Support Group for Waitlisted Folks

[chemmefatale]

My situation: I have one acceptance at a lower ranked school. The professor I want to work for is well known for physical chemistry, although the ranking of the school definitely lowers my opportunity for academia. I don't know if I will ever be a professor, but it's nice to have a good reputation for job security purposes. Funding seems adequate but the area I would be living in is costly.

I have one school left to hear from, and when I emailed them two days ago, they responded by telling me that I am on a waiting list pending on their first choices deciding to go to another school. This school is in another state and I am destined to pay the out of state tuition differences, although the campus housing is cheaper. The program is ranked higher in physical chemistry and the professors have a higher pedigree. I would also be maintaining an LDR with my boyfriend or in the worst case scenario, parting our separate ways after living together for over a year.

I don't need to make any decisions for a couple weeks, but it's a little nerve-wracking not knowing where I am going to end up next year.

[SublimeDelusions]

My situation: I have one acceptance at a lower ranked school. The professor I want to work for is well known for physical chemistry, although the ranking of the school definitely lowers my opportunity for academia. I don't know if I will ever be a professor, but it's nice to have a good reputation for job security purposes. Funding seems adequate but the area I would be living in is costly.

I have one school left to hear from, and when I emailed them two days ago, they responded by telling me that I am on a waiting list pending on their first choices deciding to go to another school. This school is in another state and I am destined to pay the out of state tuition differences, although the campus housing is cheaper. The program is ranked higher in physical chemistry and the professors have a higher pedigree. I would also be maintaining an LDR with my boyfriend or in the worst case scenario, parting our separate ways after living together for over a year.

I don't need to make any decisions for a couple weeks, but it's a little nerve-wracking not knowing where I am going to end up next year.

Look on the bright side, at least you have an acceptance this year. That's usually good news. If you want to relieve some of the stress on your mind, just start throwing things together to prepare for the event that you go to the one place that accepted you.

[RLJedi]

I'm on the wait list for two schools - both schools saying the adcom will meet again in mid April and then make a final decision on my application pending whether or not they have positions available. Translation: they are waiting to see if the first 20 people are going to accept or decline.

It's unnerving. People around me don't seem to understand that I'm in teeter-totter land. One minute I'm fine with everything and ready to reapply next year (study/retake GREs) because one of the schools is my dream school and I'm not going to get this close to acceptance and then walk away without a final push. The next minute I just want an answer - YESTERDAY!

I'm accepted into a program that is not as high caliber as the two schools I'm wait listed. I really can't accept it after being this close to a first class program. I'd rather wait another year and make some improvements in my portfolio/resume/GREs and go from there.

It's the waiting part of being on a wait list that can drive you nuts. I'm ready to move forward at this point - I just need to know which path I'm taking: getting ready to go to school or getting ready to reapply again. Once I know, I'll be ready either way - I just need to know!

[socnerd]

I just found out I'm waitlisted at my top choice, they said it's a short waitlist but they're not sure if they'll get to me.. I have several other offers I'm considering but I am going to wait as long as possible to see if I can get off the waitlist. It kind of makes it complicated in terms of housing though because my current lease is up at the end of May and I have nowhere to go. I was hoping to know where I was going to be so I could just move straight there, but it's looking like I might have to throw my stuff in storage and camp out on someone's couch for a few weeks until I find out and am able to find a place wherever I end up.

[chemmefatale]

Look on the bright side, at least you have an acceptance this year. That's usually good news. If you want to relieve some of the stress on your mind, just start throwing things together to prepare for the event that you go to the one place that accepted you.

I should respond and say, I am extremely lucky to have been accepted to the school that I am currently aiming to go to right now. Having more options is more of a peace of mind, and possibly a boost for my morale in going back to school. However, I would gladly attend the other school if I did get rejected.

As for the person who posted above, it took me five years to build up the courage to submit a grad school application and I am glad I waited to be sure. Getting a job is definitely hard right now, but doable. Going to a program later is definitely a plus, especially if you think you have room in your application for improvement.

[psychdork]

I'm waitlisted at what I would call a "middle choice" school. My POI said that they are stil strongly considering my application, but I have a feeling they will end up rejecting me. I'm still waiting to hear back from two more schools (all PhD programs), including my first choice - which given the way they usually notify applicants, I'm pretty sure I'm waitlisted there as well. The other school I'm pretty sure will reject me, if they haven't already.

I also should hear back from a MA program at my undergrad sometime this week. I only applied there as a back-up, but the way things have been going I'm really glad I did.

[fauxtog]

i'm wait listed at 3 out of 4 schools and rejected from 1 (ironically the rejection is for my last choice program). it's a real drag. lately i've just sort of given up hope and resigned myself to sticking it out at the brain dead corporate job for another year. but at least once a day i indulge in the fantasy of acceptance, which is just a set up for disappointment.

i feel like since i'm on 3 wait lists there's a good chance i will get in to at least one. all three programs are well renowned with excellent faculty, so it mainly comes down to location and funding. i just hope it's my 1st or 2nd choice, and not my 3rd. if it's just my 3rd choice i feel like i'd be doing myself a bit of a disservice if i didn't try again for my top 2.

alas, alack. i'll just have to wait and see.

[Ari*]

This is a great thread! I was just lamenting to myself about how even though I have heard back from some schools, I am still in a waiting period.

I have been:

rejected from 3 schools.

accepted without funding at 1 school. (there is a "slight possibility" for funding, but they won't know until much later)

waitlisted at 2 schools

I have yet to hear from 2 schools.

There is a pretty good chance I will get into one of my waitlists (I was told I am #2 on the list, and they are "optomistic" about my chances). I am just tired of waiting. It would be great to finally hear something definitive.

