Pol Sci 2024-25 / Waitlisted Candidates

[A Dalek]

5 minutes ago, Omkar Poojari said:

Thanks for the insight. Is it fair to assume that even among the few school that might use a waitlist- the chances of a school that has not over admitted is more likely to go to the waitlist?

It's hard to say. What I can say is that there tends to be a lot of movement the last week, as people confirm/turn down programs and a few last spots open up. So there is some chance for those of you hoping for a last minute admit... But if you already have another OK admit, I think I'd recommend accepting it unless it's a big difference in ranking.

[PolPsychGal11]

11 minutes ago, Omkar Poojari said:

Thanks for the insight. Is it fair to assume that even among the few school that might use a waitlist- the chances of a school that has not over admitted is more likely to go to the waitlist?

Omkar - I understand that you're anxious about waitlist and hoping that things work out, but (1) this is the most uncertain period we've seen in decades, and no one knows what is going to happen. As people have mentioned on other threads, offers are being rescinded, funding is uncertain, and it is an all around shit show. Trying to read the tea leaves is never a useful exercise, but it's especially perilous right now. (2) No. Waitlists are going to be incredibly rare this year. As many people have explained before, programs are going to err on the side of much smaller cohorts, because of the funding uncertainty. Almost every school over admits -- some by handfuls, some by just a few. Even schools that somehow exactly calculated their yield correctly (such that all admits accept, and that was the cohort size they wanted) are not going to go to the waitlist. 

If you have an offer that you are excited about, I think it's worth accepting it. If you have no acceptances and are waitlisted, I'm sorry to say that things are unlikely to get better this year. It's not worth spending the time and effort trying to predict what programs are going to do, especially since it sounds like you're unfamiliar with how university funding works (which is ok! no one expects you to be an expert in this!); asking the same question again and again isn't going to change the outcome of admissions this year -- it's just clogging up the threads and risks spreading inaccurate information. 

[OP4599]

1 hour ago, A Dalek said:

It's hard to say. What I can say is that there tends to be a lot of movement the last week, as people confirm/turn down programs and a few last spots open up. So there is some chance for those of you hoping for a last minute admit... But if you already have another OK admit, I think I'd recommend accepting it unless it's a big difference in ranking.

Thank you very much for this, Prof. I do not have another offer currently - so that is the reason why I am looking forward to something happening. Having said that I understand it is beyond control at this stage and only waiting till the last week- as you suggested could make things clear. Thanks for sharing your perspective!

[OP4599]

1 hour ago, PolPsychGal11 said:

Omkar - I understand that you're anxious about waitlist and hoping that things work out, but (1) this is the most uncertain period we've seen in decades, and no one knows what is going to happen. As people have mentioned on other threads, offers are being rescinded, funding is uncertain, and it is an all around shit show. Trying to read the tea leaves is never a useful exercise, but it's especially perilous right now. (2) No. Waitlists are going to be incredibly rare this year. As many people have explained before, programs are going to err on the side of much smaller cohorts, because of the funding uncertainty. Almost every school over admits -- some by handfuls, some by just a few. Even schools that somehow exactly calculated their yield correctly (such that all admits accept, and that was the cohort size they wanted) are not going to go to the waitlist. 

If you have an offer that you are excited about, I think it's worth accepting it. If you have no acceptances and are waitlisted, I'm sorry to say that things are unlikely to get better this year. It's not worth spending the time and effort trying to predict what programs are going to do, especially since it sounds like you're unfamiliar with how university funding works (which is ok! no one expects you to be an expert in this!); asking the same question again and again isn't going to change the outcome of admissions this year -- it's just clogging up the threads and risks spreading inaccurate information. 

Hi Prof,

 

Many thanks for this extremely detailed advice. I understand that this is a period uncertainty and waitlists are unlikely to move at most places this cycle. I don't have other offers- hence I've been more on the edge. But you are right- it is futile to think too much about this given it is beyond one's control at this point. I appreciate you taking time to write this. 

