Wait listing is NOT the end!

[WendyMoira]

GauteAmFeminist and Thunderpaws- don't worry; I'm one of UT's admits (not in your field) and it seems Dr. Lesser doesn't love answering questions. I sent him a few. He answered some and told me to save others for the recruitment weekend. I try not to take it personally, because email communication can be so hard to read (especially with...ahem...people who didn't grow up with it), but I did feel a little put off. So don't let it bug you. I think that's just the way the DGS handles things.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Wikichic--JHU? Congrats! That's an awesome school. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. And this waitlist thread is one of the few things keeping me sane! "Waitlisting is NOT the end" is becoming a mantra of mine.

Aeplo--thanks for the information! I can't really blame Dr. Lesser I suppose. There's probably thirty people asking him the same stuff. If he's still MIA for us waitlisters by recruitment weekend, maybe you could share some of your impressions of the school and cohort with us? GauteAmFeminist and I are ravenous for knowledge!

[anxious_aspirant]

Weird question, but wondering what you guys think:

I was offered admittance to an MA program at my undergrad/grad institution (you'd think these folks would be sick of me by now!), and their official letter only says that I should let them know as soon as possible if I will be attending. No April 15 deadline noted.

But I'm a waitlisted applicant elsewhere - and let's face it, who wouldn't choose the security of an MA/PhD over an MA, even if I love my undergrad and it has a great department? They don't have a PhD option, and I'd be doing this all over again in a year or two. The MA offers tuition remission, but no additional funding to cover other expenses.

Point is, I feel awkward keeping these folks hanging (especially when my recommenders are profs in the department) because I'm waiting on a wait-list. News of which could come as late as April!

I might have to defer a year anyway, if that's what it takes to get a sabbatical approved at work. But still...shouldn't they have given me a deadline??

[transcendental]

Weird question, but wondering what you guys think:

I was offered admittance to an MA program at my undergrad/grad institution (you'd think these folks would be sick of me by now!), and their official letter only says that I should let them know as soon as possible if I will be attending. No April 15 deadline noted.

But I'm a waitlisted applicant elsewhere - and let's face it, who wouldn't choose the security of an MA/PhD over an MA, even if I love my undergrad and it has a great department? They don't have a PhD option, and I'd be doing this all over again in a year or two. The MA offers tuition remission, but no additional funding to cover other expenses.

Point is, I feel awkward keeping these folks hanging (especially when my recommenders are profs in the department) because I'm waiting on a wait-list. News of which could come as late as April!

I might have to defer a year anyway, if that's what it takes to get a sabbatical approved at work. But still...shouldn't they have given me a deadline??

I ended up doing my MA where I got my BA, too, and professors were pretty upfront about the fact that if I got a better offer that I should take it, and did not at all seem worried or offended that I was waiting on other schools. Your recommenders and professors are going to be rooting for you to get into the best position that you can. It is weird that they don't mention a date, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to ask if they have a deadline? Or just wait until they start pressuring you to make a decision-- that would indicate that they really need to know ASAP, or if ASAP just means to take your time. Good luck!

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Weird question, but wondering what you guys think:

I was offered admittance to an MA program at my undergrad/grad institution (you'd think these folks would be sick of me by now!), and their official letter only says that I should let them know as soon as possible if I will be attending. No April 15 deadline noted.

But I'm a waitlisted applicant elsewhere - and let's face it, who wouldn't choose the security of an MA/PhD over an MA, even if I love my undergrad and it has a great department? They don't have a PhD option, and I'd be doing this all over again in a year or two. The MA offers tuition remission, but no additional funding to cover other expenses.

Point is, I feel awkward keeping these folks hanging (especially when my recommenders are profs in the department) because I'm waiting on a wait-list. News of which could come as late as April!

I might have to defer a year anyway, if that's what it takes to get a sabbatical approved at work. But still...shouldn't they have given me a deadline??

I'm with Transcendental on this on. You'll know about your waitlist in a little over a month, and I wouldn't think they'd expect you to let them know before the 15th since they know that's the big decision deadline for everyone. Maybe explain your situation to them, just to clarify/ease your mind, but I'm sure they realize your MA/PhD offer is the one to take!

If you're worried about repeating the coursework over again, maybe make a list of pros and cons for doing the program and how it would help your future applications. If the pros seem to outnumber the cons, and you feel good about doing an MA even knowing you might have to repeat some of the classes and work later on, I think you should go for it! If not, maybe do some more brainstorming and see what else you could do during the time to help your applications.

I hope this helps you a little! Seems like a difficult place to be on.

