Waitlisted - waiting for your school AND everyone else's

[RubyBright]

So, you've been waitlisted. Not accepted, not denied... you may be granted an acceptance or a rejection in a couple of weeks... or a couple of months... or maybe longer? It occurred to me that being waitlisted is the ULTIMATE admissions waiting game. Now you're not just waiting for your schools to get back to you, you're also waiting for the other applicants' schools to get back to them. Because they won't decide if they want the spot (that coveted spot that could be yours if they go elsewhere) until after they hear back from their schools. 

This thread is for the special frustration of waiting^2.

[amlobo]

I am seriously thinking about where the accepted students at one school might have applied so I can figure out when those visit days are, so I know when they could possibly decline at the school where I'm waitlisted.  Lol.  And I love that the school says "You will most certainly hear from us before (or maybe even on) April 15th."  >_<

[RubyBright]

I can't even begin to guess where the other students would have applied to... though now I want to.

[CP3]

At this point, I would be jumping up and down for joy for a waitlist, but yeah, I would eventually begin to pull my hair out waiting on another applicant to make a decision

[RubyBright]

Oh, I agree that a waitlist is better than being totally shut out, but now the decision is in the hands of someone else... and it no longer has anything to do with you or whether or not you're qualified. And it can go on indefinitely.

[CP3]

Oh, I agree that a waitlist is better than being totally shut out, but now the decision is in the hands of someone else... and it no longer has anything to do with you or whether or not you're qualified. And it can go on indefinitely.

Yeah, can't that process go on well-through April? Who knows, I may end up in the same boat as you! 

 

Good Luck to you!!

[VBD]

Oh, I agree that a waitlist is better than being totally shut out, but now the decision is in the hands of someone else... and it no longer has anything to do with you or whether or not you're qualified. And it can go on indefinitely.

I respectfully disagree. 

 

I was waitlisted last year, and it almost physically HURT. I got on the waitlist of my (at the time, #1 program) on April 4th. Yes. I remember the day, and the sour weekend following that. I was happy thinking "Hey, they kind of liked me. Almost there!" Then by that Saturday, April 7th, my thought turned dark "Why?" "How long will I have to wait?" etc. I finally decided to email them on Monday April 9th. They (secretary/coordinator) CALLED me back saying that they definitely wanted me -- funding issues -- my POI was running a crowded lab but may try to take me on etc. Now starts the most painful rollercoaster ride of my life. April 10th, this time the department chair emails me a super sympathetic email. "I know how hard it it to wait, but good news is there is a high possibility that someone will come off the waitlist, and it has happened in recent years.." and a similar vein. It was also obviously not a form email (in different font/style from previous form emails he had sent before). April 11th. The secretary confirms with me that I am on the waitlist through email. I shoot back an email replying Yes, and asking "why" she lets slip that one/two of their accepted students show hesitancy, and that again this is a good sign for me. April 12th. Radio silence. I'm letting myself feel happy around this point. "Maybe.. there's a chance!" April 13th. The Department chair and secretary sent me emails saying that one spot was vacated and the waiting list's first person got accepted. At this point they inferred that I was the second position on the list -- well now the first. Then April 14th. Keep in mind, this was a SATURDAY. I received a call saying that "I regret to inform you.." My heart dropped, and I really couldn't hear what he had said and had to ask for him to repeat. He said that "We will be unable to offer you admission to our PhD program this year. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this year had an extremely competitive applicant pool." I thanked him and sort of phoned it in that day. I was planning to set up lesson plans for my TAing gig, and run some analyses for my thesis project. I did not have the functioning capabilities to do that. Instead, I indulged in comfort foods. I recall calling my mother and sister crying, but I can't remember what I said. I was devastated. I had been rejected everywhere else, except for one school that was way down the list, and I was considering saying No to regardless of the results. 

 

This school had raised my hopes and then brought it crashing back down on reality. I would have been happier not being in almost daily communication with them (though granted, they initiated it on some days. But I got the ball rolling). I really am not the sort of person to just fall apart like that, but the emotional rollercoaster just made it happen. I really think now I would have been happier if I had been flat-out rejected. I WISH I had been rejected. 

 

Sorry for the long story. Just ignore it. This was a bit cathartic for me (it still kind of hurts). I just wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, let alone you congenial people of TGC. Good luck to anyone waitlisted out there, and I hope you don't go through the mental hell I went through in just a little over a week's time last year.