 

I had one question- more so out of curiosity. I understand that I might have got it wrong about thinking how funding works- but is it fair to say that social sciences and political sciences have been a little more unlucky. To my understanding federal funds and grants are predominantly for STEM. Now, that much of it has gone, universities are adjusting for the lost revenue by also cutting cohorts and budgets of soc science programs. I don't wish to make this a "us v them" narrative- but I've been thinking about this. I would be happy to be corrected if I am flawed in my assumptions here. Thank you.

[PolPsychGal11]

Just now, Omkar Poojari said:

I had one question- more so out of curiosity. I understand that I might have got it wrong about thinking how funding works- but is it fair to say that social sciences and political sciences have been a little more unlucky. To my understanding federal funds and grants are predominantly for STEM. Now, that much of it has gone, universities are adjusting for the lost revenue by also cutting cohorts and budgets of soc science programs. I don't wish to make this a "us v them" narrative- but I've been thinking about this. I would be happy to be corrected if I am flawed in my assumptions here. Thank you.

There are some NSF grants that support political science, and grants from other US government departments, like DoD (Minerva). But indirect costs -- which can be as much as 60% of the grant -- support research across the university. Some of that gets directed back to the PI that got the grant. But most of it is taken by the university to support the grants office. It's kind of like taxes: in the US, wealthy states basically subsidize the poorer states (California sends money to Wyoming, essentially). Same principle, though of course a bit more complicated. As funding dries up all over, the ENTIRE university enterprise has to cut back. It's not just grad admissions. We have hiring freezes, some universities are talking about trying to cut pay/benefits, and some are talking about layoffs. 

It's really not an us vs them at all, and I'd encourage to abandon that line of thought. Social sciences and STEM are getting screwed by Trump. Research grants brought in are one of the major sources of revenue for universities, which means that STEM grants support social science, and vice versa. But at the end of the day, most social science programs don't need expensive labs or equipment, so we're actually a bit better positioned to get through the coming shit storm. All we need is a laptop and occasionally a bit of funding for fieldwork. We don't need to buy genetically modified mice, or expensive equipment, or chemicals. 

So again: it's not us vs them. It has rarely been that way. And it's not helpful to go around thinking that or spreading it. Try to separate your disappointment at not getting an offer this cycle from making sweeping generalizations or trying to find correlations or other "insights" into the admissions process. 

[OP4599]

11 minutes ago, PolPsychGal11 said:

There are some NSF grants that support political science, and grants from other US government departments, like DoD (Minerva). But indirect costs -- which can be as much as 60% of the grant -- support research across the university. Some of that gets directed back to the PI that got the grant. But most of it is taken by the university to support the grants office. It's kind of like taxes: in the US, wealthy states basically subsidize the poorer states (California sends money to Wyoming, essentially). Same principle, though of course a bit more complicated. As funding dries up all over, the ENTIRE university enterprise has to cut back. It's not just grad admissions. We have hiring freezes, some universities are talking about trying to cut pay/benefits, and some are talking about layoffs. 

It's really not an us vs them at all, and I'd encourage to abandon that line of thought. Social sciences and STEM are getting screwed by Trump. Research grants brought in are one of the major sources of revenue for universities, which means that STEM grants support social science, and vice versa. But at the end of the day, most social science programs don't need expensive labs or equipment, so we're actually a bit better positioned to get through the coming shit storm. All we need is a laptop and occasionally a bit of funding for fieldwork. We don't need to buy genetically modified mice, or expensive equipment, or chemicals. 

So again: it's not us vs them. It has rarely been that way. And it's not helpful to go around thinking that or spreading it. Try to separate your disappointment at not getting an offer this cycle from making sweeping generalizations or trying to find correlations or other "insights" into the admissions process. 

This clarifies a lot of doubts and puts things into perspective. Thanks for the detailed explanation!

[smoothoperator77]

4 hours ago, PolPsychGal11 said:

Omkar - I understand that you're anxious about waitlist and hoping that things work out, but (1) this is the most uncertain period we've seen in decades, and no one knows what is going to happen. As people have mentioned on other threads, offers are being rescinded, funding is uncertain, and it is an all around shit show. Trying to read the tea leaves is never a useful exercise, but it's especially perilous right now. (2) No. Waitlists are going to be incredibly rare this year. As many people have explained before, programs are going to err on the side of much smaller cohorts, because of the funding uncertainty. Almost every school over admits -- some by handfuls, some by just a few. Even schools that somehow exactly calculated their yield correctly (such that all admits accept, and that was the cohort size they wanted) are not going to go to the waitlist. 

