Possibility of moving up on the waitlist?

[crazycot]

I'm on waitlist for three schools, 2 Ph.D. programs and 1 masters program. I found out about being waitlisted only after inquiring about my status. The officers said they didn't have the list in hand to tell me my rank on the list.

Is it normal that they do not have the list in hand, or they don't bother to tell me 'cause I'm low-ranked on the list? I wonder if there's any chance of moving up on the waitlist at all.. *sigh*

Anyone sharing the same situation or know anything about it please reply :|

[maa]

I am on the wait list at one of my top choice school. They said that their wait list was unranked. I do not know how they will fill up from the wait list if it is not ranked.

[santana]

Psychology and CS are both extremely competetive, many, many applicants. That means if they did not bother to tell you what is your ranking, the chances are you are low on the list. But then again who knows.

You always move up on the waiting list, the trick is - is it far enough.

[crazycot]

oooh...

so do they usually notify applicants that they are on the wait list or they wont say anything until April 15?

Maybe I'm just trying to comfort myself, but the officer sounded sincere in that she explained that rejection letters have been sent and i wasn't one of them blah blah blah

anyways :\ thanks for the advice

[maa]

oooh...

so do they usually notify applicants that they are on the wait list or they wont say anything until April 15?

Maybe I'm just trying to comfort myself, but the officer sounded sincere in that she explained that rejection letters have been sent and i wasn't one of them blah blah blah

anyways :\ thanks for the advice

In my case, I was notified. They also wanted to know that if I am still interested in their program.

[lalala1]

I was notified that I was on the waitlist as well... but i have no idea if that is always the case.

[ember04]

I am waitlisted for PhD programs 2 schools. One told me I was the "1st alternate" and the other just said I was waitlisted. Niether voluntered any info until I inquired. They both promised I would know something "early this week." Well, it is Thursday April 10 (omg omg omg) and I still haven't heard. :roll: I am totally losing my mind.

[snagsby52]

I hadn't heard anything from one school, and I knew that all the rejections had gone out. When I called, they told me that I was on the waitlist. I was told to email a professor to see where I was on the waitlist and she told me that I was the first alternate in my field. They didn't tell me because they knew that I would eventually be accepted and they wanted to wait in order to tell me good news. This may be the case in your situation (or it may not be.) I would try to get ahold of someone and ask about the situation again. If you have been accepted to another school, you can say something like: I may have to accept this other school, but I am really hoping that I will eventually be accepted to your school (if this is true). good luck with everything!

[crazycot]

I hadn't heard anything from one school, and I knew that all the rejections had gone out. When I called, they told me that I was on the waitlist. I was told to email a professor to see where I was on the waitlist and she told me that I was the first alternate in my field. They didn't tell me because they knew that I would eventually be accepted and they wanted to wait in order to tell me good news. This may be the case in your situation (or it may not be.) I would try to get ahold of someone and ask about the situation again. If you have been accepted to another school, you can say something like: I may have to accept this other school, but I am really hoping that I will eventually be accepted to your school (if this is true). good luck with everything!

All of the officers of the three schools said they didn't have the list or they didn't know the ranking, so I had no way of knowing where I stand. Who should I e-mail to in order to ask about the ranking? I'm afraid that it'll be bothersome if I ask them about the ranking while they've already told me they did not know.

*sigh*

[Tritonetelephone]

I am on the wait list at one of my top choice school. They said that their wait list was unranked. I do not know how they will fill up from the wait list if it is not ranked.

It's possible that instead of having ranks, students on the waitlist are grouped by research interest. So if someone who was going to specialize in what you want to specialize in drops out, you'd take their place. I can't think of any other way that schools pull from an unranked waitlist.

I'm also waitlisted at my top choice (now only choice), and they can't/won't tell me anything about my chances of getting in. April 15th is only next week!!! Now is the time that we start to behave superstitiously.

