Dialectica

Yeah, from Riverside, CA—not UCR. Still wondering about their waitlist, so it was annoying.

Spam call from Riverside just now. Cool.

Another day of me wondering what the heck is going on with Riverside and Austin and their waitlists. I'm still hesitant to contact them, but also remaining hopeful that I'll either hear back soon or someone else will contact them.

I couldn't wait any longer. I emailed Indiana. They promptly responded: there is a letter on its way that contains my rejection. Good to know, finally.

Anyone planning to decline their offer/waitlist from UMass? Help assuage the desperation of a fellow applicant.

I was also curious about that. I haven't seen any reported.

I had a friend get in off Austin's secret (hidden) waitlist, on April 15th. He hadn't heard anything before that.

Rejected from Syracuse. This one stings as I was one spot away from being accepted off the waitlist last year. So close last year, but so far this year.

Yeah, the UNC situation is confusing. I can't help but think they are just going to waitlist more, given enough decline their offers. And that's what is weird about Austin, they haven't even released their regular waitlists yet.

Yes, I'll be hoping with you! Am I ahead of you? Are you ahead of me? Were you told anything as to your place on the waitlist? Edit: I just saw your other reply to me in the other thread. I was hoping you were given more information. In any case, I'll be sure to keep you updated as to any movement on the waitlist!

Agreed. It's really frustrating. I was surprised to see (via facebook group) that UNC still hasn't decided on their rejections. This makes me think they have a hidden waitlist. Indiana has sent out, ostensibly, everything (acceptances, waitlists, and rejections). Yet I haven't received any word from them as to my status. And then there is Austin and Riverside. Austin has rejected, at the very least, one person (as reported), yet we haven't heard anything else from them. And Riverside is very late this year with their waitlists. Sadly, it seems applicants have had to solicit in past years to get responses from Riverside.

We need more of this at this stage of the season. There are so many that haven't said anything to those not currently accepted or waitlisted. If only there were more of us with the bravery to do so.

Right. That's what I was addressing in the previous post (sorry if that wasn't clear). Some programs will tell you where you are, even if you're not high.

I was told I was high on the waitlist. That's it. It's different for many programs. Some will tell you whether you are high, middle, or low on the list. Others just say whether you're high. While others don't say anything. But, almost always, you can ask where you are on the waitlist and they will tell you. Though, some waitlists are not ranked so cleanly; some are in groups on the basis of AOI

I just wanted to say that much of your story sounds similar to mine. It's nice to feel some solidarity. I have weird gaps in my education, I'm older, I've been, as you say, pushed along by circumstances far outside my control. We certainly are not alone.

Still wondering what's going on with waitlists at Riverside and Austin. We haven't seen/heard anything about that, right? Seems quite late in the season to not have released those yet. Thoughts?

Waitlisted at British Columbia!

I would think that if this happens, it's rare. Every program wants the best they can get. The admissions process is such a lottery that to preclude applicants just for being very qualified seems to be quite the gamble for a program. Further, a lot of applicants accept lower-ranked schools over higher ones on the basis of fit, so rejecting applicants in the way you describe, as mentioned before, would be assuming too much, and would, thus, be a gamble on their part. That's my take anyway. Given that programs have a vested interest in having very qualified people in their programs, and given that the process is a lottery, rejecting very qualified applicants on that basis seems antithetical to their aims.

I think that's reasonable. I would even think, given that you only have 3 weeks, that waiting just one week is reasonable. And there are likely a good handful of others sending similar emails, so you aren't alone; I wouldn't worry that it would have a negative effect on your chances of admissions or anything like that. They understand this is a huge decision that is being made under a strict time constraint.

I think that's wise. Around mid-March seems reasonable to me, especially as we are supposed to make final decisions by April 15th, planning the next 5-7 years of our lives.

I'm also very curious about this.

Thank you so much!!

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Very frustrating. For peace of mind, I'll assume the best of people and hope they are in @Tecumseh Valley's situation. But let's try to encourage those that are not to do the right thing—decline offers in a timely manner.

Thanks for this. But, it needs to be said: some people definitely sit on offers they know they won't take. It happens every year. I knew someone in at a top-5, knowing they would be taking that offer, but sitting on amazing offers all over the PGR. They simply weren't taking the time to do it, and that's worrisome.

Just a friendly reminder: if you know you won't accept an offer, please turn it down as soon as you can. There are many whose fates depend on you, and they are, just as you, trying to plan their—and, for some, their families'—futures.