If you have an offer that you are excited about, I think it's worth accepting it. If you have no acceptances and are waitlisted, I'm sorry to say that things are unlikely to get better this year. It's not worth spending the time and effort trying to predict what programs are going to do, especially since it sounds like you're unfamiliar with how university funding works (which is ok! no one expects you to be an expert in this!); asking the same question again and again isn't going to change the outcome of admissions this year -- it's just clogging up the threads and risks spreading inaccurate information. 

With all due respect, I don't think Omkar is clogging up the threads and spreading inaccurate information. I wish people could understand students in this situation with more compassion. Some of us really want to do this, and this is not even a job that meets the minimum wage, which tells how much we want this, and things are pretty desperate for many. Being in the seat of an insider is not a good reason to discourage the right of an outsider to have concerns and ask questions. 

[ComPol25]

On the WL for WashU and Emory. Hoping it moves. Good luck to everyone here!

[polisci119]

Was informed by Boston College that it won't consider any waitlisted candidates due to the shortage of funding after being waitlisted since mid-Feb, pretty surprised since it's a wealthy uni with limited reliance on federal funding. Now trying to be hopeful for the rest waitlists, wish all of you luck as well.

[OP4599]

40 minutes ago, polisci119 said:

Was informed by Boston College that it won't consider any waitlisted candidates due to the shortage of funding after being waitlisted since mid-Feb, pretty surprised since it's a wealthy uni with limited reliance on federal funding. Now trying to be hopeful for the rest waitlists, wish all of you luck as well.

Sorry to hear this. I hope that you have other good offers in hand. And if you are on the waitlist for other places, wishing you luck. The cycle just keeps going from bad to worse.

[01anonymous]

Hi guys,

The school I am waitlisted at told me they can't make offers after 15 April, so the last day I will hear back one way or another is 15 April, and so we are exactly two weeks out from my decision. Pray for me please! They also told me a significant number of people should have rejected + there should be seats in my subfield for me to make it.

[PoliSciAm1512]

34 minutes ago, 01anonymous said:

Hi guys,

The school I am waitlisted at told me they can't make offers after 15 April, so the last day I will hear back one way or another is 15 April, and so we are exactly two weeks out from my decision. Pray for me please! They also told me a significant number of people should have rejected + there should be seats in my subfield for me to make it.

Is this for Michigan? I am on the waitlist, as well, for AP. It's good to know I'll know one way or another in the next few weeks. 

What subfield are you and do you happen to know anything about AP's yield so far?

[01anonymous]

Hi, 

So they didn't tell me anything in numbers. I am the World Politics one, so still waiting. I honestly don't know anything about the yield. They said they can't make any offers after 15 April, so they will let us know by then if not sooner. They will also let us know if the waitlist closes or something else. 

[ComPol25]

4 hours ago, 01anonymous said:

Hi guys,

The school I am waitlisted at told me they can't make offers after 15 April, so the last day I will hear back one way or another is 15 April, and so we are exactly two weeks out from my decision. Pray for me please! They also told me a significant number of people should have rejected + there should be seats in my subfield for me to make it.

But don't most people wait till the last day i.e. April 15 to respond to offers? More so in cases where they have an offer from another university but are waitlisted at a top choice?

I thought the last day to hear is a few days post April 15. But if April 15 is the last day for waitlist candidates - then those who do not decline offers (before April 15) not of interest are actively harming anyone on the waitlist with a chance of getting in ☹️

Edited April 1 by ComPol25

[01anonymous]

47 minutes ago, ComPol25 said:

But don't most people wait till the last day i.e. April 15 to respond to offers? More so in cases where they have an offer from another university but are waitlisted at a top choice?

