<p>(on my mom's account)</p>
<p>i'm a decent student, but i come from a small school and a bunch of students from it applied so I think I was competing with my classmates...</p>
<p>Chances of getting off the waitlist?
(SAT: M-750, CR-670, W-700; A-/B+ average in 4-yr total of 4 APs and 7 honors classes; Captain/MVP of Varsity Volleyball, Captain of Varsity Tennis, Head of school's SADD chapter, member of dance team and multiple singing groups)</p>
<p>I think I'm depositing at U.Miami. I've been accepted to their honors neuroscience program (I'm very passionate about neuroscience)..
I absolutely LOOOVE Richmond and feel like its name carries more weight, but it doesn't have a neuroscience major... still go for it if I get off the waitlist?</p>
<p>Hi there--</p>
<p>The incredibly difficult part of the WL equation is that our ability to go to the WL relies on more than 2000 decisions on the part of your peers (the students who've been offered admission in regular decision and have until May 1 to make up their minds). While we do projections and hope to have deposits from the desired number of students based on the offers that we made to that group, we rarely hit the number on the button and that's when we end up making offers to students on the WL. Based on what you've said here about your stats, I would certainly think you'd be in a pretty strong position IF we go to the WL, but I have to reinforce how difficult it is to predict any of that. (I would also encourage you to read the thread titled "A Note on GPA's if you want more context on that factor.) You weren't competing only against your own classmates, but against about 8000 excellent students from all over the world with really incredible records. That doesn't diminish the quality of your record, but the competition should be seen in that light.</p>
<p>You are on the right track that you should deposit elsewhere since it will be after May 1 when we make a decision about going to the WL and you need to protect yourself to have a place to go in the fall for sure. If we offer you a place from the WL, you'll then have to decide whether to take our offer or stick with the decision you make now. </p>
<p>You are correct that Richmond doesn't have a neuroscience major, but we do have a heck of a good neuroscience concentration within either a biology or psychology major, wonderful opportunities to do neuroscience research with a highly regarded faculty in spectacular facilities etc. </p>
<p>Good luck to you! I'm sure you'll do well wherever you go. </p>
<p>UR Admissions</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I was wait listed also, and I was wondering if you had any tips to make my chances of getting in off the wait list as high as possible. Richmond is definitely my first choice, and I would enroll if admitted. Is there anything I can do to make myself stand out?</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch,
rjessell</p>
<p>Best tip: Apply next year, ED. This season it's slim and none, imo.</p>
<p>Whistle--you've been missing for a while and I wondered about you. I hope all is well!</p>
<p>My perspective on the WL this year is less pessimistic than yours although it is highly unpredictable. My feeling is that we were so picky in the regular decision round (as were so many of our competitors) that there is a lot of uncertainty in the overall system out there. As a result I won't be surprised if we end up using the WL. The chances for any particular student though, are truly impossible to predict (especially when I don't know who you are to peek into your file). </p>
<p>rjessell--just make sure we know that you are interested by going to the web URL that was in the WL letter and telling us you are willing to wait it out with us. You are welcome to send us additional academic info (if a new report card period is just finishing for example). But please don't send a bunch of letters of recommendation or items that won't fit in a file folder. You can write a letter if you'd like about what it is about Richmond that makes it so high on your list. But the truth is that whether or not you get in from the WL is mostly dependent on whether or not we get enough deposits from our first batch of admits rather than on anything you say or do. So don't go doing anything wild and crazy just to get our attention, OK? (I would insert a smiley face here if I knew how). I'm sure you are a great student and will do well wherever you end up. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll have an opportunity for that to be here. </p>
<p>Cheers--</p>
<p>UR Admissions</p>
<p>Hi ,</p>
<p>I am an international who applyed for both admission and need-based financial aid. Despite the fact that I was accepted, I was not offered any financial aid and therefore I cannot attend. On the other hand, I really love Richmond and since I could not accept the fact that I am one of the "lucky" few needy international students that qualified for admission but not for financial aid at their top choice college, I wrote to Ms. Hesser asking for a place on the waiting list and thus for a second chance to get the financial aid I need to attend. In addition, I managed to find some sponsors who increased my ability to contribute to the cost of my education at Richmond and wrote about that in my e-mail to Ms. Hesser. </p>
<p>Given the above information, can someone tell me if I have a chance to be offered a place on the wait list. I am concerned, since I wrote my e-mail a week ago and have not received a reply yet. I really want to go to Richmond and will appreciate your opinions.</p>
<p>Hi Alex--</p>
<p>I'm sorry we haven't gotten back to you more quickly with an answer on this. It's great news that you've found some external funding! Congratulations on that! </p>
<p>Moving you to the WL would not be helpful. We can, though, keep you in mind for any funds that might become available if not as many international students who've been offered aid accept the offers as we anticipate. By keeping her informed of other sources of aid that may come your way, she will know you are seriously interested in Richmond. </p>
<p>I still have to reinforce to any international students that are in the same position and reading this that our funds for you are severely limited and odds that funds will become available for you are not good. We're so deeply sorry that we can't do more and know very well that it is a loss to our community that we will be unlikely to have you as a member. The largest increase in our applicant pool this year was among international students but we did not have an increase in the budgets to support them.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your thoughtful response! I do want to attend Richmond and I will do everything I can to join your campus in September.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My perspective on the WL this year is less pessimistic than yours although it is highly unpredictable. My feeling is that we were so picky in the regular decision round (as were so many of our competitors) that there is a lot of uncertainty in the overall system out there. As a result I won't be surprised if we end up using the WL.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Do your competitors provide financial aid equal to UR? At present, there is a lot of uncertainty in the economy as well, and that may tilt the scales toward UR for many who have received offers of admission.</p>
<p>Yes, the economy is absolutely a wild-card in the whole thing. The challenge with your question is who our competitors are--there are a whole lot of them out there and it is a wildly varying list given the variety of our applicant pool. We meet 100% of demonstrated eligibility for need-based aid for all admitted (US Citizens and permanent residents)students. Not many schools do that. We're also need-blind, even from the WL. And if you get in from the WL, we'll meet your need just as we would have if we'd taken you in the first round. BUT here's the rub as you've probably learned already. The determination of your "eligibility" can be different from place to place, so even if we meet 100% you might still think its not an adequate aid package. On the plus side, most of our aid is given in the form of grant money, not loans. </p>
<p>Thanks to all of you for good spirited conversation about a topic that makes a lot of people upset. It's hard to be on the WL but before August it will all settle itself and you'll be fine wherever you might land this fall, I feel sure!</p>
<p>UR Admissions</p>