Advice Column: Real Talk About The MBA Waitlist

Hello P&Q readers, and welcome to my advice column! My name is Karen Marks, and I am the Founder and President of North Star Admissions Consulting. I have been helping people get into their dream schools since 2012, and prior to that, I was the Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Today, my goal is to give applicants the accurate, insider information that they need in order to succeed and make good decisions.

It can be demoralizing and confusing to get placed on an MBA waitlist. I am frequently asked how to get off the waitlist, what the appropriate protocol is, and what to expect in terms of timing. Last year, my friend and former colleague Amy Mitson, Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Marketing at Tuck, helped me answer some of your questions. This year, I would like to be even more direct about what to do – and what not to do.

• Don’t overdo it.

I know it’s tempting, but please follow the directions and don’t bombard the admissions committee. No showing up unannounced and asking for a meeting, don’t send 17 letters of support, don’t rewrite your essays and resubmit them. There is absolutely such a thing as doing too much.

• Be self-aware.

However, if there are appropriate, concrete steps that you can take to improve your candidacy, like retaking the GMAT or GRE, consider doing so and sharing your new score. If your activities are light, your quant grades are nonexistent or low, or you haven’t interacted with the school enough, volunteer at your local cat café, take additional courses, and attend information sessions, or connect with alums. (And BRIEFLY update the committee.) The key here is to be honest with yourself about your candidacy – what needs shoring up? 

• Be realistic.

People do get into business school off waitlists, and there is typically at least some movement at even the most selective programs. However, it’s unpredictable – and the process can drag on through the summer months, if you choose to stay active on the list. Also, waitlist admits can be less likely to get merit scholarships (although students do still get awards). 

• Have a plan.

It’s helpful to know how long you’re willing to wait and to plot out your next steps. If you don’t get admitted, will you accept any of your current offers, if you have them? Are you inclined to reapply next year? What do you need to do right now in order to optimize your outcomes? If you are totally confused about the answers to these questions, it can be helpful to talk to a professional who can help you assess how competitive you are, and what might help change your prospects.

There is hope for waitlisted students and for applicants who reapply. Although the business school application process can drag on for students who are on the MBA waitlist, it’s important not to give up.

Are you looking for the real answers to your burning admissions questions to be featured in a future blog? Ask away, no topic is off limits!

Karen has more than 15 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since founding North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she has helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown and more. Clients have been awarded more than $70 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.