[crazycot]

It's possible that instead of having ranks, students on the waitlist are grouped by research interest. So if someone who was going to specialize in what you want to specialize in drops out, you'd take their place. I can't think of any other way that schools pull from an unranked waitlist.

I'm also waitlisted at my top choice (now only choice), and they can't/won't tell me anything about my chances of getting in. April 15th is only next week!!! Now is the time that we start to behave superstitiously.

If only superstitious behaviors can get us somewhere...

[hannah]

I have been told (and think it's true) that demonstrating GREAT interest in a school does tend to help re: wait list. Being passive and waiting like a wallflower at a dance does not. Like, if an opening occurs, the active, interested candidate is more likely to get it b/c they don't want to offer to someone and either get declined or wait around for another couple of weeks for a decision. Also agree that one's research interest may affect the choice (to fill classes &c) but no one can know about that. But definitely don't be passive--write and say wow I would sure like to come to this university, I love your school and and am hoping. In some areas it's called, I think, a letter of intent, meaning, if you let me in, I will come there.

[santana]

That all depends how many people are making decisions or participating in making decisions.

Make no mistake, the decisions are political so yes it is important for the people that make decisions to avoid problems like prolonged and inadequate enrolment. It depends what is important to them. It is also important to have a competetive enrollment class - this is a matter of assessment and assessment is extremely political.

Nevertheless, most folks on waiting lists will get sacked thus if you depend on the waiting lists prepare yourself to go empty-handed. But nobody will brag about getting the boot after hanging on a waiting list and that is the reasons why people believe in them.

This is like a gambling - how many gamblers you know that would say they lost money? Every gambler always claims he makes money. The propensity of human being to be in a denial is not to be underestimated.

[unknownscholar]

I have been told (and think it's true) that demonstrating GREAT interest in a school does tend to help re: wait list. Being passive and waiting like a wallflower at a dance does not. Like, if an opening occurs, the active, interested candidate is more likely to get it b/c they don't want to offer to someone and either get declined or wait around for another couple of weeks for a decision. Also agree that one's research interest may affect the choice (to fill classes &c) but no one can know about that. But definitely don't be passive--write and say wow I would sure like to come to this university, I love your school and and am hoping. In some areas it's called, I think, a letter of intent, meaning, if you let me in, I will come there.

This was actually the title of my addendum letter to Georgetown's PPI. They had 90 people on their wait list, and I'm not sure how many people actually expressed an interest in continuing to be on the wait list, but I know within a day after receiving my wait list status, I emailed them back asking them to still be considered. And within 2 weeks, I submitted the addendum telling them how and why I'm interested in their program and the institution. I don't know if I would advocate saying exactly what I said, unless you know you spin it into a really convincing positive.

I went to a pre-undergrad summer pgm at GU and that's when I decided I wanted to go there. told PPI this. I applied undergrad and was waitlisted then rejected as they didn't turn to their wait list that yr. Told PPI this too. I ended up at a tier 1 school and performed well and then I applied to the law school this yr (JD/MPP duel degree applicant) and was rejected from this as well... I told PPI adcoms this too. And from these rejections, one would obviously think there is some huge caveat in my credentials, but I turned this around into a positive, arguing (truthfully) that my credentials have become stronger and more concentrated in each round. And I told them that I've applied again and again because I'm staunch in my belief that it's where I need to conclude my education, that I've chosen them 4 times thus far, so it's not about choosing a good program, it's about excelling. And those rejections and holds have helped me to do that. Then I tied this into my career goals (a summation of my personal statement) which is analagous with the program mission as well.

All in all, it was a pretty encompassing addendum that I didn't allow to get any longer than 1 page semi-single spaced.

I hope this helps anyone who may be interested in how to get off a wait list. GU isn't a harvard or a yale, but its graduate programs are pretty strong across the board, if for no other reason than getting good job placements thereafter.

PM me for additional info, as per your request :-)