Musmatatus

Wow, you are the poster child for waitlist movement!! Are you going to be able to visit Johns Hopkins?

I met a decent number of people who were finishing up their senior year during visits. They had gotten into some two or more top 10 programs. I would say they seemed like the minority (with more people on a gap year, or having worked for a few years, or in MA programs), but I definitely don’t think it’s impossible. For me, taking a gap year to gain some work experience has been really great. I have enjoyed my experience being out of school for the first time(!) and how my life could be like with a normal office job—on the other hand, it’s been really dull at times, and reinforced how much I want to be back in school. I think there are pros and cons to both decisions, but if you are prepared (and you mentioned taking the subject test) then it sounds like it’s worth a shot

Is the visit just one day or does it stretch out so they have you there on the 15th? I just have this image of them saying, "No, you can't leave until you tell us if you're coming!"

Movement is real!!!! Yay!!!! I feel like you especially deserve this b/c you are so good about declining and this is good waitlist karma!!! Does it knock out any other choices for you?? I wonder if you get off the waitlist this early if you can visit/do you have time to visit?

I'm so sorry; I should have been clearer--I am NOT on Columbia's waitlist, but on a different one. I was just empathizing with the specific person who was and had posted on the Results board. (Would be super surprised if I were on Columbia's list because I didn't apply hahahha) Huge congrats to you!!!

I feel that waitlisted Columbia person on the results thread! I went back through old GradCafe threads and found that for the waitlist I'm on there weren't any results of people getting off of it (and confirmed that for at least 2 years in the last 5-6 years it hasn't been used). I'm really glad I have a school that I really like and would happily go to, but not being able to make a concrete decision until basically April 14th/15th is hard!

I was just at a visit where someone from a different Bay Area university talked about how he found his apartment through a departmental email. Did you ask about help finding affordable housing and how the current students manage to make ends meet?

I feel like the best thing to do would be to ask your specific program(s) for how many students have done it in the past 6 years, and if you could be put in touch with them.

I love this thread b/c of the role reversal!!! So nice to see students doing the rejecting, for once

Who was that? @snorkles, maybe? Do the honors?

We are waiting on you to create it!!

I would think they are asking about preferred specific flights.

I've only done one visit so far, but I did really appreciate the time to just walk aimlessly around the neighborhood and on campus. Also, seconding the part about not smiling too much--I have RBF, too... oops.

I would reconsider this part of your motivation. That said, I think your goal is certainly attainable.

@FiguresIII So glad to hear that taking classes all around is doable. I was a bit worried that you were stretching for reasons to take Yale, but this sounds like a legitimate benefit!