Tell dept. if they offered you admission you will accept

[zigazowohnow]

I've been hearing lately that if you are wait listed you should inform the department in one way or another that you would definitely accept the offer if they were to give it. What is the rationale behind this? As far as I see it if you're on a wait list your just stuck with waiting, how would it change anything to let the department know you'll accept?

Open to any interpretations...and best of luck to everyone!

[pointedears]

I guess it applies only if there is no rating or ranks amongst those on the waitlist. Maybe the adcoms will consider all those on the waitlist if someone amongst the admitted students rejects the offer.

[DUguy333]

If I may build on this question. What if you're waitlisted and you inform them you'd attend if accepted even without funding. Is it errogant to say that as well?

[miketakena]

If I may build on this question. What if you're waitlisted and you inform them you'd attend if accepted even without funding. Is it errogant to say that as well?

In my humble opinion, i think this is absolutely fine... in fact it might allow faculty to have students free-of-charge... in this situation, the tables might even turn - faculty queuing up for you!

[Tritonetelephone]

The school that waitlisted me either doesn't have a ranking or won't tell me anything, but their letter said to let them know ASAP if I was planning on going somewhere else. I went ahead and emailed them to say that I definitely intend to enroll if offered admission, and they wrote back appreciatively ("Indeed, this is valuable information for us."). I also let the prof there that I like know that I was on the waitlist (made it sound like I was really excited about it), so he can make a bid for me if he wants.

I probably wouldn't have responded at all if my letter hadn't specifically said that they would still offer funding if I was taken off the waitlist. If you tell them that you would accept even without funding, I can see it going two ways; either the department will want you more because they'll see that you're very excited about the school, or they'll take advantage of that and give funding to someone else once you are admitted. Sounds a little risky.

[jewelbomb]

I'm with Tritone. If you tell them you'd be willing to attend without funding, I'd kiss any hope of money goodbye. If that's something you'd be willing to do just to get in, I'll bet it wouldn't hurt. That said, there's also the possibility that you might be better off telling them that you'd eagerly consider any offer, should space become available in the program. This way, you wouldn't appear desperate. I wonder if being overenthusiastic might make adcoms think as though you had no other options and wonder why. That is, it may in some ways confirm any hesitancy they might have about you as a candidate. Mind games are fun, no?

[DUguy333]

Well we'll find out. I've emailed a professor stating my enthusiasm about the program and ability to attend sans funding if need be. I did mentioned that I'd received other offers with funding to amplify my eagerness...hope it didn't sound desperate :shock:

[zigazowohnow]

I wouldn't want to take the gamble of saying I'd accept with no funding, simply because they could call my bluff and I'd be looking like an idiot when I say I was lying.

I'm hesitant to indicate if accepted I would definitely attend solely because the Prof. I applied to work with asked what other programs I applied to and I mentioned I only applied to one other. So if I did say I'd definitely accept I think it would smell of desperation.

[Tritonetelephone]

I'm hesitant to indicate if accepted I would definitely attend solely because the Prof. I applied to work with asked what other programs I applied to and I mentioned I only applied to one other. So if I did say I'd definitely accept I think it would smell of desperation.

I was in a similar situation where my top choice rejected me. So I said in the email to the professor that "since we last spoke, I have learned more about what I am looking for" and his university is currently my top choice. I also deliberately said that I "intend" to enroll if offered admission, which hopefully gives me a little room to take some time and tour the campus before accepting. But I can't imagine turning this school down, so I wasn't as careful about leading them on as you guys might be.

[TMP]

Oh yeah? What about NOT hearing from your top choice school yet, have a MA offer to another great program, but still want to go to that top choice?! I wish I could send an e-mail now and beg them to let me in- MA or PhD, whatever they want as long I can be part of the program??

At least if the top choice could just say no already, I can just accept that MA offer without making them wait!

I'm afraid that I might have given myself a kiss of death when I e-mailed one of the profs with a research question idea two weeks ago... Oops.