I thought the last day to hear is a few days post April 15. But if April 15 is the last day for waitlist candidates - then those who do not decline offers (before April 15) not of interest are actively harming anyone on the waitlist with a chance of getting in ☹️

I think that’s absolutely right. I think ultimately the kindest, ethical thing to do is reject other offers once you accept somewhere. However, in this particular case they also said that atleast in the last three years people have let them know by 14 April at the latest because certain faculty remain in touch with students till they send their decision so they know more or less if you are accepting. Irrespective, if you accept somewhere reject your other offers. I rejected an offer last week because I knew someone who was on the waitlist for funding. So it really does matter. I don’t agree with anyone who says that others rejecting does not matter because the school literally told me that, that is what they are waiting for!

Edited April 1 by 01anonymous

[disc]

It sucks if waitlisted candidates cannot be made offers after April 15. What is even more troubling is that people are holding on to multiple offers, almost hoarding offers. Sometimes even when they have accepted at some place. I understand this is an exceptionally crazy cycle but there is no point in holding on to offers this late. If a university wanted to revoke your offer, they would have done it earlier. I simply do not understand how people holding on and hoarding offers is helping. It only effects and hurts people on the waitlist. Sorry but as someone who is on 3 waitlists right now, I cannot mince my words. I am sure many share this frustration. 

[OP4599]

To anyone on the Brown WL here- did you get an email asking about your continued interest in the program?

Also to those who got offers- have you accepted or declined (or plan to)? Trying to gauge chances in the final lap..

[Uull6739]

On 4/4/2025 at 7:29 PM, disc said:

It sucks if waitlisted candidates cannot be made offers after April 15. What is even more troubling is that people are holding on to multiple offers, almost hoarding offers. Sometimes even when they have accepted at some place. I understand this is an exceptionally crazy cycle but there is no point in holding on to offers this late. If a university wanted to revoke your offer, they would have done it earlier. I simply do not understand how people holding on and hoarding offers is helping. It only effects and hurts people on the waitlist. Sorry but as someone who is on 3 waitlists right now, I cannot mince my words. I am sure many share this frustration. 

I mean no one is holding onto offers if they have already accepted for one program? I don't think it's correct to speculate that they are doing that when people are functionally not doing that. Should they decline their offers on or before April 15? Yes. Do they owe you a duty to do so? No. 

[smoothoperator77]

8 hours ago, Uull6739 said:

I mean no one is holding onto offers if they have already accepted for one program? I don't think it's correct to speculate that they are doing that when people are functionally not doing that. Should they decline their offers on or before April 15? Yes. Do they owe you a duty to do so? No. 

Listen, we perfectly understand your point, we know people have the freedom to do whatever they want, we know our chances are slim, but this forum is specifically for people like us who are still waiting and hoping, and it is only natural that we have some kind of healthy expression of either frustration or hope, in here, because we are only expressing those to each other and those who might have information and are WILLING to share, not you, and @PolPsychGal11, (I am calling on you directly because you've expressing harsh negativity once already and is upvoting this latest one again, like wtf? And it seems that you are a professor, I can't imagine how your students would feel about your attitude) if you were just going to dismiss people. You are very welcome to leave if we bother you this much.

One question for you and all alike:  have you had no setbacks in your life, at all? Don't pretend to be some kind of successful dudes from the moment you were born and look down upon us like you do. You might be really successful, and we might be a bunch of idiots to you, so please share your successful stories and condescending attitude with those who could appreciate it. 

[Uull6739]

6 minutes ago, smoothoperator77 said:

Listen, we perfectly understand your point, we know people have the freedom to do whatever they want, we know our chances are slim, but this forum is specifically for people like us who are still waiting and hoping, and it is only natural that we have some kind of healthy expression of either frustration or hope, in here, because we are only expressing those to each other and those who might have information and are WILLING to share, not you, and @PolPsychGal11, (I am calling on you directly because you've expressing harsh negativity once already and is upvoting this latest one again, like wtf? And it seems that you are a professor, I can't imagine how your students would feel about your attitude) if you were just going to dismiss people. You are very welcome to leave if we bother you this much.

One question for you and all alike:  have you had no setbacks in your life, at all? Don't pretend to be some kind of successful dudes from the moment you were born and look down upon us like you do. You might be really successful, and we might be a bunch of idiots to you, so please share your successful stories and condescending attitude with those who could appreciate it. 

