Chances of acceptance when waitlisted?

[umsaprp]

Hi guys!

I just got to know that I've been waitlisted for a PhD program at the Central European University (CEU)

The weird thing is, when I contacted my interviewers and the school's admission staff to thank them for their support throughout the application process, all three of them replied by saying: congratulations on being waitlisted. One interviewer, who indeed proofread my research proposal before I submitted, even went as far as saying that getting waitlisted signals that I'm ready for doctoral studies.

I've been thinking that, isn't it a bit weird to congratulate me on being put on the waiting list? Does it mean I have a good chance of moving up the list soon?

Just one quick note, but I was also waitlisted for CEU for my MA and eventually got a full tuition scholarship after waiting for a month. Is history repeating itself here?

Thank you

Edited March 31, 2020 by umsaprp

[dustbunnies]

1 hour ago, umsaprp said:

Hi guys!

I just got to know that I've been waitlisted for a PhD program at the Central European University (CEU)

The weird thing is, when I contacted my interviewers and the school's admission staff to thank them for their support throughout the application process, all three of them replied by saying: congratulations on being waitlisted. One interviewer, who indeed proofread my research proposal before I submitted, even went as far as saying that getting waitlisted signals that I'm ready for doctoral studies.

I've been thinking that, isn't it a bit weird to congratulate me on being put on the waiting list? Does it mean I have a good chance of moving up the list soon?

Just one quick note, but I was also waitlisted for CEU for my MA and eventually got a full tuition scholarship after waiting for a month. Is history repeating itself here?

Thank you

Congrats! I was also waitlisted (different uni/program), and got a very similar response. What my advisor told me is that being waitlisted means that they do want you there, but for whatever reason (more on this in a sec), you weren't the first on the list, so to speak. She also explained that the admissions process largely comes down to departmental politics; if a specific professor admitted two students last cycle, they might not get first choice to admit anyone this cycle, even if the applicant in question is perfectly suited for the program. Other reasons might be funding allocation, the possibility of professors going on sabbatical, etc. It's very much an "it's not you, it's them" situation. If they didn't think you belonged there, they would have just said no. As to getting in off the waitlist, I'm not sure how much variance there is between programs, but the director of where I applied said he's been there for ten years, and last year was the first that they didn't take anyone off the waitlist. I've also had several former professors tell me that they'd been waitlisted for various programs and gotten in, so it is a thing that happens. Good luck! 

[umsaprp]

Thank you so much for the response!!! It makes me a bit relieved. I hope you've got in eventually too!.

I've just checked the admission statistics, and it seems like in the last 5 years only 65-70% of those who got an offer accepted. And CEU does have a pretty good track record of admitting waitlisted students too, so I hope I'm not reading the congratulations wrong...

I still feel like they could have congratulated me on something else or in a different way, like on a competitive interview or something. That would still sound polite and not give out a wrong signal so...

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by umsaprp

[cucuren]

11 hours ago, umsaprp said:

Thank you so much for the response!!! It makes me a bit relieved. I hope you've got in eventually too!.

I've just checked the admission statistics, and it seems like in the last 5 years only 65-70% of those who got an offer accepted. And CEU does have a pretty good track record of admitting waitlisted students too, so I hope I'm not reading the congratulations wrong...

I still feel like they could have congratulated me on something else or in a different way, like on a competitive interview or something. That would still sound polite and not give out a wrong signal so...

 

Hi! I'm also on the waiting list of a MA program of CEU. Can I know where did you get those admission statistics you mentioned? I would be very grateful for your help! Also, good luck to your application!!!

[umsaprp]

1 hour ago, cucuren said:

Hi! I'm also on the waiting list of a MA program of CEU. Can I know where did you get those admission statistics you mentioned? I would be very grateful for your help! Also, good luck to your application!!!

Hi! The statistics can be found here. https://www.ceu.edu/node/23050

I think for the MA level, you have a pretty good chance, because only ~50% of admitted students accepted the offers in the last few years. Good luck

[cucuren]

17 hours ago, umsaprp said:

Hi! The statistics can be found here. https://www.ceu.edu/node/23050

I think for the MA level, you have a pretty good chance, because only ~50% of admitted students accepted the offers in the last few years. Good luck

Many many thx!

[CB0]

On 3/31/2020 at 6:40 PM, umsaprp said:

Hi guys!

I just got to know that I've been waitlisted for a PhD program at the Central European University (CEU)

The weird thing is, when I contacted my interviewers and the school's admission staff to thank them for their support throughout the application process, all three of them replied by saying: congratulations on being waitlisted. One interviewer, who indeed proofread my research proposal before I submitted, even went as far as saying that getting waitlisted signals that I'm ready for doctoral studies.

I've been thinking that, isn't it a bit weird to congratulate me on being put on the waiting list? Does it mean I have a good chance of moving up the list soon?

Just one quick note, but I was also waitlisted for CEU for my MA and eventually got a full tuition scholarship after waiting for a month. Is history repeating itself here?

Thank you

Hi! I've just also been waitlisted to CEU's PhD. I'm really curious to know how things ended up. Did you finally get called? And how do you think the covid situation affects the admissions statistics?

[Greatest]

I have also been waitlisted for an MA program at CEU. I’m very devastated?

[Greatest]

On 4/2/2020 at 2:09 AM, cucuren said:

Many many thx!

Have you been admitted?

[Faisal Niazi]

Dear Friends,

I also found out that I was put on a waiting list for the MA International Relations (2 Years). Don't know what happens next.

please share your ideas.

I already asked some of you this question in private.

[redaxcx]

Hey! I've been waitlisted for this year 2022-2023 for the MA in Political Science. Did you guys end up being accepted or gotten an offer? May I ask how long it took and what type of offer you got?

I'm a little scared that the offers left are small offers with lower stipends.

 

Thanks!