Guides & Resources
WHAT TO DO
(BESIDES WAIT)
What happens when the decision you receive isn’t really a decision at all, and more like a “maybe”? Welcome to the waitlist.
Rather than just wait while on a waitlist, be proactive. Law schools typically have thousands of students on these lists in case they need more students to fill out their class. If they do go to their waitlists — and not all do, and things vary considerably year to year — you’re more likely to stand out and be noticed if you’ve reached out.
So…what to do?
Steps to take
WRITE A LETTER
And by letter, we mean an email. It’s best to write directly to the admissions representative at the school. If you don’t have that person’s contact information, call the admissions office and they’ll provide it.
TIMING
You want to get in touch promptly, but schools don’t go to the waitlist a week after sending their initial offers. There’s no benefit to a knee-jerk reaction, so take a breath, think it through, and then sit down to write. Aim to submit the letter a few weeks after decisions are released — a little later is fine too. Many law schools can’t go to their waitlists until after around May 1, since that’s close to the date admitted students must tell schools whether they’ll enroll. If numbers are down considerably, some schools move earlier.
SUBSTANCE
Simply writing a letter won’t do much for you. Like your application essays, it needs to be good and it needs to be intentional. Be clear about why you want to study at that school above others just like it. Include specific examples, and try to show you know the school beyond a laundry list of offerings that match your interests — show you know its vibe and its people, and tell them how you see yourself engaging in their community. Be specific, but don’t repeat what you already said in your application essay.
UPDATE
By the time you receive a waitlist decision it has been a few months since you applied. Has anything of note happened since? Improved grades, a research project or lab report that excites you, a first 5k, an event you organized, a new job or internship, an award, valedictorian? Share the details — and don’t just say what you did. Say how you engaged with it, and how you see yourself applying what you learned to law school. If there genuinely isn’t much new, don’t feel obligated to include an update section. Like the rest of your application, this is quality over quantity.
COMMITMENT
If this school is your top choice and you’d go in a heartbeat, say so — you can tell them that if admitted you will definitely attend. Only say this if you mean it 100 percent. If you’re not certain it would be a definite yes, say you’re highly interested, but don’t go so far as to promise you’ll enroll. Then sign off and thank them for their time. Write the letter directly into the email rather than attaching a separate document. Proofread, and send.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
If you’re on a waitlist and want to advocate for yourself, a letter is the way to go. Occasionally a student also considers sending additional materials, such as extra letters of recommendation. Before you do, check whether the school accepts additional materials from waitlist candidates — many do not. Even where they’re accepted, only send something if it’s an important part of your update. More is not necessarily better.
AND IN THE MEANTIME
Now that you have a game plan for the waitlist, you need a plan based on the offers you do have. If a waitlist offer comes through, great — but assuming the decision won’t change, evaluate your options, pick a school that feels right for you, and get excited about enrolling. If you are later admitted off a waitlist, you can decide then whether to change your plans. Plenty of students don’t.
Congratulations. You’ve worked hard and you have good options. Take a moment to celebrate what you’ve accomplished and start picturing law school life, and everything that comes with it.