For all grad/business school applications, the three decisions typically rendered are admission, denial, or placement on a waiting list.  On rare occasions an applicant will be admitted conditionally.  This usually means that he/she is asked to do some additional work (added essays, retaking a standardized test, taking a course or two), the successful completion of which automatically means admission.

Below are some suggestions for responding to each of the three major notification decisions.  I am starting with the decision I believe can be the most difficult – being placed on a Waiting List.  Then I will discuss the repsonse to being denied and, finally, how to respond when admitted. 

1.  Wait Listed.

In some ways, this is the hardest initial decision – you still don’t know anything one way or the other.  But don’t despair.  Accept this decision, and consider doing the following:

1. Don’t take it personally.  This is so much easier said than done.  No one likes to be told they have been put on a waiting list.  Most likely, this means that while you have some very strong credentials, you were not considered to be as competitive as those being offered admission.  However, the good news is that you were not denied.  There is still a chance, and from my experience, a very good chance you will be admitted.
2. Don’t assume you are going to be denied.  While it may seem counterintuitive, the opposite is often true.  If you stay calm, confident and patient, you will most likely get more encouraging news down the road.
3. Make sure you follow instructions.  Be professional and do what is suggested or asked of you.  If you do not receive any information about what to do next, ask.  Don’t demand, complain or argue.  Just ask if there is anything you can do.  If you are told no, accept that and do not do anything.  It may tell you something about this institution if they do not provide you an opportunity to further address your interest in their program. If you are given specific instructions on what you can do, follow every one of them.

Here are some of the steps you may be told to take or you may choose to take if there is something you can do:

1. If feedback is offered, ask for it!  Listen to what you are told.  Do not argue, become angry, or get a chip on your shoulder.  Thank the provider of the information and make sure you know how you are to respond.  If a letter from you is acceptable, write one as soon as you can.  Address each issue head on and explain why/how you believe you can “overcome” the concern.
2. Mount a letter of recommendation campaign.  This is the time to have two or three additional individuals write recommendation letters for you.  You may want some of your original recommenders to write another letter.  Or you may ask others to do so.  At most, do not send more than three or four letters of recommendation at this point.   More than this is overkill.
3. Request a campus interview.  If your request is granted and this is a top choice on your list, do it.  If a campus interview is not made available to you and you conducted an interview with an alumnus during the application process, contact him/her and ask for a recommendation letter.  This person might even be willing to call the admissions committee on your behalf.
4. Be cautiously creative.  Some waitlisted applicants send a CD, poem, photo album, acronym, e-card, a “Top Ten Reasons Why I Should be Admitted” list, etc.  Please do not do all of these for the same institution!  Choose one.
5. Write a confidential, hand-written note to the person who signed your notification letter.  This could be sent a few weeks before a final decision is supposed to be made.  Indicate your level of interest in this program.  Mention that you have responded as requested to your wait list status.  End the note by thanking this person for the time and attention he/she has given and will give to your application.
6. Practice your skills in patience and professionalism.  If ever you help admissions evaluators get a sense of you for better or worse, it is when you have been placed on the waiting list.  There are several reasons for creating such a list; one reason that is not among them is that of deliberately trying to frustrate you.  If you come across as being offended, inconvenienced, angry, resentful, argumentative or arrogant, you are almost certainly determining the outcome of your application – you will be denied.  However, if you go with the flow, and hang in there with a positive and confident outlook, you will help yourself greatly. 
7. Prepare for either admission or denial.  While one decision is much easier to prepare for than the other, be ready for either response

2.  Denied.

This is never easy. After all of the time and work you have put in to your application, it can feel like a real slap in the face.  If you are extremely upset, do not react by phone or in writing right away.  Give it a few days.  As you reflect, consider the following:

1. Accept the decision.  At this point you cannot change it. 
2. Don’t take it personally.  Remember, under most circumstances the admissions committee is faced with a very difficult task:  admitting a limited number from among a very large applicant pool.  These individuals are good people, who are doing their best in a very difficult situation.  Believe me, they are not personally against you in any way.
3. Write a thank you note to the person who signed your notification letter.  This is very impressive, and will stand you in very good stead should you decide to reapply.
4. If you believe something was missed or overlooked, ask about it.  Kindly ask if your most recent test score was received or if a recent transcript is in your file.  You may want to verify that all of your recommendation letters were received.  If you sent a cover letter and it contained some very important information, check to be sure it was included when your application was read.  On occasion something may have been overlooked.  If so, most admissions committees will provide another complete evaluation.  If they are unwilling to do so, or worse yet, not even willing to take another look at that part of your application, perhaps you are getting additional information about whether this is really the place for you. 
5. Sometimes admissions committees make mistakes.  On rare occasions, a decision to admit is accidentally entered as a denial.  Please know that this rarely happens.  All admissions offices have several “checks” in place to ensure that the proper decision is communicated to the applicant.  But it would not hurt to check.  But do so kindly, not in an accusatory way.
6. Request feedback and honor what you are told.  Some admissions personnel will offer feedback for denied applicants in person, over the phone or in writing.  If they do, ask for this feedback.  Do not argue when you receive the feedback.  Make sure you understand what was communicated, and be sure to thank the person for his/her time. 
7. Ask if additional information from you could result in a second look.  Perhaps you have already found this out.  If not, it never hurts to ask.
8. Consider re-applying and ask about that process.  Rembmer:  The chances of being admitted the second time around are much higher.
9. Remember:  this is a temporary disappointment, not a final blow.  You WILL succeed, even though the path right now may not be as you planned.
10. This is a practice opportunity for patience and professionalism.  If you decide to respond in some way to being denied, please remember this:  If you want to send a positive message to the admissions committee, it is now.  A mature, thoughtful attitude makes a huge and positive impression, believe me!

