Waitlisted - what does that mean for my daughter?

[Anonymous]

My all As high test score daughter was waitlisted at Visi. Now what? What has happened in the past?

[Anonymous]

Have her write a letter to the Dean and the Admissions department . She should tell them her reasons why she wants to go to Visi. She can also say why she would be a good student. What does she hope to accomplish at Visi. If you have a good friend (teacher,alumni someone from your church) who could write a reference letter for her that would help.

Good luck to your daughter and don't give up hope.

[Anonymous]

I agree. This could make the difference in the order you get off the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Can't she go to a better school?

[Anonymous]

Wait till next year. At most schools, in our experience, wait listed means no.

[Anonymous]

Students applying to Catholic schools using the HSPT in the DC Metro area were allowed to send scores, for the first time, to 3 schools. I think this might lead to more movement of wait lists than in years past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have her write a letter to the Dean and the Admissions department . She should tell them her reasons why she wants to go to Visi. She can also say why she would be a good student. What does she hope to accomplish at Visi. If you have a good friend (teacher,alumni someone from your church) who could write a reference letter for her that would help.

Good luck to your daughter and don't give up hope.

This. Get the letter out asap. If waitlist moves she'll have their attention. If it doesn't move reapply next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have her write a letter to the Dean and the Admissions department . She should tell them her reasons why she wants to go to Visi. She can also say why she would be a good student. What does she hope to accomplish at Visi. If you have a good friend (teacher,alumni someone from your church) who could write a reference letter for her that would help.

Good luck to your daughter and don't give up hope.

Yes, this. When our daughter was waitlisted at Visi, she hand-delivered a handwritten letter that stated she was willing to wait until August to get off the waitlist. We also had a couple of current Visi families who knew her well write letters on her behalf. And finally, we had two or three people who knew our daughter write letters on her behalf. We did all this quickly and sincerely. It truly was her first choice. She was the first one off the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

I know two girls who did similar things and both got off the WL at Visi. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

A few do get in off the Waitlist.

What it probably means for your daughter is that she will go somewhere else to high school.

She'll almost certainly like this other school and in a few years hardly recall she didn't get into Visi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have her write a letter to the Dean and the Admissions department . She should tell them her reasons why she wants to go to Visi. She can also say why she would be a good student. What does she hope to accomplish at Visi. If you have a good friend (teacher,alumni someone from your church) who could write a reference letter for her that would help.

Good luck to your daughter and don't give up hope.

This. I know someone whose daughter got off the waitlist a few years ago and they did this exact method. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't she go to a better school?

Did you feel like being mean this morning? Go do something positive for someone else you will feel better about yourself. Stop the ugliness we have had enough of it already in the world.

[Anonymous]

I'd be careful not to overdo this recommended full-court press on the Admissions folks.

First, you can rest assured that they have seen it all before. They know it's a tactic many times.

Secondly, once a class settles in the Admissions people are judged by the faculty and staff on how well they did their job.

What the Admission people don't like to hear is "How could you inflict us with these over-bearing, aggressive, helicopter parents?"

Let the school know the degree of your interest. But don't overdo it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be careful not to overdo this recommended full-court press on the Admissions folks.

First, you can rest assured that they have seen it all before. They know it's a tactic many times.

Secondly, once a class settles in the Admissions people are judged by the faculty and staff on how well they did their job.

What the Admission people don't like to hear is "How could you inflict us with these over-bearing, aggressive, helicopter parents?"

Let the school know the degree of your interest. But don't overdo it.

A recommendations letter from a person who does not have close relationships to the school or admissions team, combined with a letter from th student might come across as overkill.

If you know someone who is close to someone in the administration -- and is trusted -- go ahead and ask for the admissions letter. Otherwise, focus on helping your daughter write a sincere letter that gives concrete, detailed examples of why she would do well there. This is rarely seen as "aggressive."

But, the letter should make the reader feel like their school is really known and special to the applicant, not something along the lines of "and it's a great school."

Best of luck to you and your daughter.

[Anonymous]

PP. here . To clarify, I meant that getting recommendations from a random family that attends the school is not quite tje same as getting a recommendation letter from a family that has volunteered a lot of effort or donated a lot of money to the school. Recommendations from people who have invested beyond tuition make more of a difference.