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If you have not picked it up from friends and family, this unprecedented admissions year has resulted in a lot of waitlists for students. The colleges have put more kids on waitlists this year because a) there were many qualified kids that didn’t receive admission and the waitlist is a gentle way to let them down, and b) the huge application increases have left colleges concerned that their yields won’t come in as predicted and they’ll need to fill spots of kids who deposited elsewhere. OK, it’s mostly the second reason.
If your student is on a waitlist for a school that they desperately want to go to, there are ways to improve your chances of admission with how you structure your Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) that many colleges ask you to complete if you intend to stay on the waitlist. Many people believe that the most important component of the LOCI is the update on the student’s accomplishments since applying. But accomplishments without context are not interesting to colleges. As always, for colleges it is always about THEM - and why your student is the perfect fit for them. Any updates should serve to further this narrative of fit and desire, and not try to stand on their own as qualifications.
As always, for colleges it is always about THEM - and why your student is the perfect fit for them.
What do we mean, exactly? We mean that the LOCI is another attempt to improve on your “Why Us?” supplemental essay for that college. Maybe the school didn’t ask you about the why in the first place. Or maybe you just didn’t do a good enough job explaining why you are the perfect fit for their campus. But now is not the time to fill your LOCI with your love of their campus environment or city or football team. It needs to remain about your academic narrative and why studying at this college is the next natural step in your life path. The only way to do that is to use any new information to further that narrative.
Did you apply as a History major? Then let them know that the debate team you are leading right now is arguing a topic that you now realize is incredibly relevant and important to you, and that the college has an expertise in this area that you want to take advantage of. For every accomplishment that you want to let them know about, make sure that there is a corresponding reason for the college to care, beyond just making you sound more impressive. That negates accomplishments that are too general in nature to matter to a college (like becoming a State Scholar based on your standardized test scores). Colleges don’t want to hear more about generic distinctions. They want to know how you’ve matured in the time since you’ve applied and why you are more convinced than ever that their school is right for you (and you for them).
Finally, the LOCI is not the time to take a radically different approach to your application or personal narrative. We can understand the temptation, since what you pitched the first time did not work. But don’t do it - colleges will see through this and be glad that they didn’t admit you. You need to make them feel that they “just missed” understanding your application and that this new information and second appeal is what YOU didn’t fully get across, but now have.
Getting off the waitlist is still extremely random, but if you follow this LOCI advice, you’ll have a much better chance than if you simply rattle off an updated resume.