[digits2006]

Yeah, wait listed at 2 PhD program. One is telling me that I am next in line, but its a small program with 2 people. The other school has a bigger wait list and they are meeting to talk about it on Friday. I Hope to know more than. My POI there said I Should have a good chance of getting in, just cant guarantee it.

[mag]

I am in the nerve-wracking situation of having applied to 12 schools, and having been rejected from all but five. Four of the five haven't got back to me (and aren't likely to say 'come on over' in any case), and I'm on the waitlist for the fifth. I have no idea where I am on that waitlist, which sucks, because it's the only realistic hope I have for graduate school this year...

[profound_g]

I have an acceptance with which I'm happy. It's a great option from many aspects and I'd be happy to go there. I'm also waitlisted in another school which might be slightly better, but with no actual offer I can't make that judgment so I really need to hear something from them.

My situation: I have one acceptance at a lower ranked school. The professor I want to work for is well known for physical chemistry, although the ranking of the school definitely lowers my opportunity for academia. I don't know if I will ever be a professor, but it's nice to have a good reputation for job security purposes. Funding seems adequate but the area I would be living in is costly.

I have one school left to hear from, and when I emailed them two days ago, they responded by telling me that I am on a waiting list pending on their first choices deciding to go to another school. This school is in another state and I am destined to pay the out of state tuition differences, although the campus housing is cheaper. The program is ranked higher in physical chemistry and the professors have a higher pedigree. I would also be maintaining an LDR with my boyfriend or in the worst case scenario, parting our separate ways after living together for over a year.

I don't need to make any decisions for a couple weeks, but it's a little nerve-wracking not knowing where I am going to end up next year.

Wait, isn't it the other way around: the reputation of the school is more important for the industry, and the advisor/dept. for academia?

[Bumblebee9]

This whole wait list process is souring me on phd programs. Unfortunately, I'm starting to second guess myself and my capabilities even though I know I could flourish at the phd level given the chance. I also feel that IF I ultimately got in, I would feel a little alienated from my peers who presumably were the program's firt choice (even though I wouldn't tell anyone I was initially wait listed).

[intextrovert]

This whole wait list process is souring me on phd programs. Unfortunately, I'm starting to second guess myself and my capabilities even though I know I could flourish at the phd level given the chance. I also feel that IF I ultimately got in, I would feel a little alienated from my peers who presumably were the program's firt choice (even though I wouldn't tell anyone I was initially wait listed).

I know it's tempting to feel like this, but I've been told repeatedly that a waitlist doesn't mean they want you less, but that they want you but just didn't have the space for you. If they didn't want you, they would have just rejected you - with the volume of applications programs get, they are looking for reasons to reject and would happily do so if they found anything less than very desirable. Also, I've heard that the particulars of the admissions process totally disappear once you get to campus, so I wouldn't worry about any hierarchy. It's a fresh start in the fall.

That said, being on waitlists (especially multiple waitlists, and especially from your favorite programs) sucks. I"m on two plus one first-year funding waitlist, all at my top 3 choices. Thank the lord I am accepted at my fourth choice (I applied to 12 programs) or I'd go batsh*t crazy from waiting. The problem with waitlists is that you feel like you don't really have the right to weigh pros and cons of programs, because you haven't been accepted yet and it might just be a waste of time! It's this awful state of paralysis. And all this buildup could just end in rejections - not with a bang, but a whimper.

I just hope people start making decisions soon. I do sympathize with wavering, as I do that as well, and they have every right to do so. But it would be crappy to have to make a decision in a day or so, like April 14. Though that would be better than not getting to make a decision at all!

[intextrovert]

i feel like since i'm on 3 wait lists there's a good chance i will get in to at least one.

Good lord, I hope this is true. It seems, though, that I only have as good of a chance of getting off a waitlist as I do at any of the three individual programs.

Statisticians?

[Social Psyc Researcher]

I'm waitlisted at what I would call a "middle choice" school. My POI said that they are stil strongly considering my application, but I have a feeling they will end up rejecting me. I'm still waiting to hear back from two more schools (all PhD programs), including my first choice - which given the way they usually notify applicants, I'm pretty sure I'm waitlisted there as well. The other school I'm pretty sure will reject me, if they haven't already.

I also should hear back from a MA program at my undergrad sometime this week. I only applied there as a back-up, but the way things have been going I'm really glad I did.

Where were you wait listed? Which programs are you still waiting on? I am still waiting on 5 social psyc programs and have been wait listed at 4, really crossing my fingers being wait listed pays off this year...

[chemmefatale]

I have an acceptance with which I'm happy. It's a great option from many aspects and I'd be happy to go there. I'm also waitlisted in another school which might be slightly better, but with no actual offer I can't make that judgment so I really need to hear something from them.

Wait, isn't it the other way around: the reputation of the school is more important for the industry, and the advisor/dept. for academia?

Well, the advisor is fairly well known in his field, but most of his students end up going to government labs, industry, or teaching at junior colleges because when it comes to hiring at a University, the department itself is not the last word. That being said, I have connections and experience in the Solar industry and taking time off for school is just going to boost that if I ever want to go back.

[ootg]

Well, the advisor is fairly well known in his field, but most of his students end up going to government labs, industry, or teaching at junior colleges because when it comes to hiring at a University, the department itself is not the last word. That being said, I have connections and experience in the Solar industry and taking time off for school is just going to boost that if I ever want to go back.

Well, the most important question is whether you are really interested in an academic career, or one in industry. That is a question that you can only answer, and a very important one to boot. Made a mistake in my youth, in my desperation to get funding, and am now paying dearly for it.

All the best on reaching a decision!

Edited March 31, 2010 by ootg