</p>