Waitlist and Help Me Decide Thread 2019

[imonfire98]

I noticed there's usually one WAITLIST thread every year. This is where you can post about schools that you are waiting to hear back from. Consequently, if you are holding multiple offers and would like to get opinions, you can post here as well!

[ilobebrains]

I've been waitlisted at Baylor's PsyD and UTSW's PhD program. I have one offer from SMU. I'm thinking of just requesting them to remove me from the waitlists and accepting the SMU offer by the end of this month. I really liked SMU during my interview, and felt like the department was extremely warm and welcoming. They also are more research-focused than the schools I've been waitlisted at, which is a priority to me. Plus, they're fully-funded. I can definitely see myself being happy here.

Baylor's PsyD ended up not seeming like an extremely good fit, but I did find myself liking UTSW a lot more than I had expected. Their program seems intense (graduate in 4 years, included internship year), but in a good, productive way. Con would be that it's not fully funded and I would be an out-of-state resident first year. So just... a lot of added stress.

Am I being dumb? Should I just go ahead and accept this amazing offer? I don't really know what I'm waiting for, but I guess I still want to see what happens.

[1996kayden]

25 minutes ago, ilobebrains said:

I've been waitlisted at Baylor's PsyD and UTSW's PhD program. I have one offer from SMU. I'm thinking of just requesting them to remove me from the waitlists and accepting the SMU offer by the end of this month. I really liked SMU during my interview, and felt like the department was extremely warm and welcoming. They also are more research-focused than the schools I've been waitlisted at, which is a priority to me. Plus, they're fully-funded. I can definitely see myself being happy here.

Baylor's PsyD ended up not seeming like an extremely good fit, but I did find myself liking UTSW a lot more than I had expected. Their program seems intense (graduate in 4 years, included internship year), but in a good, productive way. Con would be that it's not fully funded and I would be an out-of-state resident first year. So just... a lot of added stress.

Am I being dumb? Should I just go ahead and accept this amazing offer? I don't really know what I'm waiting for, but I guess I still want to see what happens.

If I were you I would accept SMU. Fully funded is (for me) a huge priority. I would not go to a program that wasn't fully funded.

[ilobebrains]

Just now, 1996kayden said:

If I were you I would accept SMU. Fully funded is (for me) a huge priority. I would not go to a program that wasn't fully funded.

Thanks!

[Waiting272]

I was told by a POI that he is on the lower end of the list of faculty to get funding this year. So if the class fills up with students for other faculty first, he is unlikely going to take anyone this year. Any tips about how to go about this/process this? Thanks in advance! 

[rainydaychai]

I am currently waitlisted at Simon Fraser University, Fordham University, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I'm a forensic focused applicant, so you can probably guess who my POIs are off of that. If anyone is holding a spot at one of these, it would be very kind to my sanity to let it go ASAP if you can, or at least keep me in the loop during your decision process if you feel comfortable.  This especially applies to UNL - it's my top choice and I would truly be over the moon if I was able to go there. 

[ommm232]

41 minutes ago, Waiting272 said:

I was told by a POI that he is on the lower end of the list of faculty to get funding this year. So if the class fills up with students for other faculty first, he is unlikely going to take anyone this year. Any tips about how to go about this/process this? Thanks in advance! 

So I’m on a similar boat for one of the programs but I was able to apply to one of the fellowships that the university offers as a way to potentially get around that. I won’t hear till March 1st though. 

I would check if there are any options available like that for you. 

[imonfire98]

48 minutes ago, Waiting272 said:

I was told by a POI that he is on the lower end of the list of faculty to get funding this year. So if the class fills up with students for other faculty first, he is unlikely going to take anyone this year. Any tips about how to go about this/process this? Thanks in advance! 

i would pray and hope there's room for you. not much else you can do but wait. i know waiting is hard

[imonfire98]

Did anyone hear any crazy waitlist success stories?

