1Q84 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Well, since it seems like a bunch of wait list notifications for various schools have been sent out by now, I figured it's time to start an official Fall 2015 wait list thread. Here's hoping all of us in here will get to leap frog out of purgatory! Actually, I have an initial question to ask: does anyone know how funding works for wait listed folks? For the top choices who decline an offer and go somewhere else, what happens to their funding? Does it just cascade down the list of accepted applicants? bgt28 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hreaðemus Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) I think funding probably depends on the program - if a program guarantees funding, then anyone admitted off the waitlist will get the same basic package as other accepted students (but probably not university-wide fellowships, which are decided early in the season). It won't matter who turns them down, and who accepts - the amount offered will remain relatively stable. If a program does NOT guarantee funding, then what they can offer will probably depend on what they have left... so, a cascade, as you say. Edit: Yale, for example, funds all admitted students with pretty much the same (very generous) package. Cornell seems to be similar, but offers a smaller stipend. Berkeley also funds all admitted students, but offers more to those who are awarded university-wide fellowships... so it depends a lot on the school. Edited February 1, 2015 by hreaðemus 1Q84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyonessrampant Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 It will depend based upon the program. A lot of programs have set funding packages, so if an offer is extended to someone on the waitlist, it will be the same basic funding. Sometimes there are top-off grants or special fellowships that generally won't go to waitlist offers, but generally, the funding package should be comparable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Q84 Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Thanks for both responses! I figured as much... I'm absolutely a-okay with base-line funding. Just thought on the off chance, they might re-absorb and then re-distribute. I guess universities must not be too upset when they get to retain the fellowship money due to a decline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypervodka Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 fwiw, the person who posted their USC on the results page had a noticeably different funding package than I do. So I there will be some variation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Q84 Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 fwiw, the person who posted their USC on the results page had a noticeably different funding package than I do. So I there will be some variation? I figured! I'm assuming you two must've gotten different fellowships? I know there's the Provost vs. Diversity, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanCalvin Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Hello! First post on the boards. I was wondering, where is everyone waitlisted? I'm currently waitlisted at UCLA, and the tension is just a little unbearable. Worse, somehow, even than not hearing from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radcafe Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I'm also waitlisted at UCLA! Good luck to you, hope 2 spots magically open up. Many top students who apply to UCLA also apply to programs like Berkeley, Stanford, Columbia etc, so fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Q84 Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Hello! First post on the boards. I was wondering, where is everyone waitlisted? I'm currently waitlisted at UCLA, and the tension is just a little unbearable. Worse, somehow, even than not hearing from them. I'm also waitlisted at UCLA! Good luck to you, hope 2 spots magically open up. Many top students who apply to UCLA also apply to programs like Berkeley, Stanford, Columbia etc, so fingers crossed. Good luck to you two! I remember seeing in the results board that one year or other they didn't take anyone from the wait list so I think UCLA sometimes gets all their "first choices." If anyone has experience with wait lists, how does it work? If/when someone gives up their acceptance, does a wait list applicant's status change on the website? Do you get an email informing you you're being offered a spot? Do you get a call from the DGS? Feeling very anxious (even though it's still way too early to be anticipating any of that, I'm sure). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyonessrampant Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 It is very unlikely that your status will change on the website. You'll probably get a call or email from the DGS extending you the offer. It also depends on how the program compiles their waitlist. Some schools just have a ranked waitlist so that it doesn't matter what your subfield is. Lots of programs (mine included) have ranked waitlists organized by subfield, so when a 20/21 person declines an offer, the top ranked person on the 20/21 waitlist receives the offer rather than just the top-ranked waitlisted person. It's a good idea to ask the DGS at the program where you're waitlisted what the procedure is for their program. Good luck to everyone waitlisted! 1Q84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoolofaTook Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) So far, I have one rejection, and two waitlists. One of these is from a school that was a super super reach, and another is a high-ranked non-Ivy that I had pinned my hopes on. The first seems hopeful (although it seems unlikely that someone would reject an offer from this school), the second generic, and it's safe to say that I am going entirely bonkers sitting in another continent and edging close to despair by each hour. Edited February 10, 2015 by FoolofaTook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DramaDuck Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 How much stock do you put into placement records when you make a decision about programs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfLorax Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 How much stock do you put into placement records when you make a decision about programs? A lot. A lot a lot a lot. Really, that to me is the biggest determining factor of a program's success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fancypants09 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Waitlisted by Harvard, applied for non-English national lit. The letter reads that it was "due to financial constraints." For those from application seasons past: Is it kosher to ask the department what their wait list policies are? The letter simply reads that the university admissions office will get back to me once they have an opening in the department. Dr. Old Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Q84 Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Waitlisted by Harvard, applied for non-English national lit. The letter reads that it was "due to financial constraints." For those from application seasons past: Is it kosher to ask the department what their wait list policies are? The letter simply reads that the university admissions office will get back to me once they have an opening in the department. That's amazing! Congrats. Really hope it converts to an acceptance for you. I think it's absolutely kosher to ask about the wait list procedures for reasons lyonessrampant mentioned above. fancypants09 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katla Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Waitlisted by Harvard, applied for non-English national lit. The letter reads that it was "due to financial constraints." For those from application seasons past: Is it kosher to ask the department what their wait list policies are? The letter simply reads that the university admissions office will get back to me once they have an opening in the department. Congratulations fancypants! This is amazing news! I'll keep my fingers crossed it'll develop into a real admittance! fancypants09 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fancypants09 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 That's amazing! Congrats. Really hope it converts to an acceptance for you. I think it's absolutely kosher to ask about the wait list procedures for reasons lyonessrampant mentioned above. Congratulations fancypants! This is amazing news! I'll keep my fingers crossed it'll develop into a real admittance! Thanks guys!! Your positive vibes are much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrial42 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Congrats, fancypants! Even being waitlisted by Harvard is an honor. Way to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonton Soup Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Well, I'm officially wait listed at my top school. Someone, somewhere, is ahead of me and is going to decide whether or not I go there. Who is this person? Don't they know that the job market is bad, or something? I heard you can make a lot of money teaching overseas *nod* unræd, aggiezone, Dr. Old Bill and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmt Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I'm waitlisted at Tufts. Does anyone here have personal experience with the school / English department that they'd be willing to share? I like the size of the program, and my interactions with the Director of Graduate Studies have been informative. Seems small / handmade, which is generally a good thing in my experience (though small can create its own set of problems, of course). I'm from the Boston area originally, and there's a part of me that would love to do this work at home (so to speak). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softcastlemccormick Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Does anyone have any experience with the English PhD waitlist for UW-Madison? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycidas Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 On the waitlist at Cornell, got a nice email with the standard language. Happy to join you all in purgatory for a (hopefully short) while! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radcafe Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Does anyone have any experience with the English PhD waitlist for UW-Madison? No, but I love your URL. SO much. Just needed to tell you. margeryhemp, squankabonk and softcastlemccormick 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softcastlemccormick Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 No, but I love your URL. SO much. Just needed to tell you. Willikers! Thanks, dear reader squankabonk and margeryhemp 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margeryhemp Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Willikers! Thanks, dear reader SAME this is amazing, the first time I have found some fellow wizard people... softcastlemccormick and squankabonk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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