[flower303]

I have this (perhaps irrational) fear that I will annoy the hell out of these people to the point where they'll say to themselves, "Do we want to deal with this insane individual for 5+ more years? Send on that rejection!" The other (cue: irrational) hope is that I'll annoy them so much that they'll just let me in to get me off their backs.

I've been struggling with this same thing. I'm waitlisted at my top choice school, and it has been a few weeks since my only post-interview communication, which was my response to the offer of a place on the waitlist. I've been debating whether to email "just to check in" and/or "reiterate my interest," but I know, and they probably would too, that I'd really just be fishing for info. I got the impression that if they have any news to share, they'll get in touch.

But then those neurotic little fears start creeping into my mind...are they expecting me to keep in touch as a show of interest? Are other waitlisters keeping in touch? Could anything I say or do at this point make any positive difference? I'm pretty sure the answers are no, probably not unless they have pressing questions, and no. I think the waiting game is just starting to get to me... :\

[rainy_day]

but I know, and they probably would too, that I'd really just be fishing for info

But even "fishing for info" is perfectly acceptable! My mentor encouraged me to check in after a few weeks about my status on the waitlist and to inquire how quickly things are moving. It is beneficial to reiterate intersets, and you have every reason to ask about your status; that's not being presumptuous.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I've been struggling with this same thing. I'm waitlisted at my top choice school, and it has been a few weeks since my only post-interview communication, which was my response to the offer of a place on the waitlist. I've been debating whether to email "just to check in" and/or "reiterate my interest," but I know, and they probably would too, that I'd really just be fishing for info. I got the impression that if they have any news to share, they'll get in touch.

But then those neurotic little fears start creeping into my mind...are they expecting me to keep in touch as a show of interest? Are other waitlisters keeping in touch? Could anything I say or do at this point make any positive difference? I'm pretty sure the answers are no, probably not unless they have pressing questions, and no. I think the waiting game is just starting to get to me... :\

Don't worry Flower, the waiting games are getting to me too, and I've only been wailisted for about ten days! It already feels like forever, and I know I won't know anything one way or the other until April. This waitlist is my only chance of getting in anywhere this round too. The suspense is terrible.

I do think keeping in contact with the DGS is good though. I feel like waitlisters have as much a right to asking questions about the program as the accepted people do. Maybe even more, since they're usually not invited to recruitment weekend where most of the acceptees can get their answers. I feel like it's also good to mention your waitlist school is your top choice if you haven't already. Schools look to the waitlist to fill positions, and making an offer to someone who will probably accept is better for them.

Best of luck! Where are you waitlisted, if you don't mind me asking?

[anxious_aspirant]

I've been struggling with this same thing. I'm waitlisted at my top choice school, and it has been a few weeks since my only post-interview communication, which was my response to the offer of a place on the waitlist. I've been debating whether to email "just to check in" and/or "reiterate my interest," but I know, and they probably would too, that I'd really just be fishing for info. I got the impression that if they have any news to share, they'll get in touch.

But then those neurotic little fears start creeping into my mind...are they expecting me to keep in touch as a show of interest? Are other waitlisters keeping in touch? Could anything I say or do at this point make any positive difference? I'm pretty sure the answers are no, probably not unless they have pressing questions, and no. I think the waiting game is just starting to get to me... :\

All of this. I wish such emails/communications were more readily taken at face value - I do really just want to keep in touch, let them know they're still my top choice (implicitly, in some way, that I still love them...). Especially because I have to make decisions about my MA acceptance, applying for leave from my job...and...I still love them...

*ahem* Not as creepy as I sound, I swear.

I like your attitude, rainy. I might use it as an excuse to break down and send that email...I know, as an educator, I love seeing people show interest. There's not much of a downside unless I unnecessarily take up tons of their time, and I haven't contacted them in about three weeks now.

[user_name]

I just got waitlisted for a funded MA and a Chancelor's award from another school on the same day. Problem is, the school that accepted me can't guarantee a TA-ship and wants to know whether I accept the award within a few weeks.

How long waiting it out is too long?

How kosher would it be to contact the school I got into and say I'll take it, depending on what they can offer and/or if other ones fall through?

[rainy_day]

I just got waitlisted for a funded MA and a Chancelor's award from another school on the same day. Problem is, the school that accepted me can't guarantee a TA-ship and wants to know whether I accept the award within a few weeks.

How long waiting it out is too long?

How kosher would it be to contact the school I got into and say I'll take it, depending on what they can offer and/or if other ones fall through?

Definitely tell the wailist school about the acceptance offer, and tell them about the pressure you are recieving from them to make a decision. When they know about pressure/are worried they will lose you, sometimes a school can move things along much faster. Good luck.

[anxious_aspirant]

How kosher would it be to contact the school I got into and say I'll take it, depending on what they can offer and/or if other ones fall through?

