Admitted off Waitlist but POI Hasn't Responded

[jasbee]

Last night I was admitted off the waitlist to my top choice program and I couldn't be more excited. I immediately emailed the two main professors I want to work with there to make sure they still actually want me in their labs since I was originally waitlisted. My second choice professor responded saying he would be happy to have me, but now the workday on Friday is ending and I still haven't heard back from the main professor I want to work for. If she doesn't still have space for me in her lab or interest in me joining, then I would go to my second choice school that has a great PI (but the location is really unideal for me on about 5 different levels).  If she does still have interest in me joining her lab, then I'd go to my top choice. But I have no idea what I should do if I don't hear back from her. Does anyone have any advise about how to handle this situation?

Edited April 13, 2018 by jasbee

[DiscoTech]

Why did you email your second choice professor at your top school if you were going to pick your second choice university over them anyway?

[jasbee]

32 minutes ago, DiscoTech said:

Why did you email your second choice professor at your top school if you were going to pick your second choice university over them anyway?

Because if he no longer would be able to take me and there was only one available professor at my first choice school I would want to work with that would be a major cause of concern. You’re supposed to have multiple professors at a school you would want to work with in case your original main POI isn’t a good match in the end/leaves the school/whatever else life throws at you happens so I think also reaching out to my second choice professor also was perfectly reasonable.

[DiscoTech]

2 hours ago, jasbee said:

Because if he no longer would be able to take me and there was only one available professor at my first choice school I would want to work with that would be a major cause of concern. You’re supposed to have multiple professors at a school you would want to work with in case your original main POI isn’t a good match in the end/leaves the school/whatever else life throws at you happens so I think also reaching out to my second choice professor also was perfectly reasonable.

You can explain the situation to your second choice U and see if they are willing to extend their deadline by a week. Presumably that is a reasonable enough time for your top professor at your top school get back to you. I did this and the POI at my second choice kept the offer open for 2 weeks.

[jasbee]

4 hours ago, DiscoTech said:

You can explain the situation to your second choice U and see if they are willing to extend their deadline by a week. Presumably that is a reasonable enough time for your top professor at your top school get back to you. I did this and the POI at my second choice kept the offer open for 2 weeks.

I already asked my second choice university if they'd extend their deadline and they said they would not. 

[jasbee]

Just got through to the PI I want to work for which is such a huge relief and she would be excited to have me so I'm going to my top choice! Sorry for the freak out - I still honestly have no idea what I would've done if I hadn't heard back from her. 

Edited April 14, 2018 by jasbee

[thnok]

23 hours ago, jasbee said:

Just got through to the PI I want to work for which is such a huge relief and she would be excited to have me so I'm going to my top choice! Sorry for the freak out - I still honestly have no idea what I would've done if I hadn't heard back from her. 

Good luck! and congratulations