Unofficial offer??

[LabRat2012]

"We are unable to make an official offer of admission at this time, but we are interested in your application and it is a great possibility we will invite you to visit soon. Please be thinking about our school and ask any questions about our lab/program."

This is good....right? Good-ish?

[Eigen]

It's good. Probably means either trying to round up the funding, or problems awaiting on adminstration to approve your admission so they can make it official.

Definitely means they want you, if they can make it work, it sounds like.

[TropicalCharlie]

Sounds like good news to me. I hope it's one of your top choices

[okayandgo]

Weird, weird way to word it. I agree it's positive though. You should show that you're interested in the program. Follow up with questions/ask for a phone conversation/ask when you might visit/tell them what you'd be really interested in seeing.

I had a preliminary response too but was more directly told that I was on the shortlist of candidates and that the department was trying to gauge my interest in the program.

[LabRat2012]

You should show that you're interested in the program. Follow up with questions/ask for a phone conversation/ask when you might visit/tell them what you'd be really interested in seeing.

I wrote back with "I am so excited you are interested; [university] is my top choice school because ...[mentioned some reasons]. I would love to come visit, and I hope to hear from you soon!" He wrote back and is going to set up a day for me to come and meet him, the faculty, and grad students (and even pay for a hotel/gas! That's more than other schools have done for me!)

I'm afraid to get my hopes up too much, though. What do you think my chances are??

[abc123xtc]

Can't say. I think it's something that you just have to wait and see.

[LabRat2012]

Just as an update: I had an interview and was accepted

The wait on this was painful, but I guess I did just need to "wait and see". Thanks!