There it is: a new email from your first choice LL.M. program waiting in your inbox. You feel your pulse race and a sense of excitement begins to build. You open the email and read it quickly. And then you see it. You were… waitlisted. Anticipation and excitement begins to turn to dread. But don’t let the feeling of disappointment overcome you. It’s not over, as they say, until the fat lady sings. Here’s what to do to make sure she doesn’t sing (or how to manage being placed on an LL.M. waitlist).

First, call the admissions office at the law school that put you on their LL.M. waitlist and indicate your continued interest in the school and its LL.M. program. Some admissions committees will even gladly accept written communications which detail your interest in pursuing an LL.M. degree at their school along with specific reasons as to why their LL.M. program is your first choice. Be sure to tell the admissions committee, either in your call or letter to them, that if you are accepted that you will definitely enroll in their program. This is a strong indicator of your interest and may favor your eventual admission. Hopefully, you will make it from the LL.M. waitlist and into their program.

Second, ask the admissions office if they can offer any feedback on your LL.M. application or if there is any further information the admissions committee would like to see. If the answer is “no”, reiterate your interest in the school and let it be. If, however, the school would like, or is willing to accept, additional information, be sure to send information which strengthens your application package. This means, first, to send any information the school has requested when they informed you that you were placed on their LL.M. waitlist. If they have not made any specific requests, send key information such as more thorough responses to questions asked on the application form, greater explanations of any weaknesses in your application or additional grading information that was not available at the time of the application. Some law schools may also be willing to accept additional letters of reference at this point. This is a good chance to have alumni of the particular law school that waitlisted you, if you know any, or other strong referees write letters on your behalf.

Finally, be patient, professional, and positive. As you will likely be in touch frequently with the admissions office during your time on the LL.M. waitlist, they will get a better sense of who you are as a person. Nevertheless, it is natural to have feelings of resentment or anger at having been waitlisted. But be sure that the person the admissions committees sees (or hears) in you is not a dour individual, but rather, an individual who remains optimistic and confident. Be polite and courteous in all your dealings with the admissions office and thank them for their time. A positive, patient, and professional attitude can only help your application move from the LL.M. waitlist to the accepted pile.

 

---