Waitlisted - waiting for your school AND everyone else's

[Emdave]

Do you have like an abstract or something that you feel good about? If so send that, if you don't have a piece of writing that you feel good about then don't send anything--since he said it was optional it would be worse to send shoddy writing or writing you aren't confident in then to not send anything at all. 

 

This is what I'm worried about. I have a prospectus (pretty much an abstract), but it doesn't have my sources/footnotes/quotes. It's more like: "I will be doing X because Y and also Z means...."

 

My adviser has been really bad about getting back to me, and I'm currently struggling with writer's block. So, I'm really uncertain about what to do. I'm hesitant about sending anything at all at this point because I'm afraid he'll either think it irrelevant or too rough.

 

BAH

[jhslp13]

I emailed the graduate admissions director to find out if there was any way to find out where I stood on the wait list. I received an immediate response back (this morning, after I sent the email last night) and the director told me that "We will notify you with your specific status as soon as we hear from other students by April 15th. You will hear from us very soon." Is it promising that I was told I would hear from them very soon? I am just trying to patiently wait for April 15, but that is not happening very well! April 15 needs to get here quick and with some good news  

[Phoenix!]

Someone posted in results search for UCI:

• Emailed POI; decisions for wait list won't be made until after April 15 deadline.

Are they crazy??? 

I am still waiting and I need to decide by April 15th!

[RubyBright]

I emailed the graduate admissions director to find out if there was any way to find out where I stood on the wait list. I received an immediate response back (this morning, after I sent the email last night) and the director told me that "We will notify you with your specific status as soon as we hear from other students by April 15th. You will hear from us very soon." Is it promising that I was told I would hear from them very soon? I am just trying to patiently wait for April 15, but that is not happening very well! April 15 needs to get here quick and with some good news

 

I think they were just referring to the fact that you will hear from them after April 15, which is soon. Sorry... but good luck!

[acdelco]

This is what I'm worried about. I have a prospectus (pretty much an abstract), but it doesn't have my sources/footnotes/quotes. It's more like: "I will be doing X because Y and also Z means...."

 

My adviser has been really bad about getting back to me, and I'm currently struggling with writer's block. So, I'm really uncertain about what to do. I'm hesitant about sending anything at all at this point because I'm afraid he'll either think it irrelevant or too rough.

 

BAH

You could either send the prospectus and put a cover letter on it saying its a draft but I think the better option would be to send nothing--if its optional I doubt it would make or break your application

 

I emailed the graduate admissions director to find out if there was any way to find out where I stood on the wait list. I received an immediate response back (this morning, after I sent the email last night) and the director told me that "We will notify you with your specific status as soon as we hear from other students by April 15th. You will hear from us very soon." Is it promising that I was told I would hear from them very soon? I am just trying to patiently wait for April 15, but that is not happening very well! April 15 needs to get here quick and with some good news

 

Admissions directors are always trying to be nice so I'm not sure you can take it as more than that unfortunately. A lot of schools don't even look at their wait list until after the 15th so I agree with RubyBright, they probably also say that to deter people from contacting them multiple times before the 15th...good luck!

 

Phoenix! you should contact the school and let them know you have a competing decision. They may be able to give you an update or at least let you know definitively that they will not give you an update until after the 15th so you can make a decision with the school you've been accepted to and not have to wait--or potential give up a spot to someone who is wait listed. 

 

I really wish that schools had a rolling process for wait listed applicants, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case... : (

Edited April 4, 2013 by acdelco

[jhslp13]

I think they were just referring to the fact that you will hear from them after April 15, which is soon. Sorry... but good luck!

 

I thought maybe that was the case that they were referring to April 15 being in 11 days! Thank you for the luck! Is there any way to know how statistics stand for past wait list decisions from the schools you are wait listed at, or would you think they can't keep accurate stats on that due to not being able to predict will will accept/decline each year?

 

What is so frustrating is that we could all wait well into the summer..... I am a planner, so this is making me go crazy! Good luck to everyone! 

[esotericorigin]

I emailed a professor that told me I was her alternate about a month ago just to see if she had any indication from the other applicant whether or not he would be accepting the offer... she told me she hadn't even heard from him (!!) and doesn't expect him to accept. I can't believe someone would actually not even respond to a personal acceptance email. What are the odds that this person actually accepts the offer by the 15th without a word to the professor who accepted him over a month ago? 

[acdelco]

 What are the odds that this person actually accepts the offer by the 15th without a word to the professor who accepted him over a month ago? 

 

There is no real way to know that. The person may  have responded to the academic coordinator of the department and not to the POI directly for some reason. I got into a program but wasn't actually told who my advisor was immediately, but I did get a nice personal acceptance letter from the AC and have mostly been in touch with her mainly because I've needed to get logistical things sorted out, something similar could be happening here. But it sounds like the person isn't super invested if they haven't taken the time to email back--fingers crossed it works out for you!

[esotericorigin]

thanks! i'm hoping this works out. i've only got two waitlists and no acceptances... my POI seemed to expect a response from the other student. this school didn't conduct interviews, so her email would have been an opportunity to ask some questions about the program. who knows though... 10 days til i can find anything out for sure! 

