e-mailed for a status update...and got ghosted?

[tacocat211]

So I'm on a waitlist for my top top choice. As soon as they sent the waitlist e-mail, I replied, letting them know I was very interested and was happy to be included on the waitlist. About a month later, I sent a casual follow up e-mail because I hadn't heard anything (and wasn't expecting to at that point), just checking in, reaffirming interest, and letting them know they were still among my top choices I'd received, and inquiring about my waitlist status/their waitlist procedure. You know, typical waitlist follow up email. Well..that was about 3-4 weeks ago, and they never e-mailed me back. Like complete and utter silence.

How should I take this? It seems kind of...rude. In their initial e-mails about the waitlist, they were super polite and seemed super interested. And now they've totally ghosted me? It makes me feel like I'm not a valued choice, but maybe I'm misreading the situation. I know they're super busy during this time, but I also sent a similar e-mail to a different school inquiring about status, and they e-mailed back the following day a super polite and detailed e-mail, and I'm neither accepted nor waitlisted there (still in waiting-limbo).

 

Any advice/comments/thoughts are appreciated!

[rr732]

Was in a similar situation! The school I loved during application season has been so unresponsive (I’m waitlisted too) compared to other schools I’m waitlisted at that it’s made me question if I want to go. The other schools have welcomed, questions, calls, and visits, which have been so helpful and made me feel so welcome. Like one school said, it’s really a reflection of their department and how they operate if they aren’t responsive. How it starts is how it ends. Personally, I’m still trying to get in touch with mine bc is actually like to learn a bit about the dept.. but I also feel like maybe I’ve learned everything I need by this silence. Maybe reach out again and ask something specific? Good luck!

Edited March 25, 2019 by rr732

[tacocat211]

3 minutes ago, rr732 said:

Was in a similar situation! The school I loved during application season has been so unresponsive (I’m waitlisted too) compared to other schools I’m waitlisted at that it’s made me question if I want to go. The other schools have welcomed, questions, calls, and visits, which have been so helpful and made me feel so welcome. Like one school said, it’s really a reflection of their department and how they operate if they aren’t responsive. How it starts is how it ends. Personally, I’m still trying to get in touch with mine bc is actually like to learn a bit about the dept.. but I also feel like maybe I’ve mearned everything I need by this silence. Maybe reach out again and ask something specific? Good luck!

Ugh, this is unfortunately exactly how I'm feeling. Like maybe I've learned more about the department from their silence. Makes me wary to actually inquire about other things. Good luck to you as well, sorry we're in this weird boat!

[rhetoricus aesalon]

That IS rude. I’m so sorry that you are both experiencing this. 

But I think in the end you just can’t know why they aren’t responding. Maybe they don’t know the answer and they are waiting until they do. Maybe they do have an answer but it’s their policy to notify applicants in groups. Maybe they thought they did respond, but the email didn’t send correctly. Maybe it is just a crappy department. 

In any case, it’s not okay that you haven’t heard back. I hope that you do soon!