JacobW83

I coordinated the interviews for my program last year and we made sure to ask about gender preferences for both grad students and applicants. I have a guest room for the applicants I host, but every interview that I went to I ended up on a couch so... results will vary! Many grad students are in apartments and so a couch is the only spare sleeping space they'll have. Definitely email them if you have any concerns, we were more than happy to field questions from applicants because we've all been there.

I was under the impression that April 15th is the decision date and programs are not allowed to push you for a decision until that date. I'd be a little miffed if a program said I had to decide 2 weeks before the official deadline.

I just officially accepted an offer at Texas A&M's Clinical Psych after receiving an official Fellowship offer, I'm so excited!

I just declined my offer to the UH Counseling program, so hopefully someone gets in from the waitlist!

It sounds to me like they either received extra funding that wasn't expected (allowing them to debate about which POIs get to accept a student when they may not have been able to before) or they've sent out their first-round offers and they're worried that most of their applicants are taking offers elsewhere so they're preparing back-ups to fill in their spots as needed. It could be something else entirely as well, but those scenarios seem most likely to me. I'd be a little frustrated if I were in your position when the only info they're giving you is that you're "on hold"... I would, POLITELY, try to probe for more details... Like, "on hold" for what?

Just got an (unofficial) acceptance to Texas A&M's Clinical Psych program! I was nominated for (and received) a Diversity Fellowship as well! Very excited!

Quick question about accepting offers -- if you've received an "unofficial offer" (spoken with POI over the phone or over email and accepted), at this point should you decline your other offers or should you wait until you've received/accepted the "official offer letter"?

Depends on the type of program, the funding this year, other faculty needs, etc. I would say typically, at least in Clinical and often Counseling at least (my two interest areas), POIs take just one. Sometimes they'll take 2 if they are lower on students and/or have spare funding.

I've also heard this, it seems a good number of programs are bringing in more applicants than usual to interview because there are so many competitive people, but at the same time there are funding concerns due to the political climate so some departments have even tighter budgets than they anticipated. It's a rough combination.

I have to agree with the other poster. Although the experience of working with this professor might be wonderful, at the end of the day you're still just an RA -- it doesn't really advance your own professional career. It may open a few more acceptances for you in your next round of applications, but you're clearly already competitive enough to get in at some great programs; you will have spent all that time/effort/money on this year's applications just to deny it all to try again next year... Unless this RA experience would open up a DEFINITE opportunity to be a grad student with that professor, I would just take one of the offers you have now and look for future collaborations with this prof. At least that way you'd be starting the long (5-7yr) process of getting your degree, which is what will really open up amazing doors for collaboration in the future.

Thanks! Glad you got into your top choice! Feels nice to know we'll end up somewhere

I think they're having funding issues, rather than me being on a waitlist, because I've inquired about my status and they mentioned they really want to have me there and they're working hard to make it happen (and I was nominated for a fellowship), so hopefully that all works out!

Same, it's not at all stressful!

I know what you mean about worrying that it's all in your head lol. I saw the official letter and still had an irrational fear that there could've been a mistake.

You'd actually be getting in ON decision day. People will have to accept one offer + decline the others on 4/15, and the declined offers will then travel down the waitlist until someone accepts. My friend's friend had an offer to one program and was waitlisted at her top choice, and she held out all the way to 4/15 and got into her top choice from the waitlist that day.