[Cesare]

I think the word "wait" needs to be deleted from the dictionary!

[kyjin]

Finally gave in and emailed the department for my waitlist school to see if there is any info.  At this point I just want a firm yes or no; I want to be done!

[friasc]

Hi, I'm new to this forum but I'm in the same boat as every else here--although I hope some of you aren't any more!

 

At this point, I think we've all experienced the anxiety of receiving an email from the director of graduate studies, politely letting you know that you haven't been given an acceptance yet and asking if you've made a decision. The tone of these emails is usually neutral (neither encouraging or discouraging), but I tend to reader into them trying to find a glimmer of hope! I recently received one with a very cryptic sentence:

 

We would be a very popular choice if you were eventually to come here.

 

I believe this is a typo, but I'm not sure what it could mean! I know that these emails are usually carefully worded to avoid giving false encouragement or discouragement, and the "true meaning" of this email is probably irrelevant to my chances of admission. However, I just wanted to ask you guys your decoding of this cryptic sentence... maybe a test of my "close reading" skills?

[RubyBright]

Welcome to our humble, crazy corner of the internet, friasc!

Personally, I think it sounds like a typo - like the writer had two sentences that they decided to combine, but became distracted while doing so.

[tie]

I got off the waitlist and am in. I am in shock. I actually took a picture of the email and asked someone to read it and verify that I read it correctly. Now I am afraid to check my email now in case they change their minds.

All that worrying and now a weird feeling of shock and a different type of fear. This process is nuts. To think of the emotions I have gone through and I still haven't gotten excited. Maybe tomorrow...

[Cesare]

I got off the waitlist and am in. I am in shock. I actually took a picture of the email and asked someone to read it and verify that I read it correctly. Now I am afraid to check my email now in case they change their minds.

All that worrying and now a weird feeling of shock and a different type of fear. This process is nuts. To think of the emotions I have gone through and I still haven't gotten excited. Maybe tomorrow...

Congrats!! 

[sweetpearl16]

I am at peace with the idea of taking a year off. I am all prepared to go through this again and do it smarter next time. I also know that a year off after 18 straight years of school would be very beneficial to me. However I am still dreading the day that I finally get rejected off the waitlist. I just hope I don't get rejected tomorrow, which is my birthday. 

[dazedandbemused]

I got off the waitlist and am in. I am in shock. I actually took a picture of the email and asked someone to read it and verify that I read it correctly. Now I am afraid to check my email now in case they change their minds.

All that worrying and now a weird feeling of shock and a different type of fear. This process is nuts. To think of the emotions I have gone through and I still haven't gotten excited. Maybe tomorrow...

Congrats, tie! It seems to have been a great year for English folk around here. Was it your first acceptance?

[somerset]

I am at peace with the idea of taking a year off. I am all prepared to go through this again and do it smarter next time. I also know that a year off after 18 straight years of school would be very beneficial to me. However I am still dreading the day that I finally get rejected off the waitlist. I just hope I don't get rejected tomorrow, which is my birthday. 

Fingers crossed that you have a non rejection email birthday (maybe an acceptance email )

[somerset]

I have some news-still wondering if its good or bad....since this application process has been an emotional roller coaster....the DGS at the school I am waitlisted at and my top choice wrote to me asking me to schedule a Skype conversation to know why I want to go to XX university and which faculty I want to work with.....is this a good sign or a bad sign....and please please do share any interview advice/suggestions...a lot is riding on this one interview...though I am quite puzzled that they are doing interviews for waitlisted positions...

[tie]

Congrats, tie! It seems to have been a great year for English folk around here. Was it your first acceptance?

Thanks. It was a good year for English folks. I had one other acceptance that I wasn't thrilled about. I didn't think the fit was as great and it wasn't fully funded. This is my first and only fully funded acceptance.

I am still a little nervous about telling people.

[MammaD]

I am at peace with the idea of taking a year off. I am all prepared to go through this again and do it smarter next time. I also know that a year off after 18 straight years of school would be very beneficial to me. However I am still dreading the day that I finally get rejected off the waitlist. I just hope I don't get rejected tomorrow, which is my birthday. 

I could have totally written exactly this! I hope you had a great birthday (that maybe included an acceptance). Mine is this weekend, too!

[scampb16]

Officially waitlisted at my first choice. Rejected at one, accepted to another (with no funding) which I have since declined. Hoping and praying I get in. Although like many of you, I am coming to peace with the possibility of taking a year off.  Maybe I'll travel a little, do some research, fine tune my applications, and take a few fun classes. Maybe that's what will set me apart next year when I reapply, I'll go from second choice to first choice

[echlori]

Still not out of the waitlist yet, guess I have to wait till next week...

[GodelEscher]

I got in! After all my complaining! I got in. I am going to Phd program in counseling. I am so excited

[sweetpearl16]

Congratulations GodelEscher! Also good luck to all of us who are still waiting. We are in the final stretch now. I hope the next week bring everyone good news.