3.  Admitted

WAY TO GO!!  You did it!  Your hard work has paid off.  You still have lots of decisions ahead, but for now, take some time off – go and celebrate!!!  Once you have “recuperated” from the euphoria, here are some next steps to consider:

1. Thank those who helped you (family, friends, recommenders, interviewer, etc.).  While you did the lion’s share of the work, there are others who helped with your application and/or gave you lots of encouragement and support along the way.  This may be especially true if you were initially waitlisted.  Be sure to thank these individuals.  You might take them out for dinner, send them flowers or give them a gift certificate.
2. Send a thank you note to the person who signed your notification letter.  This goes a long way.  The admissions committee works very hard too, and it is always nice to remember to say thanks to them. 
3. Take seriously the admitted student informaton you start receiving.  They will contain important updates about your enrollment deposit, financial aid, housing, admitted student visit programs, course scheduling, new student orientation, student life and much more.  Hold on to this information and read it carefully. 
4. Start/continue talking with other admits, current students and alumni.  By now you may have established contact with current or former students.  You may even know others who have been admitted.  Reach out to these individuals.  You can learn a lot from current and/or former students.  You can learn a lot from future classmates as well.  Knowing some of your student colleagues before you enroll is always helpful.  Compare notes with them.  Get their impressions of the application process you have just been through, and also of the admitted student follow-up you have been receiving so far.
5. Try to schedule a campus visit.  Whether or not you have done so already, now is a great time to visit the campus.  Many institutions offer admitted student programs.  This provides a great opportunity for you to meet the “family” you may decide to join for the next few years.  You may also choose to visit on your own at another time.  You can always arrange a visit with the admissions staff.  Here is a good tip:  If you really want to get an idea of what the institution is like, make an unannounced visit.  One advantage is no one knows you are coming, and you will experience things as they really are.  One disadvantage is that you will not be able to schedule appointments you might want ahead of time.
6. Evaluate how you are treated post admission/deposit.  As a prospective student you were in the driver’s seat when deciding where you would apply.  Once you submitted your application(s), you turned the wheel over to the institution/admissions committee.  Now that you have been admitted, you are once again in the driver’s seat.  You get to decide whether to accept the offer of admission.  This is a very good time to evaluate how you are treated.  Does the admitted student follow-up process make you feel wanted, included and well informed?  If so, great.  If not, perhaps you need to think more seriously about enrollment in the program.
7. Do some comparison shopping.  Remember the spreadsheet you started when initially investigating various graduate school options?  Now is a good time to expand it or create a new spreadsheet.  You might use the following as some of your evaluation questions:
   1. How soon after I was admitted did I receive another contact from the institution?
   2. Did a student or alumnus call me to offer congratulations and to offer help?
   3. How often am I being contacted?  It is too much?  Too little?
   4. Is the information I am receiving really helpful to me?
   5. How long did it take me to get an estimated annual budget? 
   6. Will I receive financial aid?  If so, what type?  Scholarships?  Fellowships?  Loans?  Work Study?  Graduate Assistantship?  Stipend? 
   7. How much information am I receiving about courses/my program of study?
   8. What did I think of my campus visit post admission?
   9. How friendly/helpful have the faculty, staff and students been since I was admitted?
   10. If I am coming with a spouse or partner, or with a family, how accommodating/inclusive is the institution?

As you did before, put the names of the institutions to which you have been admitted on the left hand column of your spreadsheet and your various evaluation questions across the top.  Give each institution a grade.  You will start seeing some themes emerge as you do this. 

1. Start working on your financial plan.  For most people this takes time.  Even if you are not relocating geographically, there is a lot to consider.  Make sure to read the fine print about every scholarship, fellowship, assistantship and/or stipend you are offered.  If you need loan assistance, be very careful to educate yourself about all that is involved before you sign on the dotted line.  One common oversight on the part of admitted students is keeping track of just how long the funds they have been awarded will last.  Be sure you know whether a scholarship/fellowship/assistantship is for one year, two years, etc.  This may seem elementary, but it is amazing how many incoming students make assumptions about the length of their non-loan based financial aid.  Be sure you know this before you enroll.  You do not want any financial surprises. 
2. If you are relocating, do some preparation.  Most institutions can help, but you will need to do a lot on your own.  If campus housing is available, do not wait until the last minute to inquire and apply.  Hopefully you have looked into this during the application process.  Nonetheless, read carefully and follow directions.  Yes, following directions is not over yet!
3. Keep a list of compliments/suggestions to share with the admissions office after you have enrolled.  You will be exposed to the good, the bad and the very bad post admission/deposit.  While things are fresh in your mind, write them down.  Admissions staff members are always looking for ways to improve their service.  If you are being “courted” by several institutions, make a list of “best practices” for admitted student follow up.  Share these shortly after you begin your studies.  You might even consider inquiring about being a student admissions volunteer or worker as part of your student experience.

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