[narcisso]

VBD I am very sorry for what you had to go through. The lesson I get from it is that offer holders should answer as soon as they can in order for the spots to be freed for others.

[agoulden27]

I just got my waitlisted letter yesterday and I feel devastated. I was pretty confident about getting in because I was overqualified in terms of the admissions last year. 30 ppl get into program and 30 ppl get on the wait list. I'm trying to be optimistic but it's been a huge blow... They don't shut the wait list down until July 30 so I could potentially have A LOT of waiting time ahead of me.. It all depends on now how many students accepted choose not to go anymore....

[RubyBright]

Yeah, just found out that there will likely be no funding from the school that did accept me, so it looks like I'm in for a long wait...

 

And VBD, I'm really sorry that happened to you. At least in my case, where I don't really have another option, I'm glad to have been waitlisted instead of outright rejected, but I definitely see where you're coming from.

[DarwinsBones]

I have this strange feeling I'm going to get all my answers in a matter of a period of a few days. I almost positive I'll have to play the wait list game with 1 or 2 of them.

[AnonymousAcademic]

I'm wait-listed for a PhD in Education. Was told in the letter that they would contact me January 31.... it is now February 13 and I am still waiting...

 

This isn't first choice though - first choice I am "recommended for assessment" - a glimpse of hope!

[RubyBright]

I'm wait-listed for a PhD in Education. Was told in the letter that they would contact me January 31.... it is now February 13 and I am still waiting...

 

This isn't first choice though - first choice I am "recommended for assessment" - a glimpse of hope!

 

Recommended for assessment sounds like a good sign to me! As for the waitlist, have you contacted them yet since the deadline they gave you has passed?

[SLPjmar]

Being waitlisted sounds physically painful to me. I struggle with anxiety, so I can't imagine holding on for that long...

[AnonymousAcademic]

Recommended for assessment sounds like a good sign to me! As for the waitlist, have you contacted them yet since the deadline they gave you has passed?

 

I sure hope the recommended for assessment is a good sign. I will be devastated if it turns out I am rejected. The deadline for CarletonU was Feb.1... I'm guessing I won't hear anything until March/April - it is agonizing! I still check the website about 5x a day hoping it'll change to Accepted or something positive. I'm not sure how many people they accept and I think my credentials are good for admission! I don't even know what type of competition I'm looking at...there aren't any stats to compare online. As an added bonus, I am soooo glad that my Masters thesis supervisor is well-known at Carleton - maybe that'll help me!

 

No, I haven't contacted the university to inquire about the wait-list. What I can do is ask my committee member - she is on the admissions committee. I'll wait until after she is done examining my Masters thesis though (woohoo - examination #2 of 4!). 

[karent]

My only response so far is an Illinois waitlist.  What if that's the best I can do?  Without any other news, I'm more sad than anxious.

 

K

[sweetpearl16]

I am currently waitlisted at one of my top choice schools. They let in five people, and I am third on the waitlist, so I have no idea what that means in terms of my chances of getting in. I've gotten in one place already, although it was an unofficial acceptance and have no idea what the funding situation will be. I still waiting to hear back from another school. My adviser has told me wait until April 15 to make my choice in order to weigh all of my options. 

[RubyBright]

SweetPearl, that is almost my exact situation, though I'm a little higher on my waitlist. I'm right there with you!

[sweetpearl16]

Thanks RubyBright. It's rough because I want to be happy for the acceptance I have. It is a wonderful school. However until I know the funding situation, I can't really celebrate. I will say one thing I've learned through all of this, is that in the social sciences being waitlisted does not always mean you weren't a wonderful applicant. It can just mean that the person you want to work with already has many advisees and that they want to let others accept students first. That's the frustrating thing. Sometimes whether you get in vs. whether you get get waitlisted has more to do with internal departmental politics.

Edited February 17, 2013 by sweetpearl16

[RubyBright]

Anyone off their waitlist yet? 

[tiarabun]

I respectfully disagree.

