<p>I was recently waitlisted from my top choice, George Washington University. I was planning on contacting my regional admissions director, but not really sure as to what to say. I mean, I have a genuine interest in the school (i stalked their website for months because it seemed too great and on the actual visit/tour it was amazing!), but at the moment I'm worried that if by some miracle I do get in, finan aid will be less since I was a waitlisted-accepted candidate. In my email to her, should i ask her what else i could do? or just confirm my interest in the school?</p>
<p>i'm also planning on sending in a few extra materials (letters of rec and whatnot) but don't want to do so until after speaking to my regional rep. </p>
<p>finally, i read somewhere that interviews really count for their admissions process. i really am mad at myself for not having found that earlier (like january!) but do you think there's anything i can do now?</p>
<p>any advice would be more than welcome. thanks in advance!</p>
<p>If you need significant financial aid, I’d suggest that you set your sights elsewhere, as GW is not likely to have huge amounts of aid available for students who come off the wait list.</p>
<p>i couldn’t stop though, i’m still trying. i really LOVE the school and i guess i’ll see how it plays out. i know, thats not great planning… but i’m still going to try and get in. i emailed my regional rep. she got back to me with a “call us in april!” and told me to make sure i return the form accepting my spot on the waitlist. i emailed her again and asked if there was anything else i could do to help my chances.</p>
<p>You can accept a spot on the waitlist, but you need to proceed with school #2. If you somehow come off the waitlist and aid is good, then you can re-evaluate. But, in the meantime…embrace school #2.</p>
<p>I think you have to act as if you’ve been rejected. That may sound harsh, but right now, embrace #2. If somehow you come off the waitlist and the FA pkg is good, then you can change your mind.</p>
<p>okay, thanks mom2collegekids. so if by some miracle, GW does accept, but then i am unable to attend, is it okay to reject them then? i mean, i know they can’t force me there, but just wondering…</p>
<p>Colleges can take anyone from the waitlist. Your not interviewing may have hurt you, so you can try to make sure they know you’re interested by writing a letter to “bring them up to date on your accomplishments since you sent in your app” and list any achievements, your grades if they show an upward trend, and also a brief mention of why you think GU is a good fit.</p>
<p>My next advice is probably not what you’re expecting, but if you contact them at the end of April and still haven’t gotten in then I think you should write a letter withdrawing from the waitlist. Read a book about psychology and decision making such as “Predictably Irrational” or (even more relevant) “Stumbling on Happiness” and you’ll find that people are actually happier with an irrevocable decision! See an article about this at <a href=“http://manta.cs.vt.edu/isqols/content/NEWS/threearticles.pdf[/url]”>http://manta.cs.vt.edu/isqols/content/NEWS/threearticles.pdf</a> The reason is once something is settled you accept it and move on. If you linger on the waitlist all summer it will be hard to fully commit to your new college – signing up for orientation and getting to know a few people when you attend, making plans for who brings what with your future roomates, etc. All because doing so is planning for a future you’re still hoping won’t come. On the other hand if the end of April hits and you say goodbye to Georgetown you’ll be fully committed to the other college and, if you believe the research, happier!</p>
<p>My daughter is in the same situation - we were told it’s because we didn’t visit, contact the admissions counselor, and show enough interest. I wish our college counselor would have told us how important this was earlier in the game.
That being said, you most likely won’t hear from the school about the waitlist until AFTER May 1 - they need to find out how many people are actually going to go there before they turn to the waiting list. Which means you need to send in your acceptance and deposit to another school first, knowing that you will lose that deposit if you do get accepted to GW and decide to go there.</p>
<p>Your letter may have some specifics for you. If they want you to mail back a post card or email a particular staff member, then, holy cow, don’t blow those steps off! It’s also totally fine to inquire how the wait list works. Some schools have a ranked wait list. Others wait to hear from the students with the kids that work to keep in touch being moved into the final “call” list. </p>
<p>It’s also ok to inquire as to the stats. How many students are on the wait list? How many did they take in 2009? in 2008? It could help you hang on or move on depending on what the answers are.</p>
<p>bplez, i’m sorry to hear that. i know how ya feel, wish it had been stressed more before. </p>
<p>BUT i also agree with the whole accept school number 2. it’s what i’m planning to do. but honestly, it’s a bit hard when one has been quite obsessed with the idea of a particular school. regardless, i may just go to DC for graduate school. all’s well. thank you all for your help. it’s been greatly appreciated! i’ll call GW at the end of this month and inquire about their stats this year in regards to the wait list. however, i’ll keep on keeping on with the school i’m enrolled in. thanks again!!</p>
<p>also, on a slightly different note, if i were to reject a school i got into regular decision(for financial reasons), can i still apply there as a transfer later?</p>