In an effort to address concerns you may have about the waitlist process, the Office of Admissions compiled responses to a list of frequently asked questions.
If you have any additional questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 716-645-2907 or law-admissions@buffalo.edu. We appreciate your continued patience and interest in the University at Buffalo School of Law.
Every year, we use historical data to predict how many offers of admission we need to make in order to fill the class. Since historical data are imperfect predictors, we maintain a waitlist to safeguard against unexpected fluctuations in yield.
There is no set timeframe for making waitlist decisions. We do not anticipate making any offers to waitlisted candidates prior to our mid-April tuition deposit deadline for admitted students. In lieu of a second tuition deposit, we require committed students to submit an Intent to Enroll Form by early-June. By mid-June, we have clearer data about how many students plan to enroll in August, and use that information to make offers and/or release people from the waitlist. Admission from the waitlist depends on how many admitted students accept our offer of admission, how many wait-listed students accept their position on the waitlist, and a number of other enrollment factors.
To be considered for admission from the waitlist, you must submit the Waitlist Response Form by the deadline noted in our waitlist notification email.
Further updates on your candidacy such as a Letter of Continued Interest, Unofficial Transcripts, or other revised materials, may be submitted to the Admissions Committee through the Online Status Checker.
It is possible that we will see unexpected withdrawals throughout the summer and as Orientation approaches, and we may therefore contact waitlist candidates as late as early August. Should it become apparent, at any point, that we will not be able to offer you admission, we will inform you so that you may plan accordingly.
The number of people on the waitlist is in constant flux since applicants are still choosing whether to participate through mid-May, and/or withdrawing their names from consideration throughout the spring and summer months. Since the number of people on the waitlist is constantly changing, and because we consider them holistically whenever we make offers, it is not ranked.
This varies greatly from year to year. In recent years, we've made as few as 18 and as many as 42 offers of admission to waitlisted candidates. As is such, it is impossible to predict your odds of gaining admission from the waitlist.
If we are considering making you an offer of admission from the waitlist, we will notify you by email. Because the waitlist process can move quickly, it is important that you ensure your email address on file is current.
While it is not necessary to contact us frequently, indicating your continued interest and readiness to enroll can help you stand out. We recommend submitting any updated materials through the Online Status Checker to keep us informed of new developments, such as an improved cumulative GPA (after spring grades post), new honors or awards, a job promotion or other professional achievement, an additional recommendation letter, and similar updates.
Submitting a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) is a helpful way to reaffirm your enthusiasm for the School of Law and update the Admissions Committee on any recent achievements. Applicants considering a LOCI are encouraged to review our blog Law School Waitlist Tips: Writing a Powerful Letter of Continued Interest for guidance on how to craft a thoughtful and effective update.
If you are a recent college graduate, the Admissions Committee strongly prefers academic letters of recommendation.
In the interest of time, your recommender is welcome to send their letter to us directly by email to law-admissions@buffalo.edu. Their letter should be on professional letterhead, signed, and in PDF format.
Participating in our waitlist process will in no way impact your chances for future admission. With that said, it is impossible to know whether next year will be more or less competitive than the current year. So, there is no guarantee you will fare better or worse as a reapplicant. If you are unsuccessful in gaining admission from the waitlist, we strongly recommend improving your application before reapplying. Submitting the same application with no updates typically yields the same admission result.
It depends on the timing of the offer, but in general, we try to allow those receiving an offer a week to ten days to respond. If we're calling you any time after late July, however, we may have to ask for a shorter response time.
Since you do not need an offer of admission to include UB on your FAFSA, we recommend doing so. This way, in the event you are admitted from the waitlist, the University will have your FAFSA information readily available to process your financial aid award letter. UB’s Federal School Code is 002837.
Questions about submitting the FAFSA? Contact UB Financial Aid at 716 645-8232, UBFA@buffalo.edu or Visit their website.