NellieBelle

Hi all, I recently posted a topic but there's been a recent development and I need some opinions. A little background--I'd been invited to interview in February, during which time my three potential advisers all gave me the unofficial thumbs-up. The head of the program (and one of my potential advisers) told me to be "optimistic" about the results, which I should be receiving in ten days. Fast forward to now. I just received an email from the aforementioned head/potential adviser (unsolicited--I hadn't contacted him about the decision or anything). He apologized for taking longer than expected to make a decision, but that the situation has become complicated by the fact that the program has been severely limited on how many people they can let in (originally 6, but it's looking more like 2 or 3). He goes on to tell me that they "don't know for sure whether we can offer you a position" as they have already accepted two students (who are being funded from an outside source). Other faculty members have "priority" over the available slots and haven't made a decision yet; however, there is the possibility of them admitting a third into their program. He then proceeds to ask me if I'm still interested and whether I would be willing to work with just him, instead of the three advisers we'd originally planned, as the other two are "overwhelmed" with their current grad student load. So I emailed the professor basically saying in so many words that I'd drop everything to work with him. The development is this: I just got accepted to do a summer apprenticeship at a prestigious university in the are of study specific to abovementioned program. Do I email the professor again to let him know? Or just wait it out? TL;DR, I know, but your thoughts are very much appreciated!

This was so fun!

"Waiting" by the Rentals came on shuffle and I had a giggle. So appropriate.

No kidding! I received an email yesterday from my POI and in the middle of the page, where my eyes went immediately was "So, I regret ...this delay, and will try to get some closure as soon as possible." Oh god, I thought I was going to throw up.

Thanks so much for the replies! The initial freak-out period is starting to wane. That was what I'd originally thought, too, but I sent the message along to a friend of mine for his (brutally) honest opinion, and he told me that it sounds like "he is trying his best to say that you aren't getting in the program in most polite way possible." I went ahead and emailed the professor, letting him know that I'd basically drop everything in a heartbeat to work with him (more professionally, of course). Which is the honest to god truth. I'm going to remain hopeful, but continue working toward my plan B.

Hi all. I just received an email from my POI and was wondering if I could get some of your thoughts. A little background--I'd been invited to interview in February, during which time my three potential advisers all gave me the unofficial thumbs-up. The head of the program (and one of my potential advisers) told me to be "optimistic" about the results, which I should be receiving in ten days. Fast forward to now. I just received an email from the aforementioned head/potential adviser (unsolicited--I hadn't contacted him about the decision or anything). He apologized for taking longer than expected to make a decision, but that the situation has become complicated by the fact that the program has been severely limited on how many people they can let in (originally 6, but it's looking more like 2 or 3). He goes on to tell me that they "don't know for sure whether we can offer you a position" as they have already accepted two students (who are being funded from an outside source). Other faculty members have "priority" over the available slots and haven't made a decision yet; however, there is the possibility of them admitting a third into their program. He then proceeds to ask me if I'm still interested and whether I would be willing to work with just him, instead of the three advisers we'd originally planned, as the other two are "overwhelmed" with their current grad student load. Do I even have a shot anymore? Or is this the let-down email? I'm pretty devastated as this is not the news I was hoping to get from my top choice.