I was waitlisted last year, and it almost physically HURT. I got on the waitlist of my (at the time, #1 program) on April 4th. Yes. I remember the day, and the sour weekend following that. I was happy thinking "Hey, they kind of liked me. Almost there!" Then by that Saturday, April 7th, my thought turned dark "Why?" "How long will I have to wait?" etc. I finally decided to email them on Monday April 9th. They (secretary/coordinator) CALLED me back saying that they definitely wanted me -- funding issues -- my POI was running a crowded lab but may try to take me on etc. Now starts the most painful rollercoaster ride of my life. April 10th, this time the department chair emails me a super sympathetic email. "I know how hard it it to wait, but good news is there is a high possibility that someone will come off the waitlist, and it has happened in recent years.." and a similar vein. It was also obviously not a form email (in different font/style from previous form emails he had sent before). April 11th. The secretary confirms with me that I am on the waitlist through email. I shoot back an email replying Yes, and asking "why" she lets slip that one/two of their accepted students show hesitancy, and that again this is a good sign for me. April 12th. Radio silence. I'm letting myself feel happy around this point. "Maybe.. there's a chance!" April 13th. The Department chair and secretary sent me emails saying that one spot was vacated and the waiting list's first person got accepted. At this point they inferred that I was the second position on the list -- well now the first. Then April 14th. Keep in mind, this was a SATURDAY. I received a call saying that "I regret to inform you.." My heart dropped, and I really couldn't hear what he had said and had to ask for him to repeat. He said that "We will be unable to offer you admission to our PhD program this year. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this year had an extremely competitive applicant pool." I thanked him and sort of phoned it in that day. I was planning to set up lesson plans for my TAing gig, and run some analyses for my thesis project. I did not have the functioning capabilities to do that. Instead, I indulged in comfort foods. I recall calling my mother and sister crying, but I can't remember what I said. I was devastated. I had been rejected everywhere else, except for one school that was way down the list, and I was considering saying No to regardless of the results.

This school had raised my hopes and then brought it crashing back down on reality. I would have been happier not being in almost daily communication with them (though granted, they initiated it on some days. But I got the ball rolling). I really am not the sort of person to just fall apart like that, but the emotional rollercoaster just made it happen. I really think now I would have been happier if I had been flat-out rejected. I WISH I had been rejected.

Sorry for the long story. Just ignore it. This was a bit cathartic for me (it still kind of hurts). I just wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, let alone you congenial people of TGC. Good luck to anyone waitlisted out there, and I hope you don't go through the mental hell I went through in just a little over a week's time last year.

That sucks! Did you apply to the same school again?

[sandymad]

I respectfully disagree. 

 

I was waitlisted last year, and it almost physically HURT. I got on the waitlist of my (at the time, #1 program) on April 4th. Yes. I remember the day, and the sour weekend following that. I was happy thinking "Hey, they kind of liked me. Almost there!" Then by that Saturday, April 7th, my thought turned dark "Why?" "How long will I have to wait?" etc. I finally decided to email them on Monday April 9th. They (secretary/coordinator) CALLED me back saying that they definitely wanted me -- funding issues -- my POI was running a crowded lab but may try to take me on etc. Now starts the most painful rollercoaster ride of my life. April 10th, this time the department chair emails me a super sympathetic email. "I know how hard it it to wait, but good news is there is a high possibility that someone will come off the waitlist, and it has happened in recent years.." and a similar vein. It was also obviously not a form email (in different font/style from previous form emails he had sent before). April 11th. The secretary confirms with me that I am on the waitlist through email. I shoot back an email replying Yes, and asking "why" she lets slip that one/two of their accepted students show hesitancy, and that again this is a good sign for me. April 12th. Radio silence. I'm letting myself feel happy around this point. "Maybe.. there's a chance!" April 13th. The Department chair and secretary sent me emails saying that one spot was vacated and the waiting list's first person got accepted. At this point they inferred that I was the second position on the list -- well now the first. Then April 14th. Keep in mind, this was a SATURDAY. I received a call saying that "I regret to inform you.." My heart dropped, and I really couldn't hear what he had said and had to ask for him to repeat. He said that "We will be unable to offer you admission to our PhD program this year. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this year had an extremely competitive applicant pool." I thanked him and sort of phoned it in that day. I was planning to set up lesson plans for my TAing gig, and run some analyses for my thesis project. I did not have the functioning capabilities to do that. Instead, I indulged in comfort foods. I recall calling my mother and sister crying, but I can't remember what I said. I was devastated. I had been rejected everywhere else, except for one school that was way down the list, and I was considering saying No to regardless of the results. 

