Waitlist Purgatory

[caffeinated applicant]

On 4/9/2020 at 9:26 PM, EdenT said:

Are you also waiting for waitlist movement from UT Austin? SAME FOR ME!! I contacted them twice but no repply... Don't what to do...

Yeah, I haven't heard from them. My work situation has changed dramatically w/ coronavirus though and I'm now working like 65-hour weeks, though, so frankly, I have not reached out at all to them in a month. 

With the whole corona thing, I'm like, maybe I get in this year, maybe I don't. If I don't, maybe I reapply this fall, maybe I wait for fall 2022. The future is just so uncertain that I've stopped pretending I know what outcomes would be better, what outcomes would be worse. (Thinking about "outcomes" as, for instance, beginning a PhD in fall 2020 versus beginning in fall 2023, or even getting a completely different type of job.) 

[EdenT]

On 4/12/2020 at 5:09 AM, caffeinated applicant said:

Yeah, I haven't heard from them. My work situation has changed dramatically w/ coronavirus though and I'm now working like 65-hour weeks, though, so frankly, I have not reached out at all to them in a month. 

With the whole corona thing, I'm like, maybe I get in this year, maybe I don't. If I don't, maybe I reapply this fall, maybe I wait for fall 2022. The future is just so uncertain that I've stopped pretending I know what outcomes would be better, what outcomes would be worse. (Thinking about "outcomes" as, for instance, beginning a PhD in fall 2020 versus beginning in fall 2023, or even getting a completely different type of job.) 

Thanks for sharing!!! Actually, I just got the respond from them, it's a rej. I accepted the offer from Rutgers. But I think due to the virus, we're unable to enroll this Fall. 

Good luck with your future applying!! I think you have a good attitutes towards the outcomes and the changes, you would get the best for you eventually!!

[onerepublic96]

Everyone ready for the moment of truth due to come sometime this week? 

[BwO]

1 minute ago, onerepublic96 said:

Everyone ready for the moment of truth due to come sometime this week? 

I'm keeping a bottle of wine at hand, because I'll need it -- whatever the outcome. 

[hamnet in tights]

Oh I'm ready. So ready. 

[AvantGardener]

Advice?

I'm still waiting to hear back from UCSC. On the PhD admissions page for Environmental Studies program it says about your admissions status "Under no circumstances will UCSC give out this information over the phone." Is it appropriate though to reach out about a timeline for hearing back? I am worried that if for some reason my status wasn't updated on accident that I'll miss the April 15th deadline for responding.

Edited April 13, 2020 by AvantGardener

[digital_lime]

I still haven't heard back from either of the schools I'm waitlisted at, and it's past business hours at both institutions... anyone else having the same experience? I assume this means bad news, but it's really impossible to tell.

[TheorySchmeory]

So I had thought that my waitlist purgatory was over after being rejected from UVA's waitlist, but today I received an email from Columbia (I was rejected from their PhD program then sent over to their MA committee, which is an option available to all applicants) informing me that "We are unable to offer you admission at this time; however, the Faculty Admissions Committee has recommended that we place your name on a short wait list." 

Does anyone have any sense of how meaningful this result is and whether or not I should put my name on the list? I have no idea how selective this kind of recommendation is, and there's no reason to think I would have much of a chance of being admitted off of the waitlist if I were to put my name on it. I suspect that even if I were accepted off the waitlist I might not take the offer, but if I put my name on the waitlist there will at least be the possibility of being able to make that decision when I have to. I was wondering if anyone had any input or has been in a similar position before.

Edited April 16, 2020 by TheorySchmeory

[BwO]

@TheorySchmeory Congrats! Well, unless you have another offer to respond to immediately or if you’re doubting the prospect of attending Columbia, I don’t think there’s any harm in staying on the waitlist, especially if it’s a short one. Perhaps you could ask for details about your waitlist position or the timeline for decisions in your response to the waitlist email, if you really want to manage your expectations? 

[oslobeans]

On 4/13/2020 at 3:20 AM, EdenT said:

Thanks for sharing!!! Actually, I just got the respond from them, it's a rej. I accepted the offer from Rutgers. But I think due to the virus, we're unable to enroll this Fall. 

Good luck with your future applying!! I think you have a good attitutes towards the outcomes and the changes, you would get the best for you eventually!!

Hi! Sorry to barge in here, but have you heard from Rutgers regarding enrollment this fall, or is this a prediction, speculation, that sort of thing?

[TheorySchmeory]

On 4/16/2020 at 4:54 PM, BwO said:

@TheorySchmeory Congrats! Well, unless you have another offer to respond to immediately or if you’re doubting the prospect of attending Columbia, I don’t think there’s any harm in staying on the waitlist, especially if it’s a short one. Perhaps you could ask for details about your waitlist position or the timeline for decisions in your response to the waitlist email, if you really want to manage your expectations? 

Thank you for the response—I've put myself on the waitlist, and I guess I'll just see what happens!

[DanArndtWrites]

I just got accepted off the waitlist...with no funding from a fully funded program. Idk how to approach this beyond "no"

[EdenT]

On 4/22/2020 at 1:52 AM, oslobeans said:

Hi! Sorry to barge in here, but have you heard from Rutgers regarding enrollment this fall, or is this a prediction, speculation, that sort of thing?

Hi I haven't heard updates after I accepted the offer. My program sent me a facebook group to join but no updates there as well. I feel like we might need to do online course but just my own guessing.

[BwO]

On 4/23/2020 at 2:17 PM, TheorySchmeory said:

Thank you for the response—I've put myself on the waitlist, and I guess I'll just see what happens!

Best of luck to you!! Here's hoping that you'll hear back with positive news soon.