Getting off the Waitlist

[Jessie Z]

Cross finger for all the waitlisters!!!!

[rack_attack124]

1 hour ago, Jessie Z said:

Cross finger for all the waitlisters!!!!

I still haven't heard from the two schools who waitlisted me! One said I was waitlist on March 17th. The other school said waitlist on March 29. The first school said they would tell by April 15th but I am not optimistic. 

[SunshineLolipops]

@rack_attack124 I feel you, I'm on two waitlists, and there are two schools that flat haven't sent me anything.  I'm just glad that in nine days I'll either know, or I won't feel awkward about emailing the DGS for a status update.

[rack_attack124]

1 minute ago, SunshineLolipops said:

@rack_attack124 I feel you, I'm on two waitlists, and there are two schools that flat haven't sent me anything.  I'm just glad that in nine days I'll either know, or I won't feel awkward about emailing the DGS for a status update.

@SunshineLolipops I already emailed mine. they both responded but they do not give direct info. For one school, the list isn't ranked and it will be dependent on who is admitted and their decisions to attend or not. basically someone has to reject that had similar research interests to me for me to get admitted. 30-40 people on that list he said so I'm not optimistic. he did say April 15 latest. every day seems to pass by so slowly!

the other school sent some email that said I'm near the top of the waitlist and I'll hear in "several weeks" whatever that means. They did say the list is "short" again subjective. I also saw on the results board that someone else received that exact same email from the program director! wompppppp 

[Jessie Z]

16 hours ago, rack_attack124 said:

I still haven't heard from the two schools who waitlisted me! One said I was waitlist on March 17th. The other school said waitlist on March 29. The first school said they would tell by April 15th but I am not optimistic. 

I am on the waitlist too and so far it is the best result I've got... I completely understand your feeling. 

[rack_attack124]

1 minute ago, Jessie Z said:

I am on the waitlist too and so far it is the best result I've got... I completely understand your feeling. 

yeah because I applied to programs that were reaches for me. They want research experience and I don't have a lot of it. They don't provide feedback but I guess other people had more research experience and higher GPA than me. I think my GRE score is better than a lot of people's but then again I haven't been admitted so I guess someone is better than me lol. 

[Jessie Z]

16 hours ago, rack_attack124 said:

@SunshineLolipops I already emailed mine. they both responded but they do not give direct info. For one school, the list isn't ranked and it will be dependent on who is admitted and their decisions to attend or not. basically someone has to reject that had similar research interests to me for me to get admitted. 30-40 people on that list he said so I'm not optimistic. he did say April 15 latest. every day seems to pass by so slowly!

the other school sent some email that said I'm near the top of the waitlist and I'll hear in "several weeks" whatever that means. They did say the list is "short" again subjective. I also saw on the results board that someone else received that exact same email from the program director! wompppppp 

OMG I feel that our program is the same!!

[rack_attack124]

9 minutes ago, Jessie Z said:

OMG I feel that our program is the same!!

@Jessie Z lol yeah just checked your message and it was the same! waitlist is horrible for someone who didn't have patience to begin with lol. It's making me want to do more apps. But why is this sh*t so expensive? sending the damn GRE score is $27 every time and app fees are always $80-$100. Vanderbilt didn't have a fee and I got rejected. At least I didn't lose $100 on that one lol. 

[SunshineLolipops]

as far as the cost goes, I'm just glad that I reached out to professors to see if they were taking students before I applied.  It saved me $160 this cycle and would have probably done the same last cycle.  The last two schools that haven't given me any notification at all are the ones that are really killing me though.  I get that I've got another 8 days of waitlist purgatory for the places I was waitlisted, but I've got this false hope that I might get news from the others any time now, which has me glued to the application status websites, my email, and grad cafe.  I will say that this beats getting completely shut out by mid-March.  Good luck everyone!

[rack_attack124]

9 minutes ago, SunshineLolipops said:

as far as the cost goes, I'm just glad that I reached out to professors to see if they were taking students before I applied.  It saved me $160 this cycle and would have probably done the same last cycle.  The last two schools that haven't given me any notification at all are the ones that are really killing me though.  I get that I've got another 8 days of waitlist purgatory for the places I was waitlisted, but I've got this false hope that I might get news from the others any time now, which has me glued to the application status websites, my email, and grad cafe.  I will say that this beats getting completely shut out by mid-March.  Good luck everyone!

yeah waitlist is better than rejection for sure. you're still in the game. have you been waitlisted before? Can we really expect decisions by April 15th? I tried emailing professors lol it didn't really work. They did not provide the insight I wanted lol. 