Ditto...I don't know which is better form - to be totally up front with my MA acceptance and say I'm holding out for a waitlisted PhD position, or to just keep stalling as vaguely as I have been...

Also super awkward if I put the administration at my school through the heaps of paperwork to approve a one year leave, then get into the PhD, and say, "See ya, folks. I'm outta here." Though I wouldn't cry about that one for very long.

[anxious_aspirant]

I think I watched too much X-Files as a child, so consider the conspiracy theorist gene activated as you peruse this post.

But do you think our adcomms read TGC and easily identify us as we discuss all our details? Logically, I'd think that's way too much effort to go through for all of your hundreds of applicants. But I was getting a tad paranoid about us waitlisters, who are much fewer in number. Isn't it kind of...a terrifying thought...?

I don't see any of us posting much that's suspect, except for major love of our potential schools, but I suppose the words "too" and "eager" are paired up every once in a while.

[TripWillis]

I just saw that someone got into Berkeley super early off of the waitlist. Congrats to you! I take this as an early sign that we will all get in off waitlists to wherever we want to go ever.

[jywayne]

Unfortunately, I think it's the end of me at the Univ. of Tennessee. They have a wait list of 55 people, and I'm 17. No amount of kissing up or political prodding can get me bumped up from that.

[TripWillis]

Unfortunately, I think it's the end of me at the Univ. of Tennessee. They have a wait list of 55 people, and I'm 17. No amount of kissing up or political prodding can get me bumped up from that.

55?? Why on Earth is their waitlist that big in the first place? So weird...

[jywayne]

55?? Why on Earth is their waitlist that big in the first place? So weird...

That's exactly what I was thinking. It's bad enough being 17th on the list; I couldn't imagine having a WL notification and having hope and being down in the 40s somewhere. Why not just send out rejections when it's that obvious that they won't go down that far?

[wikichic]

TripWillis- if there's someone being pulled off the wait list at a place like Berkeley this early in March it should give us all hope, right? Right.

jywayne- Wow, a 55 person wait list?! Goodness. But at least you're in top 20. How big is the class that they normal take? Must be huge for a wait list that size!

Generally speaking, I feel that most programs should know that the deadline is April 15, and they should respect that timeline. I've been "strongly encouraged" to give a decision my acceptance before April 15, but ultimately I will be waiting until I hear back from my wait list program before I respond. I know it sucks to leave a program hanging like that, but it is kind of what we're stuck doing, unfortunately.

Edited March 6, 2012 by wikichic

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I just saw that someone got into Berkeley super early off of the waitlist. Congrats to you! I take this as an early sign that we will all get in off waitlists to wherever we want to go ever.

TripWillis! Please tell me the secret to your crazy amazing confidence.

EDIT: Trip, did I see you mention in another thread that you're a reluctant server currently as well? Do you have nightmares about waiting tables until you did? Are we secretly the same person?!

Also... wow, someone can turn down Berkeley this early? Kudos to whomever has all the awesome offers!

Anxious--I just assume the DGSs are too busy to read this here

Edited March 6, 2012 by Fiona Thunderpaws

[bigrelief]

Hi guys! I'm the person who reported getting accepted off the wait list at Berkeley. Of course the DGS was a bit vague about what happened, but from what she said it may have been a case of their budget being larger than expected rather than an already-admitted student turning them down. But who knows.

Regardless, I'm pretty excited! I was already planning on going to visit weekend--now I feel a bit better going as someone who's actually in. And it does appear that the wait list can be a place of hope rather than sorrow!

Edited March 6, 2012 by bigrelief

[anxious_aspirant]

Congrats, bigrelief! The rest of us will consider your story inspirational, and use it to bolster the hope. Thanks for sharing.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Bogrelief, congrats! Seeing other people get in off the waitlist does give me hope. I am pulling so hard for everyone waitlisted here.

[TripWillis]

EDIT: Trip, did I see you mention in another thread that you're a reluctant server currently as well? Do you have nightmares about waiting tables until you did? Are we secretly the same person?!

I was. I quit when I started my M.A. almost two years ago. I'm never goin back, y'hear? Never goin' back, see? I did used to have server nightmares. Still do every now and then. They are so freaky. Someone should do a study on them.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I was. I quit when I started my M.A. almost two years ago. I'm never goin back, y'hear? Never goin' back, see? I did used to have server nightmares. Still do every now and then. They are so freaky. Someone should do a study on them.

I think the happiest day of my life, aside from the day UTA realizes that they can't live without me, will be the day I quit my server job. I don't even know why it's so terrible, it just IS.

[lyonessrampant]

I haven't been a server since 2006, and I STILL get nightmares sometimes. Just awful. Shudder. . .