Here Comes the Sun/ Waitlist Movements

[bpilgrim89]

There are still plenty of people out there holding on for the waitlist, including myself! I'm sure most of us are just being silent because according to my professors, the real movement happens in that final run up to April 15th and even – ugh – after April 15th.

[nichts]

1 hour ago, bpilgrim89 said:

the real movement happens in that final run up to April 15th and even – ugh – after April 15th.

Cue aneurism.

[M(allthevowels)H]

Just officially declined Rice. I hope that luscious stipend flows to someone else waiting here.

[Kilos]

19 hours ago, bpilgrim89 said:

There are still plenty of people out there holding on for the waitlist, including myself! I'm sure most of us are just being silent because according to my professors, the real movement happens in that final run up to April 15th and even – ugh – after April 15th.

Yep, still waiting in silent misery here!

18 hours ago, Jožin z bažin said:

Cue aneurism.

No joke. I've been able to tolerate it up until now, but this last week has been torturous. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that the trajectory of my life may very well hinge on where my name is written on a list pinned above somebody's desk. I'm usually pretty good about controlling my anxiety, but having something so important be so completely out of my control is heart-wrenching.

My neurotic side has definitely started showing itself. I have an email that I've been painstakingly editing for about three weeks, and it's just sitting in my drafts folder; it's a simple six-sentence note addressed to the DGS of my dream program (where I'm waitlisted), reaffirming my desire to join their incoming cohort should a spot open up--but I can't send it. I'm afraid that sending it would label me a nuisance, but then I'm conversely worried that not sending it makes me look apathetic. Then I realize that sending or not sending it won't change anything at all, and I chastise myself for acting like a dunce. Really, I feel like I'm stuck in some chaos theory time-warp where each and every one of my actions has some karmic butterfly effect on the outcome of my admission status. Can't wait for it to be over. 

(I'm mostly joking here. Mostly.)

[sarahchristine]

Got an email from the DGS at Purdue this morning asking if I was still interested because they "may be able to make an additional offer soon."

I don't know if this means I'm first-in-line for this offer (I'm assuming/hoping this is the case) or if they're just scoping out the remaining pool of applicants, but it seems like progress either way! I also don't know if "soon" means the next few days or just sometime before the 15th. Either way, fingers crossed this works out, because I never thought I'd be admitted to Purdue & would be thrilled to attend there. 

 

[Kilos]

2 hours ago, sarahchristine said:

Got an email from the DGS at Purdue this morning asking if I was still interested because they "may be able to make an additional offer soon."

I don't know if this means I'm first-in-line for this offer (I'm assuming/hoping this is the case) or if they're just scoping out the remaining pool of applicants, but it seems like progress either way! I also don't know if "soon" means the next few days or just sometime before the 15th.

 

This is just my gut feeling, but I think you've got reason to be optimistic. I don't think they'd casually throw around an email like that unless they were considering you for the spot. I've got my fingers crossed for you! 

[klader]

9 hours ago, sarahchristine said:

Got an email from the DGS at Purdue this morning asking if I was still interested because they "may be able to make an additional offer soon."

I don't know if this means I'm first-in-line for this offer (I'm assuming/hoping this is the case) or if they're just scoping out the remaining pool of applicants, but it seems like progress either way! I also don't know if "soon" means the next few days or just sometime before the 15th. Either way, fingers crossed this works out, because I never thought I'd be admitted to Purdue & would be thrilled to attend there. 

 

Definitely a good sign!!! Congrats! I'm hoping you hear good news soon

[ashley623]

Got off the waitlist at one of the four schools I'm waitlisted at, so may be making a visit next week. It's kind of down to the wire at my top choice and looking like it could go either way. Aghhh.

[Warelin]

Officially declined my spots at Illinois (Writing Studies) and UConn (Literature). Good luck to everyone.

[Kilos]

1 hour ago, Warelin said:

Officially declined my spots at Illinois (Writing Studies) and UConn (Literature). Good luck to everyone.

Not sure if they pick rhet/comp applicants out of the same pool as the lit folks, but I'm still encouraged by the UConn spot!

[JustPoesieAlong]

I'm traveling back from a wonderful visit at UNC Chapel Hill, and will be turning down my offers at U of Alabama (Strode),UGA, and TAMU. I'll also likely be taking my name off the OSU waitlist. Hope this helps someone here!

[Ufffdaaa]

Only one more week of waiting!

[melian517]

Declining a spot at University of Toronto today. Hope this helps someone out!

[Kilos]

Just received a response from the DGS at my top choice (UConn); he says it's been a very strange year for admissions, because they're still waiting to hear from an unusually large number of applicants. He also said they haven't yet gone to the waitlist, but if they do, it will happen this week.

I'm a bit nervous about the way he said "if" we turn to the waitlist, but at least I've heard something.

