I Have Been Waitlisted … What Should I Do Next?

What should I do after being waitlisted? 

1. Cross my fingers and wait to see what happens 
2. Lose hope
3. Keep messaging the schools asking where I am on the list
4. None of the above

   First, being waitlisted does not mean that you've been rejected. It's not the same thing. Being waitlisted is like being in the “friend zone”. Being in the friend zone does not mean that you cannot get in. But, you won't get in if you stop trying or you do the wrong things that can ultimately cut that connection. 

   Many times there's so much anxiety about and around being waitlisted because there's a huge lack of understanding and communication between the Pre-PTs and the schools. So all Pre-PTs are doing is messaging and saying, “Hey, I've applied,” and asking for updates. And it's not to blame you as a Pre-PT. You’ve been told to keep in contact, but incorrectly. “Well, what are things that I should be looking at, thinking about and actually doing when I have been waitlisted” you ask? Let’s clear something up first. 

   When you're on the waitlist, you are ranked among the other applicants. That ranking is already set. So, when somebody, that is ranked ahead of you based on the school’s point system or their percentage system, commits to another school that bumps up the next person and the next person and so on. So constantly messaging, or annoying the school, trying to see how you can move up or down may not help. For some schools there might be some things you can do to rank above other students within that time, but for the most part, you are kind of set there from everything I've seen. 

Four real basic things not to do:

• Don't panic.  Being on the waitlist doesn’t feel the best. But again, you're not rejected so stay calm.
• Don't annoy the schools.  
• Don't be too passive. I know there's not too much you can do to bump yourself up on the list but there are still things you can do. You need to invest in the programs that you are applying to. You need to invest in the people that you are potentially going to be learning from. Look for the research and projects that they have done and all the little ins and outs. Use that for conversation in the same way that you would do with any relationship. It allows the recipient to know that you’ve already invested in them. So when you email with questions it’s not just to have a pseudo conversation. You’ve already researched them and are coming to them specifically to find out more because you’re interested. Honestly, whether you get accepted or not, that relationship is going to take you a long way. Because even if you get rejected this year, that relationship alone will be your acceptance letter next year round. But if you do it passively, you have no control.
• Don't lose hope. You have to put yourself in the frame of mind where you believe that the qualities you already possess are really your qualities. Say “I am resilient. I am driven. I do not entertain quitting.” That means you don't entertain quitting when you are waitlisted. 

   When you are whitelisted that is the moment that you should double down on the program even more. Do your research and find out more about them and use that to develop as many relationships as possible.

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