 

This school had raised my hopes and then brought it crashing back down on reality. I would have been happier not being in almost daily communication with them (though granted, they initiated it on some days. But I got the ball rolling). I really am not the sort of person to just fall apart like that, but the emotional rollercoaster just made it happen. I really think now I would have been happier if I had been flat-out rejected. I WISH I had been rejected. 

 

Sorry for the long story. Just ignore it. This was a bit cathartic for me (it still kind of hurts). I just wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, let alone you congenial people of TGC. Good luck to anyone waitlisted out there, and I hope you don't go through the mental hell I went through in just a little over a week's time last year.

Heart goes out to you. I know how this is like. I completely agree about getting consistent updates. Now I am so used to getting updates that when I am not getting anything, I go into a serious depression. I hate it when everyone tells me "you were almost there". Almost there does not justify all the hardwork in putting together the application, getting the logistics done and wait for days and months. This comes from a person who frets about waiting in queue for coffee. Somehow I feel there is some kind of cosmic conspiracy that is trying to teach me lessons about waiting. I so don't want to go through it one more time, but looks like I don't have a choice.

Edited February 24, 2013 by uttara

[echlori]

I respectfully disagree. 

 

I was waitlisted last year, and it almost physically HURT. I got on the waitlist of my (at the time, #1 program) on April 4th. Yes. I remember the day, and the sour weekend following that. I was happy thinking "Hey, they kind of liked me. Almost there!" Then by that Saturday, April 7th, my thought turned dark "Why?" "How long will I have to wait?" etc. I finally decided to email them on Monday April 9th. They (secretary/coordinator) CALLED me back saying that they definitely wanted me -- funding issues -- my POI was running a crowded lab but may try to take me on etc. Now starts the most painful rollercoaster ride of my life. April 10th, this time the department chair emails me a super sympathetic email. "I know how hard it it to wait, but good news is there is a high possibility that someone will come off the waitlist, and it has happened in recent years.." and a similar vein. It was also obviously not a form email (in different font/style from previous form emails he had sent before). April 11th. The secretary confirms with me that I am on the waitlist through email. I shoot back an email replying Yes, and asking "why" she lets slip that one/two of their accepted students show hesitancy, and that again this is a good sign for me. April 12th. Radio silence. I'm letting myself feel happy around this point. "Maybe.. there's a chance!" April 13th. The Department chair and secretary sent me emails saying that one spot was vacated and the waiting list's first person got accepted. At this point they inferred that I was the second position on the list -- well now the first. Then April 14th. Keep in mind, this was a SATURDAY. I received a call saying that "I regret to inform you.." My heart dropped, and I really couldn't hear what he had said and had to ask for him to repeat. He said that "We will be unable to offer you admission to our PhD program this year. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this year had an extremely competitive applicant pool." I thanked him and sort of phoned it in that day. I was planning to set up lesson plans for my TAing gig, and run some analyses for my thesis project. I did not have the functioning capabilities to do that. Instead, I indulged in comfort foods. I recall calling my mother and sister crying, but I can't remember what I said. I was devastated. I had been rejected everywhere else, except for one school that was way down the list, and I was considering saying No to regardless of the results. 

 

This school had raised my hopes and then brought it crashing back down on reality. I would have been happier not being in almost daily communication with them (though granted, they initiated it on some days. But I got the ball rolling). I really am not the sort of person to just fall apart like that, but the emotional rollercoaster just made it happen. I really think now I would have been happier if I had been flat-out rejected. I WISH I had been rejected. 

 

Sorry for the long story. Just ignore it. This was a bit cathartic for me (it still kind of hurts). I just wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, let alone you congenial people of TGC. Good luck to anyone waitlisted out there, and I hope you don't go through the mental hell I went through in just a little over a week's time last year.

This was painful to read, as in my mind I could well imagine this happening to me.

Better luck this year!

[feministanth]

Can definitely relate! Was waitlisted in a top program last year. They continued to tell me likelihood was high; gave me so much confidence that I rejected a lower school in hoes that would get in. Constant communications with the program went on through late MAY until they finally told me: We regret to inform you, we were unable to procure enough funding to accept anyone off the waitlist.  Heartbreaking. This year, applying again, just got waitlist notice yesterday. Not sure how to deal with the emotional stress of waiting again! Good luck to everyone else though. I have to think some times waitlisting turns out well!

[RubyBright]

Waitlist School, O Waistlist School, where art my decision??