[SunshineLolipops]

@rack_attack124 My emails to professors (before I submitted applications) were always extremely short.  In the first sentence I asked if they were taking students, and in a very short paragraph I mentioned why I would want to work with them given their research interests which I had looked into in depth, briefly described my own interests, and provided a link to a couple writing samples in case they were interested.  Some just said that they were or were not taking students, but a few turned into relatively lengthy discussions.

I haven't been waitlisted before, and last cycle I only got rejections, but I do know that people are still deciding, so there are opportunities out there.  If you scroll through the old results, you can occasionally find an acceptance off of the waitlist at the eleventh hour, but for the moment I'm just trying to be happy with the fact that at least my applications were still in the running.

[rack_attack124]

32 minutes ago, SunshineLolipops said:

@rack_attack124 My emails to professors (before I submitted applications) were always extremely short.  In the first sentence I asked if they were taking students, and in a very short paragraph I mentioned why I would want to work with them given their research interests which I had looked into in depth, briefly described my own interests, and provided a link to a couple writing samples in case they were interested.  Some just said that they were or were not taking students, but a few turned into relatively lengthy discussions.

I haven't been waitlisted before, and last cycle I only got rejections, but I do know that people are still deciding, so there are opportunities out there.  If you scroll through the old results, you can occasionally find an acceptance off of the waitlist at the eleventh hour, but for the moment I'm just trying to be happy with the fact that at least my applications were still in the running.

ah, but you applied to PhD I guess? I applied to master's. There's no way I had enough research experience to get a PhD. and apparently I don't have enough research experience to get into master's either.  

[kwils76]

So, as I've posted about before, I'm waitlisted at Top Choice, accepted at another school. 

Sent vague "waiting on things to fall into place" email a week ago to Second Choice indicating I would give an update by the end of this week, per advice I got here.

In the mean time I got a call from LoR writer who knows faculty in the department at Top Choice, saying that she strongly suggests I hold off on accepting Second Choice until closer to the 15th and heavily implying that she feels I have a good chance of getting off of this wait list.

So that's very good news.

I now need to send that update email to Second Choice. I think I'll have to be more specific this time around but still want to be diplomatic and not make it clear that they're my second choice. I am thinking about framing it more that I'm waiting on info from another program and want to have all info laid out so I can make the most informed decision possible, making clear that I've declined all other offers besides them and one other program.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Is this a good approach or will it be clear what I'm really after? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[rack_attack124]

8 minutes ago, kwils76 said:

So, as I've posted about before, I'm waitlisted at Top Choice, accepted at another school. 

Sent vague "waiting on things to fall into place" email a week ago to Second Choice indicating I would give an update by the end of this week, per advice I got here.

In the mean time I got a call from LoR writer who knows faculty in the department at Top Choice, saying that she strongly suggests I hold off on accepting Second Choice until closer to the 15th and heavily implying that she feels I have a good chance of getting off of this wait list.

So that's very good news.

I now need to send that update email to Second Choice. I think I'll have to be more specific this time around but still want to be diplomatic and not make it clear that they're my second choice. I am thinking about framing it more that I'm waiting on info from another program and want to have all info laid out so I can make the most informed decision possible, making clear that I've declined all other offers besides them and one other program.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Is this a good approach or will it be clear what I'm really after? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Why do you have to update them if it's not April 15 yet? I guess I don't really understand your situation. But that's exactly what I would say too. I don't think they can hold it against you that you want to consider all your options. I think schools know that most people applied to more than just them. 

[kwils76]

Just now, rack_attack124 said:

Why do you have to update them if it's not April 15 yet? I guess I don't really understand your situation. But that's exactly what I would say too. I don't think they can hold it against you that you want to consider all your options. I think schools know that most people applied to more than just them. 

I have to update them because last week I sent an email saying I would give them an update by end of this week, and I want to keep my word on that to avoid coming off as flaky/unreliable etc.

Thanks for your input! I think that's likely what I will say!

[rack_attack124]

Just now, kwils76 said:

I have to update them because last week I sent an email saying I would give them an update by end of this week, and I want to keep my word on that to avoid coming off as flaky/unreliable etc.

Thanks for your input! I think that's likely what I will say!

okay now I get it. Yeah, I think that's good. And if you don't go then maybe someone off waitlist can get in. 

[kwils76]

Just now, rack_attack124 said:

okay now I get it. Yeah, I think that's good. And if you don't go then maybe someone off waitlist can get in. 

