Georgetown double secret super waitlist

[ashke14]

The fact that the two distinct "preferred waitlist" letters have been sent out during the same time frame, combined with the substantive differences within the e-mails (one promises ongoing e-mail contact, the other does not, one raises the possibility of being taken off the list in late april, the other only discusses the change of being taken off up until August, and the already noted claims of an "innovative" nature of this waiting list, while we know that GULC has had preferred waiting lists in the past) and the OP's reported correspondance with an admissions official all seem to indicate the existance of a tiered system in the preferred waiting list.  I'm having a hard time reading these two e-mails as saying the same thing, no matter how much I try to compensate for my habit of overanalyzing things.  Am I being crazy here, or does the evidence actually say what I think it says?

[reynolda]

The fact that the two distinct "preferred waitlist" letters have been sent out during the same time frame, combined with the substantive differences within the e-mails (one promises ongoing e-mail contact, the other does not, one raises the possibility of being taken off the list in late april, the other only discusses the change of being taken off up until August, and the already noted claims of an "innovative" nature of this waiting list, while we know that GULC has had preferred waiting lists in the past) and the OP's reported correspondance with an admissions official all seem to indicate the existance of a tiered system in the preferred waiting list.  I'm having a hard time reading these two e-mails as saying the same thing, no matter how much I try to compensate for my habit of overanalyzing things.  Am I being crazy here, or does the evidence actually say what I think it says?

I think you're right on. 

[Miguel Bain]

Just to clarify this issue... the e-mail I received was from Sophia Sim in admissions, and as stated earlier, she explicitly stated that there were some "in a special group WITHIN the PREFERRED waitlist."

My letter was the same as Maggs, and indeed it does say that this is a new initiative at Georgetown - Georgetown has always had preferred waitlists. 

[4DClaw]

Anyone have any insight as to how they choose people from this waitlist? Will it just be those with the highest numbers? Or do they more heavily weigh soft factors like work experience, recs, and ECs?

[Angelina1]

It's starting to look an awful lot like that. Wow ... 3 waitlists? Why would people from the good city of Washington DC be secretive and/or deceptive?

Ha ha! Good one. And, I have to agree, now that I've read sombrerocharro's posting, I'm convinced that there is a "preferred preferred," or whatever you want to call it. Which sucks for me, because I'm pretty sure I'm not on it.

Oh well, still waiting on Penn & NYU...Still hoping. I've pretty much written off Chicago and Columbia. I just don't think I'm their type, somehow. And Harvard...well, it's Harvard, so, no good hoping for that if I can't even make the preferred preferred waitlist at GULC.

[almso]

I don't know if anyone else got this letter either, but I got a waitlist letter similar to the preferred preferred one, but naming another admissions officer, yet another tier of the waitlist perhaps (?)

[ashke14]

I doubt it - odds are, they just divided up the labor of corresponding with applicants.

[4DClaw]

This makes sense. If you look at LSN, nearly everyone in the past month has been either waitlisted or rejected. I figure they just didn't want to make any more admissions offers until they see how many people place deposits in May. Hopefully, they'll go to this PPWL right after the deposit deadline.

Based on what people have said, it's pretty clear there are 3 waitlists. It also seems like it could be the PPWL is yield protection since Gtown doesn't want to give out too many acceptances in a year of declining applications and have those people all abort for T10 schools.

Some schools like Chicago judge interest by offering interviews or extra essays. With a class size of 600+, Georgetown may be doing it by seeing who jumps at the chance to remain on the PPWL. It may be that just responding to Sophia Sim may get you in right away.

[Angelina1]

Well, I'm sure they're not going to start sending out waitlist acceptances until after the April shakedown--otherwise, why go through the additional administrative trouble to do what
Bonkers describes (which sounds like the most likely explanation for what the hell they're doing). Sooo...back to waiting for us, I think.

This makes sense. If you look at LSN, nearly everyone in the past month has been either waitlisted or rejected. I figure they just didn't want to make any more admissions offers until they see how many people place deposits in May. Hopefully, they'll go to this PPWL right after the deposit deadline.

Based on what people have said, it's pretty clear there are 3 waitlists. It also seems like it could be the PPWL is yield protection since Gtown doesn't want to give out too many acceptances in a year of declining applications and have those people all abort for T10 schools.

Some schools like Chicago judge interest by offering interviews or extra essays. With a class size of 600+, Georgetown may be doing it by seeing who jumps at the chance to remain on the PPWL. It may be that just responding to Sophia Sim may get you in right away.

[4DClaw]

Has anyone heard anything more about the various types of waitlists or when they might start making offers?