[Psyhopeful]

6 hours ago, ilobebrains said:

I've been waitlisted at Baylor's PsyD and UTSW's PhD program. I have one offer from SMU. I'm thinking of just requesting them to remove me from the waitlists and accepting the SMU offer by the end of this month. I really liked SMU during my interview, and felt like the department was extremely warm and welcoming. They also are more research-focused than the schools I've been waitlisted at, which is a priority to me. Plus, they're fully-funded. I can definitely see myself being happy here.

Baylor's PsyD ended up not seeming like an extremely good fit, but I did find myself liking UTSW a lot more than I had expected. Their program seems intense (graduate in 4 years, included internship year), but in a good, productive way. Con would be that it's not fully funded and I would be an out-of-state resident first year. So just... a lot of added stress.

Am I being dumb? Should I just go ahead and accept this amazing offer? I don't really know what I'm waiting for, but I guess I still want to see what happens.

It sounds to me like your decision is practically made when you say SMU is more research focused and that’s a priority for you. Plus the warm feeling you got and the full funding. I’m not clinical, but 4 years including an internship sounds really intense, and like there’s an opportunity to get less out of it in the sense hat you’re trying to cram so much into such a short time. It’s hard to commit when there are options still out there, but I think you have to ask yourself if you were admitted to all three right now, which would you pick and go from there if it’s SMU.

[PokePsych]

2 hours ago, imonfire98 said:

Did anyone hear any crazy waitlist success stories?

know someone who was their POIs 4th choice if that helps anyone (POI was accepting 2 students)

[Keyz]

Just now, Psygeek said:

know someone who was their POIs 4th choice if that helps anyone (POI was accepting 2 students)

I always just wonder whether that comes down to the program or the individual POI cause I feel like it would suck to have multiple students turn down your acceptance offer. 

[yikespsych]

So I don’t know if this technically counts as being waitlisted, but I got a call today for my POI at my top choice school saying that she is planning on extending an offer to me but has to wait to hear back about a grant that was reviewed today - she said we’d probably know next week whether she has the funding to take me on. I’m over the moon excited that I am her top choice but terrified that the funding will fall through and I won’t end up getting in... has this happened with anyone else? Should I be worried??

[PokePsych]

36 minutes ago, Keyz said:

I always just wonder whether that comes down to the program or the individual POI cause I feel like it would suck to have multiple students turn down your acceptance offer. 

I know offers were made to the other 2 & 3 who turned it down

[imonfire98]

I heard back from my top choice as an alternate! I am really thankful that I still have a shot at not going through this whole process again! I am holding my breath for a miracle of sorts. LOL, I hope whoever has the spot now hears back from his/her top choice hahaha. Or even better, I hope they create room for me regardless. This has been all I can think about and I really don't know how to get my mind off of it.

[Waitlistedbuthopeful]

I'm waitlisted at CUNY John Jay. It is my absolute top choice, and if a spot opens up and an offer is extended to me, I would be over the moon.  

Congratulations to all who received an offer - I'm thrilled for you!  

[ASDadvocate]

14 hours ago, imonfire98 said:

Did anyone hear any crazy waitlist success stories?

At one of the schools where I interviewed, One of the students mentioned being waitlisted and not getting admitted until April. Gave me some hope!

I am currently waitlisted at UVA (one of my top 3 choices) but it was pre- interview. Not sure how those work. I am also waiting to hear back from another top choice where I interviewed this past week, and I'm interviewing Monday with my third top choice. I guess it'll come down to the ones where I interviewed. Not sure I actually have a chance with UVA.

[imonfire98]

37 minutes ago, ASDadvocate said:

At one of the schools where I interviewed, One of the students mentioned being waitlisted and not getting admitted until April. Gave me some hope!

