RubyBright

I'll throw in my bit. Is it normal for PhD programs to tell you that they won't make decisions on assigning funding until students commit to attending? Something about that seems wrong to me. How can you commit to attend a university if you don't yet know whether or not you can afford it?

Please try to avoid double posting. If I remember correctly, I already saw this in the Psychology forum?

Human factors seems to be around 12-13,000... in relatively expensive areas.

The funny thing is that I applied to this school with the expectation that they had good funding. That's what's implied on their website, at least. I don't blame them, per se, since the website didn't say outright that everyone is fully funded, and I understand fluctuating funding from year to year, but I wasn't really expecting to have this problem.

I'm not sure what I'm doing. I had honestly gone into this whole thing expecting to be rejected everywhere, and to reapply next year. Instead, I have an acceptance and a waitlist. But the acceptance so far isn't offering me any money (admittedly, that could still change) - no way I can afford it without funding. If I get the waitlisted school, I'll be ecstatic, and definitely take it, but if not, that may be it for me this year. I'm not sure if I will go another round as I originally planned to. It would be a little weird to reject an acceptance, then reapply next year (with a note that says, "but please only accept me this time if you have funding!").

Be strong! Play hard to get!

I misread that as "singularity." Completely changes the meaning...

Recommended for assessment sounds like a good sign to me! As for the waitlist, have you contacted them yet since the deadline they gave you has passed?

Better than robotically clicking the refresh button!

Yeah, just found out that there will likely be no funding from the school that did accept me, so it looks like I'm in for a long wait... And VBD, I'm really sorry that happened to you. At least in my case, where I don't really have another option, I'm glad to have been waitlisted instead of outright rejected, but I definitely see where you're coming from.

Ahhhh... well, I was very excited about it at first, but now it sounds like there may be no funding, and it's an out-of-state school... so... I don't want to sound ungrateful to those still waiting for offers (or more accurately, offers!), but unless they come up with funding, I'm afraid it isn't an offer I could accept.

cake icing

Oh, I agree that a waitlist is better than being totally shut out, but now the decision is in the hands of someone else... and it no longer has anything to do with you or whether or not you're qualified. And it can go on indefinitely.

No, they didn't tell me where I am on the list. Unfortunately, there is just one spot open, and I'm worried that waiting to hear from them could interfere with me accepting the offer I already have (I'm already mentally apologizing to the people on THAT waitlist), if this one never does come through. But thank you for the kind words.

I can't even begin to guess where the other students would have applied to... though now I want to.

My omens (AND good signs) lied. Waitlisted. Here's hoping that everyone else gets good news as we really get into the thick of decision season, though.

So, you've been waitlisted. Not accepted, not denied... you may be granted an acceptance or a rejection in a couple of weeks... or a couple of months... or maybe longer? It occurred to me that being waitlisted is the ULTIMATE admissions waiting game. Now you're not just waiting for your schools to get back to you, you're also waiting for the other applicants' schools to get back to them. Because they won't decide if they want the spot (that coveted spot that could be yours if they go elsewhere) until after they hear back from their schools. This thread is for the special frustration of waiting^2.

I calmed down significantly when I received an acceptance from one of my schools, but as the silence drags on for my top choice - after what I thought were good interviews - I'm becoming nervous again. I was so hoping to hear something today...

running water

Glad I could help!

Sorry, Ruud9, I'm not even sure what a CFR form is!

Two words: Admissions Problems. Anyone who spends any amount of time reading that blog will think EVERYTHING about admissions is a giant conspiracy.

After another day of silence from my top choice, I got off the elevator where I live and nearly ran into someone wearing a sweatshirt from the same school! Definitely calling this one a good omen.

The thing is, I told my family that of course I would be disappointed if I wasn't accepted anywhere, but it isn't exactly an insult at this level, per se. I mean, assuming there isn't some glaring problem in your application, it's just that someone else was the better fit. They're not telling you you're a bad applicant. This isn't undergrad, where they can take all (or most) of the good applicants. It's more like a job opening, where you're competing with other highly qualified individuals for a single spot, and there really isn't shame in not getting it. That's why you apply multiple places.

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