uscswish2

I'm applying for my post-professional masters in architecture, and here's my conundrum: I've been accepted into two very strong programs (Berkeley and University of Michigan), but I've also been wait listed by my top choice and one of the best programs in the country at Yale. I have to respond to Michigan by April 15th, and informally respond to Berkeley by next Tuesday (3/20) to tell them my level of interest, with no hard date of accepting the admissions offer yet. I've already written a letter to the head of the admissions committee at Yale, thanking them and reaffirming my interest, in the hope that it might move me up on the wait list. So here's my question: what is the best thing to do at this point, and how does this whole wait list thing work? I don't want to screw anybody over and leave them hanging at the last minute, but if I'm forced to accept an offer and Yale opens up later (especially if they offer more funding than the other two)... I feel like I'd have to take the Yale offer. I know that this is a good problem to have, to be able to choose where I want to go for grad school, but it is certainly a complicated issue. Anyone with advice on how to deal with this situation, your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!