I am currently waitlisted at UVA (one of my top 3 choices) but it was pre- interview. Not sure how those work. I am also waiting to hear back from another top choice where I interviewed this past week, and I'm interviewing Monday with my third top choice. I guess it'll come down to the ones where I interviewed. Not sure I actually have a chance with UVA.

do applicants generally wait till April to make decisions or do they make decisions right away? i really hope people wont hold multiple offers   

[ASDadvocate]

2 minutes ago, imonfire98 said:

do applicants generally wait till April to make decisions or do they make decisions right away? i really hope people wont hold multiple offers   

I guess that depends on whether they are waiting to hear back from a top choice. If they are holding on hope to get in to their top school, they may then hold off from making a decision for somewhere they have already been admitted to. I think it might be normal to take a bit to make a decision between 2 programs or wait to hear from a top choice if there is actually a chance that they may reach out. I think after visiting a program for interviews, you get a pretty good sense of whether you'd like to attend based on the program itself, faculty, students, location, and of course funding! No reason to hold on to an offer you know you won't take but we'll see!

[Ubah1]

I don't know UVA takes so much time to release admission decision especially for engineering program

[Psyhopeful]

34 minutes ago, imonfire98 said:

do applicants generally wait till April to make decisions or do they make decisions right away? i really hope people wont hold multiple offers   

Two of my admitted students weekends aren’t until mid March and I still have one interview to go on next week, so I won’t be making any decision until close to April. It’s kind of annoying really that they’re so late. If one of my top choices waitlisted me though, I could see waiting to hear before declining my other admits. It’s tough. I hope you hear soon!

[dancedementia]

Just released my offer to Chestnut Hill. Great program, but lack of funding. Also, I applied for advanced standing (since I have a masters), and in order to get approved for advanced standing you essentially have to take their comps before you enroll. Nooooo thanks

Edited February 20, 2019 by dancedementia

[dancedementia]

45 minutes ago, imonfire98 said:

do applicants generally wait till April to make decisions or do they make decisions right away? i really hope people wont hold multiple offers   

As an anecdote, I'm holding multiple offers because my programs have been horrible about providing information about funding. A lot of programs (at least in the PsyD world) use March 1st as the deadline for financial aid, scholarships, and fellowships, so I'm actually still in the process of applying for funding at some of my programs. I would never accept an offer until I had full information about my funding situation, which means I'm currently holding on to more offer than I'd like to. A lot of people gripe about holding on to multiple offers, citing CUDCP's guidelines, but the guidelines do specifically state that waiting on crucial info (like funding) is a perfectly legit reason to hold offers.

[Keyz]

1 hour ago, dancedementia said:

As an anecdote, I'm holding multiple offers because my programs have been horrible about providing information about funding. A lot of programs (at least in the PsyD world) use March 1st as the deadline for financial aid, scholarships, and fellowships, so I'm actually still in the process of applying for funding at some of my programs. I would never accept an offer until I had full information about my funding situation, which means I'm currently holding on to more offer than I'd like to. A lot of people gripe about holding on to multiple offers, citing CUDCP's guidelines, but the guidelines do specifically state that waiting on crucial info (like funding) is a perfectly legit reason to hold offers.

See this is totally understandable and I see absolutely no problems with it. Especially in the case of funding, you don’t want to go somewhere that is going to put you into insane amounts of debt. I guess it’s totally understandable as well for those waitlisted since it is a stressful time and you don’t know whether that place someone got accepted at is a top choice or just a backup school, but holding admission for the right decisions is totally okay. 

[imonfire98]

I think the issue with holding multiple offers is that a lot of people wanna get all their offers before they decide. but the thing is some people know that they don't want to go to a program but they still hold on to the offer rather than saying no because they wanna have the freedom of making choices. 

I mean, if you get 4/5 offers that is definitely something to be proud of. But I think at any given time you can eliminate at least one offer if you have 3 or more.

7 minutes ago, Keyz said:

See this is totally understandable and I see absolutely no problems with it. Especially in the case of funding, you don’t want to go somewhere that is going to put you into insane amounts of debt. I guess it’s totally understandable as well for those waitlisted since it is a stressful time and you don’t know whether that place someone got accepted at is a top choice or just a backup school, but holding admission for the right decisions is totally okay.