I'm on a waitlist, should I email the admissions officer?
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:47 pm
Sorry if this has been asked before. I've been looking for advice online and can't find any tailored to physics graduates.
I have been placed on the admissions waitlist at my top pick university. I want to email the person in charge of admissions decisions. My current plan is a short, maybe three-line email saying I'm still interested and reasons why. Is this a good idea?
I have found other online advice targeted more generally suggesting sending funny pictures or baking cookies with the school's name, and I'm very sure those are terrible suggestions for getting off of the waitlist for a physics Ph.D. At best, the admissions committee would probably restrain their annoyance and not hold it against me.
Is there anything I can do? The letter I received said to email if I wish to be taken off the waitlist, but gave no other instructions. I understand the admissions committee is very busy and probably glad to have the bulk of decisions behind them, and that pestering them is a bad idea. However, I'm afraid that not saying anything might imply a lack of interest.
Some other ideas might be emailing the professors I'd like to work with telling them about my research interests, or sending in copies of work I've done, or going on a tour, or things of that nature. However, I can also imagine those hurting me more than helping, as they seem pestering.
Any advice would be appreciated! Especially if you've been on a waitlist and later gotten off of it.
I have been placed on the admissions waitlist at my top pick university. I want to email the person in charge of admissions decisions. My current plan is a short, maybe three-line email saying I'm still interested and reasons why. Is this a good idea?
I have found other online advice targeted more generally suggesting sending funny pictures or baking cookies with the school's name, and I'm very sure those are terrible suggestions for getting off of the waitlist for a physics Ph.D. At best, the admissions committee would probably restrain their annoyance and not hold it against me.
Is there anything I can do? The letter I received said to email if I wish to be taken off the waitlist, but gave no other instructions. I understand the admissions committee is very busy and probably glad to have the bulk of decisions behind them, and that pestering them is a bad idea. However, I'm afraid that not saying anything might imply a lack of interest.
Some other ideas might be emailing the professors I'd like to work with telling them about my research interests, or sending in copies of work I've done, or going on a tour, or things of that nature. However, I can also imagine those hurting me more than helping, as they seem pestering.
Any advice would be appreciated! Especially if you've been on a waitlist and later gotten off of it.