I know that everyone on here is "hoping" to get an offer. Im not trying to take away from that. What I am saying is that I don't think it's appropriate to state that the reason people are not getting offers is "because" of the decision making of other admitted students. In particular, this notion that "people are holding on to multiple offers, almost hoarding offers" is simply false. No one is sitting there expressly "hoarding". Like you, they just want to make the right decision. I don't think it appropriate to litigate your feelings about admitted vs. non-admitted students on a forum like this.

[smoothoperator77]

2 minutes ago, Uull6739 said:

I know that everyone on here is "hoping" to get an offer. Im not trying to take away from that. What I am saying is that I don't think it's appropriate to state that the reason people are not getting offers is "because" of the decision making of other admitted students. In particular, this notion that "people are holding on to multiple offers, almost hoarding offers" is simply false. No one is sitting there expressly "hoarding". Like you, they just want to make the right decision. I don't think it appropriate to litigate your feelings about admitted vs. non-admitted students on a forum like this.

What are the quotation marks around the word "hoping" supposed to mean? This alone tells me the exact reason that you did not answer my question.

And for your information, I am not litigating admitted vs. non-admitted students, for the reason that I know that multiple people, including me, on this thread, have offers, and some are current PhD students who want to choose a better program. As you said, we are trying to make the right decisions, as these decisions matter a lot, especially at this time. 

[ComPol25]

8 hours ago, Uull6739 said:

I mean no one is holding onto offers if they have already accepted for one program? I don't think it's correct to speculate that they are doing that when people are functionally not doing that. Should they decline their offers on or before April 15? Yes. Do they owe you a duty to do so? No. 

Here you ask a rhetorical question.... if admitted students should decline the places they don't want to go to before or on April 15. And then follow up by suggesting that it is not their duty to do so . Are you alright, mate? Are you suggesting they should not? April 15 is the deadline and if people don't reject offers by then, as you suggest by asking the rhetorical question then that is really an unethical outlook. I mean it is basic decency and ethics... to decline an offer you know you are not taking up to give a chance to others who are on the waitlist. Stop being so mean.

Sorry but I say this as someone who has two offers (I do not want to flex but you have been condescending and disrespectful to waitlisted folks... painting then as some losers). I got two offers and got waitlisted at two other places. I hope to process from the waitlisted places as they are places I prefer more. But I have given up my second offer and only kept one offer in hand. I believe that is an ethical and PRACTICAL THING to do. I did so because I am super certain that between the two offers, I prefer one over the other. The original poster suggested people do the same and not keep offers of places they don't want to go to.

How is that wrong? Also, the margin between waitlisted and admitted is so small. So, it is so wrong on your part to be disrespectful to waitlisted applicants and to paint them as losers here. 

 

 

Edited Monday at 01:30 AM by ComPol25

[Uull6739]

I think functionally you should not continuously abuse people for not having made a decision. Everyone has to make a decision by midnight April 15th, just wait and see instead of freaking out about it on online forums where it does no-one any good.

[OP4599]

I do not think there was any abuse on this forum before today. You are the one putting down others and abusing. Multiple people have you told that here. For a platform like Gradcafe where people rarely downvote, your negative rep based on the downvotes is a good indicator of the same. As @smoothoperator77 rightly remarked, you are free to leave and leave this forum to waitlisted people.

I made this separate forum specifically because I felt waitlisted applicants needed a separate forum to express themselves without influencing or disturbing people with a spot.

[disc]

I think most of you have articulated everything that I would have liked to say in response. Thanks.

My original comment was not based on assumptions but on cases I know about. I am not suggesting that if someone is confused between two offers A and B , then they should reject A or B asap. But if they have four offers and they know they do not want to opt for C and D, it is reasonable to expect that they keep A and B and let go off C and D and inform those schools because it is already April 7. Plus some schools do not admit after 15. So even if they were to reject C and D on April 15, it might be too late for schools to offer waitlisted candidates a spot.

This has been a difficult cycle for us all. I guess such a gesture based on positivity and kindness is something that can make things easier for most of us, without harming anyone.

I do not wish to further this conflict. I see no point. It is the last week and I wish well for everyone. Even for @Uull6739
(I am not sure if you are an applicant but if you are, good luck to you. )
So, fingers crossed for everyone as April 15 looms.