Yes, it's my hope that I will hear from my wait listed school ASAP so that if I get in I can commit there and turn down my accepted offer for someone else to take it!

I already turned down all my other offers once I narrowed it down but am still agonizingly on this wait list at my top choice (UNC)! I know you went there so I'm sure you know how great it is and why I want to go!! haha

[rack_attack124]

Just now, kwils76 said:

Yes, it's my hope that I will hear from my wait listed school ASAP so that if I get in I can commit there and turn down my accepted offer for someone else to take it!

I already turned down all my other offers once I narrowed it down but am still agonizingly on this wait list at my top choice (UNC)! I know you went there so I'm sure you know how great it is and why I want to go!! haha

Lol yeah I love UNC. I didn't study poli sci though! I do think it's a really good college town. And I'm sure you saw we went to the national championship in basketball. If you come to UNC, you will be consumed by basketball lol. I am still devastated by Monday night's loss. I applied to a master's there. I am from NC. UNC makes most sense for me since it's close to where I'm from and I get that in-state tuition. It would be so much cheaper than any other school I'm considering but I'm not admitted yet either. I just sent my application this week for master in health informatics. 

[kwils76]

Just now, rack_attack124 said:

Lol yeah I love UNC. I didn't study poli sci though! I do think it's a really good college town. And I'm sure you saw we went to the national championship in basketball. If you come to UNC, you will be consumed by basketball lol. I am still devastated by Monday night's loss. I applied to a master's there. I am from NC. UNC makes most sense for me since it's close to where I'm from and I get that in-state tuition. It would be so much cheaper than any other school I'm considering but I'm not admitted yet either. I just sent my application this week for master in health informatics. 

I did undergrad at UConn so I'm very comfortable with living/breathing basketball!! haha

Ah very cool; I hope you get in!!!!! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[cpctc1]

Still waitlisted at my top choice. Followed up a week ago and was told I would (hopefully) be notified in about a week. Resisting the urge to ask about my status again. I'm assuming if there were any changes I would be notified, but it's just so hard waiting. 

[athim2575]

On 4/4/2016 at 3:11 PM, athim2575 said:

I got waitlisted to my top choice.
I got a personal email from the head of the admissions committee on a Sunday evening, saying I was waitlisted and asked if I was still interested.
He said that my academic record was "very strong" and that I was "high on the list"
He mentioned that it is likely that they will admit another one or two students in the coming week.

I'm still pretty confident.

Just an update.
Been exchanging emails with the Graduate Program Director and he said that there are two people who haven't responded to their offer, so if one of them says no then I guess I'm in!

[rack_attack124]

On April 8, 2016 at 7:14 PM, athim2575 said:

Just an update.
Been exchanging emails with the Graduate Program Director and he said that there are two people who haven't responded to their offer, so if one of them says no then I guess I'm in!

Hope you get in! 

[Formosus]

Got off the waitlist at my number one choice; I'm now going to be a Ph.D student with full funding!

[Neist]

27 minutes ago, Formosus said:

Got off the waitlist at my number one choice; I'm now going to be a Ph.D student with full funding!

Congrats!  

[magnetite]

I'm waitlisted at my top choice program. I had a call with a professor on Friday and it went very well, apart from my lack asking any meaningful questions. The professor started the call by telling me what I pretty much already knew--that they had done their first round of acceptances, that I was waitlisted, and would need to wait until people start either accepting or declining offers on April 15th to get an idea if I'd be accepted or not.

Then he asked about my research interests, which I described briefly, including a potential topic I'd like to investigate. The topic aligned really well with a project that the professor just gained involvement recently, which apparently was after he looked through applications. We talked a bit about how this particular area has a lot of open questions that need to be solved soon. It sounds like I might be getting an acceptance. He emailed me a bit after the phone call ended, saying he had sent a message to the admissions committee. He also told me to feel free to ask any questions that come up.

So, I've got a few questions in mind now. A few of the school's current grad students mention in their personal pages that they work with multiple professors, in some cases on fairly dissimilar studies. At this point, would it be fine for me to ask the professor if working in two separate labs would help out with funding? There's another topic I could pursue with another professor, but it's not 100% what my passion is. I'm also thinking about asking if he would recommend me taking a summer course at my original undergrad school, which I may need to do anyway.

Should I even send these questions at this point? Or just wait and see what happens? This is the only school I've heard from, with no response from four others. I'd dearly like to go to this school, so I want to do whatever I can do to maximize my chances.