There was a time when law school wait lists were what they implied. Applicants were neither accepted nor rejected, but their names were placed on a wait list pending further determination. Typically the reason for assignment to the wait list was that the applicant did not meet the “cut off” requirements for acceptance — at least in the first round.
This wait list practice is still true, and it is especially important to law schools today because the number of law school applications are down. With lower application pools, the schools want to assure first-year classes of the highest possible quality. That means holding off and not accepting too many “marginally qualified” students early.
Today, however, law schools have added another “game” to their wait list repertoire. Now, in addition to putting lesser qualified applicants on wait lists, law schools also put more than qualified applicants on wait lists because the law school admissions committees thinks those applicants will choose higher-ranked law schools in the end. Sounds crazy, and a bit unfair, but it is true. In that instance, it is all about “yield rates” and not wanting to look like too many students rejected your acceptances. It is all a game with law school alumni and law school rankings written all over it.
Being wait listed has taken on a very different meaning for these students. The admissions committee hesitates to accept the fully-qualified applicant because the committee does not have faith in the applicant’s intentions. Clearly, the admissions committee has no real idea what the applicant has in mind, but the committee does not want to waste an acceptance and affect the “yield” of accepted students. Too bad for the applicant who has always wanted to go to XYZ Law School but qualifies for higher ranked schools where he does not want to go. In that situation, we are supposed to have faith that the admissions committee knows best. Right.
Now that you have the new lay of the law school wait list land, you also must understand that you are likely to be wait listed at one or two or more law schools — not always because you are not qualified for the entering class but sometimes because you may be too qualified. Make sense yet? I didn’t think so.
So, it is time to develop some strategies on how to deal with the “wait list situation.” It is not all about leashing all your resources at one time or piling on, and you need a plan to communicate your desires effectively and keep on the admissions committee’s radar. This article will help you with those strategies. You undoubtedly will learn something. I know I did.
For instance, who knew that it is acceptable for alumni to send e-mails to support a law school application? E-mails? Make sure you check that out with the protocol folks before you request communication by e-mails. Sounds a bit casual to me.