Wishing everybody else still in limbo a positive, anguish-free week.

[Warelin]

30 minutes ago, Kilos said:

Just received a response from the DGS at my top choice (UConn); he says it's been a very strange year for admissions, because they're still waiting to hear from an unusually large number of applicants. He also said they haven't yet gone to the waitlist, but if they do, it will happen this week.

I'm a bit nervous about the way he said "if" we turn to the waitlist, but at least I've heard something.

Wishing everybody else still in limbo a positive, anguish-free week.

Here's to hoping this one works out for you!

[Cassifrassidy]

On 4/4/2018 at 11:46 AM, sarahchristine said:

 

 

 

Also an MA application, also waiting on waitlists. Let's be miserable together, lol.

I am also an MA applicant waiting to hear back from a funding waitlist! Fingers crossed for all of us as April 15 draws nearer

[AngieEngLit]

On 4/4/2018 at 5:27 PM, bpilgrim89 said:

There are still plenty of people out there holding on for the waitlist, including myself! I'm sure most of us are just being silent because according to my professors, the real movement happens in that final run up to April 15th and even – ugh – after April 15th.

Ugh, indeed. I don't know how to interpret the DGS at my preferred school (University of Arizona PhD program in literature). I've received two phone calls, both of which were seemingly to gauge my continued interest in the program and reiterating that I was high on the waitlist/funding was likely. Does anyone know if these sort of semi-kinda-maybe-almost offers are normal? Would they really say funding is likely and get your hopes up if it wasn't? And how likely is likely? **biting nails in agony**

Edited April 9, 2018 by AngieEngLit

[Kilos]

15 minutes ago, AngieEngLit said:

Does anyone know if these sort of semi-kinda-maybe-almost offers are normal? Would they really say funding is likely and get your hopes up if it wasn't? And how likely is likely? **biting nails in agony**

I am by no means an expert, but I find it very hard to believe that they would be dangling this in front of you if they didn't plan to extend an offer. At this point, programs are scrambling to fill the spots they have funding to fill, and they want to be as certain as they can that the people they extend offers to will accept. The last thing they want is to offer a waitlisted student a spot only to have them decline (or not respond), because then they're left scrambling again. They're likely testing your enthusiasm while simultaneously reassuring you that if you just hold out a bit longer you'll get an offer. They just want to make sure that the person they're about to offer a spot to (you) accepts it, and accepts it quickly.

[OceansAreBlue]

I declined offers from UMass Amherst, Tufts University, George Washington University, University of Connecticut and West Virginia University, a while ago. 

 

Hope that helps out people!

[bpilgrim89]

I think the "checking for continued interest" emails are because the schools are expecting to get final decisions from the first round of applicants this week. They want to make sure that they can move as quickly as possible, so they can try to let people know by April 15th in case other people have offers. That doesn't mean it will go as planned, but again, this is all the professorial gossip I've got!

[Hermenewtics]

If it helps anyone, I've heard that IU and Temple (a decision I'm still trying to make) only have a few (2) spaces left in their programs and they both expect to hear within the week from the remaining holdouts. But echoing @bpilgrim89, I have also heard that there's a lot of movement in the final days. 

[Ufffdaaa]

Question about getting accepted off the wait list close to April 15: Do you usually have you make a decision very quickly? Do they give you time to visit or is that seen as a waste of time at this point?

One program told me that they don't expect movement on the wait list until *after* April 15. 

Another program told me that they are waiting on one person to make a decision before they turn to the waitlist. I'm number 2 on that waitlist.

Side note: I'm completely expecting to be ultimately shut out, but I can't stop that nagging voice in the back of my head that says "what if"

Edited April 10, 2018 by Wooshkuh

[Hermenewtics]

@Warelin is the best resource for this question, but I do know that at all of the schools I applied to you have to make your decision by midnight on the 15th or they can pull your offer/funding. I believe once you've officially accepted you need a waiver to change your decision. It would make sense to me that some schools have spots after the 15th, but I assume there's not much movement after that. 

[Warelin]

Thanks for the tag, @Hermenewtics.

April 15th or after tends to be the biggest "shaker" of movements. This happens at all "tiers" of schools since a lot of people are trying to decide until then and others are unaware that they can make a decision before that date.

As for how soon you'll have to make a decision, that varies from school to school. If offered admission on April 14th, a fair number of schools would expect you to make a decision by the 15th. Some might give you a few days longer as a grace period. You could always request to visit campus but you might not get the "full picture" of campus due to it being the end of the semester. A lot of pressure might be applied to offers extended on April 15 or after because they're trying to get things figured out for next year, especially if it's a program that starts you teaching right away.

[bpilgrim89]

I have now gotten two "you're still in the running!" emails, and I am certain you can feel my anxiety from a 30-mile radius.