Working with Waiting Lists is Admission Candy Crush

As a relative showed me how to play Candy Crush the other day, I couldn't help but think that it is a good metaphor for working with waiting lists. While some may say that means it's time to take a few days off, I decided it meant it was time to write a blog post.

In Candy Crush, there is one overarching theme, but many different goals and objectives that get presented as you move candy pieces into various positions on your board. Sometimes, the program sends a surprise your way or one move sets off a chain reaction. While there isn't a stated time limit on making moves, there's a finite amount of movement allowed, so you have to be efficient.

I'm sure you can figure out some of the allusions I'm making, but I want to address the chain reaction scenario and how that relates to admission work.

As schools move to their waiting lists, the movement trickles down to affect many other schools. So, when a student on our waiting list gets an offer, they'll contact the school to which they originally deposited to let them know they aren't coming. With many schools making offers to students on the waiting list, some schools will see room in their class and make some waiting list offers of their own. Get it?

This is why things have quieted down, but there is still movement on the waiting list. We are close to being done, but we've come a long way from the beginning of May, when each admission officer was making offers on a daily basis.


Again, we're getting close to a full class. We'll release the waiting list soon, but there is still a little bit of movement.

It's Getting Quiet

The UVa Grounds have gotten quiet and our office is pretty quiet, too. We are still working with the waiting list, but things have slowed down a bit. We're almost there.

When we have our class finalized, I'll post a message here and we will also send emails out to the entire waiting list to let everyone know we are done making offers.

CavDog hates the waiting, too.

I'm still getting emails and comments from newly enrolled students asking questions about Orientation. I am more than happy to answer general questions about UVa and Charlottesville, but if you need help with registration or a date change, be sure to contact the Orientation folks.

In case you were curious...

I posted a picture from CavDog's family reunion at Chris Greene Lake (just north of town) earlier this week and promised to reveal identities after decisions were due. If you're curious, here's the run down of who is in the picture.

CavDog is on the far right, still drenched from spending two hours jumping into the lake to chase his favorite toy. The other dogs dried off a little bit before the picture, but CavDog had to be convinced to come out of the water for the line up.

Interestingly, his sister Lita has allegiance to our sister school that is about three hours south of Charlottesville. We believe the rest are Wahoos.

Have a wonderful weekend! We'll be done for the day in another hour or so and will pick up with the waiting list review on Monday.