Waitlist FAQ
We hope the information below will answer most of your questions if you applied to W&M Law and were placed on our waitlist.
Why am I on the waitlist?
Our waitlist is reserved exclusively for candidates the admissions committee found compelling. If you're here, we were impressed. There is simply more demand for seats than we have capacity for right now.
We do not use the waitlist as a polite way of declining strong candidates. Your place on it is meaningful.
How long will I be on the waitlist?
When you confirmed your place on the waitlist, we asked how long you wanted to remain. As that date approaches, you will receive correspondence from us to confirm your continued interest.
At that time, you will have the option to:
- withdraw from the waitlist
- extend your date to a later one
How will I be notified if I am admitted?
Admission offers are sent via email. Please take a moment now to:
- confirm your primary email address on file is current and correct
- add W&M Law to your trusted senders/contacts so our message doesn't land in spam. We would hate for you to miss an offer due to a technical hiccup. Please don't skip this step.
If I receive an offer, how quickly do I need to respond?
You will be given a window of time to respond positively to our offer of admission.
If we do not hear from you within that window, we will assume you are no longer interested and will extend the offer to another candidate. We strongly encourage you to think through your decision in advance so you are ready to act quickly if the moment comes.
Please note: While circumstances vary from year to year, little to no financial aid traditionally has been available for candidates admitted from the waitlist over the summer. See explanation in detail further below.
Is there anything else I should send?
There is nothing additional you need to submit unless you have genuinely new information to share. Please make sure any addition to your application adds real, new value.
New information might include:
- an updated LSAT score
- an updated GPA (e.g., a new semester)
- a new or significantly changed employment situation
New letters of recommendation are not generally necessary. The letters already in your file made their impression on the committee. That said, if someone wants to write on your behalf, that is ultimately your call. Such additional letters should be sent via email to lawadm@wm.edu.
What about a letter or email expressing continued interest?
Yes, and we encourage them! Our preference is that expressions of continued interest be sent by email (versus the U.S. Postal Service), so that they can immediately be added to your file. Such communication is a great way to stay on our radar and remind the committee that W&M remains a top choice for you!
Please be mindful of cadence: once every four weeks is appropriate. Daily or weekly outreach isn't necessary and won't improve your standing.
Your communication does not need to be formal. At this point, the committee simply wants to know:
- that W&M Law remains a top choice for you at this stage of the cycle
- that you will seriously consider our offer if given the opportunity
Be genuine and keep it short. A brief, heartfelt update goes a long way!
How is the waitlist ranked?
The waitlist is not ranked. There is no number assigned to your position.
If the committee decides to activate the waitlist, all waitlisted candidates will be reviewed again at that time.
How many people will be admitted from the waitlist and when?
Honestly, we don't know.
Whether and when we activate the waitlist, and how many candidates we ultimately admit from it, varies from cycle to cycle depending on factors we cannot predict.
What we can promise is that if and when there is news to share, we will communicate it to you promptly.
What about financial aid?
We want to be up front with you: little to no financial aid is traditionally available for candidates admitted from the waitlist over the summer.
We strongly encourage you to assess your financial situation now and make sure you are prepared for the full cost of attendance should you receive an offer.
Given the short response window, it is especially important that your financial house is in order before an offer arrives.
Other questions?
We're here. Reach out to us anytime via [[w|lawadm]] and we'll do our best to get back to you promptly.
Warm regards,
Dean Issa, Jaime, Matt, and Kathryn