Wait Listed!

[New England Nat]

I wonder if you get a liitle too old in the tooth that also becomes a detriment down the road?

I can't speak for other schools but about 8 people in my cohort (slightly over 1/4th) are over 30. 2 over 34.

[New England Nat]

I wish there was a way all the schools would come together & do a draft of some sort.

I've been told that this unoffiically happens in a smaller humanities field. Without the student part of the input. The top programs talk to each other subrosa so that each top applicant only gets one top tier offer. When it was discribed to me it struck me as likely illegal.

[oseirus]

I've been told that this unoffiically happens in a smaller humanities field. Without the student part of the input. The top programs talk to each other subrosa so that each top applicant only gets one top tier offer. When it was discribed to me it struck me as likely illegal.

Struck you as illegal?!?!?! This is blatant collusion! Some of the top schools more money than the others. Substantially more money so for them to plot like this is the detriment of the student!

[New England Nat]

Struck you as illegal?!?!?! This is blatant collusion! Some of the top schools more money than the others. Substantially more money so for them to plot like this is the detriment of the student!

The person who told it to me was in that field and thought it was a brilliant idea. I optimistically am hoping that his enthusasm for the concept prevented him from describing it accurately. But than again I'm not that impressed with the particular discipline involved.

[superfluousflo]

Hi all, I've just been wait listed at my top pick program. It worries me that several of the people from this board have had to reapply this year. I'm hoping that those fortunate enough to be accepted straightaway will accept/decline quickly, but I know it is far too early for that to begin happening, at least not until all the offers are made.

How did you all cope with the waiting/not knowing? I'm completely ready to wait until April 15 for this program if necessary. But still, it will (and must've been) terribly heartbreaking to wait so long and not get a spot. Good luck to you all this year.

So, out of curiosity, will you be declining offers of admission in hopes of receiving an offer at your top choice in April? I ask only because where you are admitted someone else will likely be wait listed and hoping that you will accept or decline an offer quickly so that he/she might have a chance at getting in off the wait list.

In terms of being wait listed and not ultimately receiving an offer, I contacted my POIs immediately and asked what I needed to do to improve my application. Then, I started in with those suggestions. It helped the last 8-10 months go by in a flash.

[wikichic]

So, out of curiosity, will you be declining offers of admission in hopes of receiving an offer at your top choice in April? I ask only because where you are admitted someone else will likely be wait listed and hoping that you will accept or decline an offer quickly so that he/she might have a chance at getting in off the wait list.

In terms of being wait listed and not ultimately receiving an offer, I contacted my POIs immediately and asked what I needed to do to improve my application. Then, I started in with those suggestions. It helped the last 8-10 months go by in a flash.

I only applied to a few programs so I don't have much wiggle room to accept/reject offers early. I would hate leaving someone hanging though, especially if they would like to have my spot. I guess that's what being on the wait list is all about- it seems like there's a shakedown from your Harvards, Yales, etc. in late March early April and then more spots open up from there.

I know if I got in to my top pick program I would accept/decline early. But as I am on the waiting list, I have to wait to see how things turn out before I make my final decisions. I don't want to reject a funded offer if I'm on the waiting list for another program. I'm guessing that's a situation many wait-listers find themselves in, though.

[New England Nat]

My adviser for my masters thesis told me (I think correctly) that you should withdraw all pending offers of schools you rank lower on your list than your first acceptence. I waited on one that i fell in love with, but withdrew five or six applications after an acceptence.

[wikichic]

That's my plan too. I have one full-out acceptance right now, but if I get into another program before it's all said and done I will reject or accept that offer as I wait to hear back from my top pick program. I will be waiting until April 15 if I have to, but I don't want to hold up the process for anyone else.

[barricades]

Withdrawing your candidacies from schools is fine. However, I wouldn't recommend doing it before going to visiting student days and all that. Often that's what will make or break your decision, especially if you're torn between two competitive offers. Also, if you are between two competitive programs and there's a stipend difference, that is often the moment to bring it up. Actually, when I went through this last year, the professors themselves brought it up, saying that they knew that such and such school offered this much, and that they'd be willing to top it off.

So yeah. I'd just say don't make any abrupt decisions. You never know how your person to person interaction with these people (including your potential cohort) is going to be like, nor what they will throw in the pot.

[CageFree]

Assuming I get into any other programs...once I get my acceptances and see the funding, I will decline the ones I know for sure I won't be accepting so others get moved up. I'm not likely to hold out for waitlists either, even at my top choice. I will need time to think about the move situation and whether my fiance will be able to find work there... that's a MAJOR consideration.

[wikichic]

I do want to hear back from every school before I accept/reject, which should be within the next two weeks. I applied to less than 5 programs, so really I'm sure, even if I get accepted to every place I apply (which I highly doubt will happen)- I won't have a lot of people waiting on me. I I just don't want to keep someone hanging for two months if I don't have to.

I have friends who applied to over 10 schools (one applied to over 15 schools!), and have acceptances already. If they get into a large number of programs (like I assume they will), it wouldn't be cool of them to sit on offers they know they won't be accepting.

Edited February 3, 2012 by wikichic

[oseirus]

See therein lies the issue: you shouldn't FEEL beholden to others b/c @ the end of the day, you did your part & as sucky as it is for those who are waitlisted, their fate is ultimately still in the hands of the school b/c someone else might be ahead of them on the waitlist. Do what is best for you & I know I haven't been waitlisted so it might seem hypocritical on my part but really I will feel this way EVEN if I'm waitlisted b/quite frankly I'm torn between the schools I've applied to & I would go to any of those schools. This isn't an easy time for anyone b/c we are dealing w/such an important time in all our lives. We need to have as much compassion for our fellow applicants be it those who are waitlisted, rejected, OR have been accepted b/c not everyone has a dream school that they'll give anything to go. Somehow this will all work itself out, so again I implore you my fellow applicants to pull back a bit from the intensity train

[pugsley87]

Hi all,

Seeing as I started this forum last year, I feel like I should comment. Being waitlisted was one of the best/worst things that ever happened. I only applied to 4 schools last year (all very top tier), and got wait listed at my best fit. I was elated because by then, I had been rejected from my other programs. It was a very stressful month, during which my boyfriend (now fiance) insisted on looking at places to live even though I assumed the worst. Well, the worst happened. I will never forget waking up on the weekend to see an email saying they couldn't take students off the wait list. I cried for days and was so distraught that I barely functioned at work/home. I've been really lucky since because 1) I landed a well-paying job and 2) I got into an amazing program this year. The profs I contacted were very supportive, and I reapplied to that school.

With that said, my advice is to relax and see what else you hear/get into. If you're only wait listed, then check with your advisers before doing ANYTHING. The last thing you want to be is beggy.

GOOD LUCK!! I AM THIKING GOOD THOUGHTS!

[wikichic]

Thanks for the words of encouragement/advice, guys! I will be getting in touch with my POI on Monday to discuss matters further and to assure him of my interest in the program. Having another funded offer in the bank is really a relief, so at least I know I'm going somewhere for sure.

I PMed you Pugsley

[oseirus]

On average how long are people on the wait list usually?

[pugsley87]

I didn't find out it was not gonna happen for me until April 9...

[pugsley87]

I didn't find out it was not gonna happen for me until April 9...

[oseirus]

Well I can see how that could be stressful for some folks ... either way there is always a denoument :-)

[TMP]

Til the week of April 15rh when most people let programs know.

[oseirus]

At least it gives some sort of hope right? :-)