What To Do When You Get The Small Envelope on Decision Day…
Decision day has come in the Nashville Independent School world, and though an Admit or Waitlist is now conveyed electronically, parents can’t help but have that feeling of anticipating whether they will receive a big envelope or small one. Naturally, we all anticipate our virtual mailbox to be filled with big envelope offers- admits across the board and the following days filled with making the agonizing decision of which to choose. For some that will be the case, but for many, there will be a waitlist decision or two due to Nashville’s competitive market of more applicants than there are spots in any given class.
So, now that you have been waitlisted, what do you do?
Move away from your keyboard and your phone. It stinks. It does. You’ve been through an admission process that can feel grueling at times with tours and testing and events, and you thought it was going to be over today, but it’s not. It is okay to feel disappointed, frustrated and angry. But it is not going to help you move off of the waitlist to share that reaction with the school who did the waitlisting.
When calm and perspective return, convey your ongoing interest. Communicating that you are still interested in a school at which you have been waitlisted is crucial, so once you’ve taken a deep breath, email them. Let them know you remain interested and if you are accepted you will attend.
If you also have more than one other school option from which you have an acceptance, narrow down which one you would choose and decline the others quickly. This allows waitlists to start moving across the city and may ultimately help you move off your waitlist of your top school of choice.
Be Patient. It can take a couple of days for schools to have any news about openings.
Be confident in the knowledge that graciousness always wins the day and that is at least one thing within your control in a situation that feels otherwise.
