The wait list game

[wrappedupinbooks]

Here's another question from one who is on multiple waitlist (always a brides maid never a bride, I guess?). I'm on two lists: one school that I am more likely to get the nod from and one that I'd love to be at. What if I get into one school and then have to wait until the crazy April 15th day to hear about the second offer? How is that time line handled?

Yes. What do you guys know about this? Say one school offers you something before April 15 and then on or after April 15, some people drop out and you get into your star school. How is that timeline handled?

[teaganc]

Yes. What do you guys know about this? Say one school offers you something before April 15 and then on or after April 15, some people drop out and you get into your star school. How is that timeline handled?

What do you mean, how is that "timeline handled"? If a school lets you in off of the waitlist before April 15, you still have until April 15th to say yes if you are unsure. And if you've already said yes to someone and then after April 15th a school you would like better accepts you off of the waitlist... well, it is frowned upon to withdraw an acceptance, but people do it. I mean, this is the next 5 or so years of your life (for PhD students), and the repercussions (debt, prestige, whatever) reach a lot further than that, so do what you need to do. If you pull out of an accepted offer after April 15th, I'm sure they will still have a waitlist of people to fill your spot who will be thrilled that you did so. Obviously it's better for waitlisted students and the school to give them an answer ASAP, though.

[booksareneat]

That second part was more of what I was wondering. I hope it doesn't come to withdrawing an acceptance, because that would be lame for all. I think if I run into that problem I'll have a good talk with the school who's waitlist I am on.

[teaganc]

That second part was more of what I was wondering. I hope it doesn't come to withdrawing an acceptance, because that would be lame for all. I think if I run into that problem I'll have a good talk with the school who's waitlist I am on.

I would be really hesitant to accept an offer if I thought there was ANY chance I would have to withdraw, but... if I was offered admission at one school, and then accepted off of the waitlist at my top choice after April 15th (this is a possible scenario for me... or at least, I hope it's possible that I'll be accepted off the waitlist), then would I keep the first offer out of a sense of obligation or not wanting to mess with people on the waitlist there? Probably not; I would overcome the guilt I would feel after withdrawing an acceptance for the chance to go to my top choice.

Basically, the entire wait list process is terrible; in some ways, it's worse than a rejection. I know that if I end up eventually rejected from my waitlist school, it will feel 1000x worse to have had hope for a month that just maybe I could go there, looking at all of their programs that I love and professors I want to work with and whatnot, only to have that taken away? It would be better to be able to give up earlier, without the cruel period of deluding myself that I could actually go there and be so happy.

[catherinian2]

It depends on the school, but if you're given a late offer (after April 2nd, presumably from a waitlist), you should be given 14 days from when you're notified of your acceptance to make a decision...which means that the April 15th deadline does not apply for you, for that particular school. Of course, if you're in at other schools, you still have to abide by the April 15th deadline for those.

[nicholysseus]

So, I'm on three wait lists, and it seems as though at least one of them currently is under an acceptance freeze because of the budget crisis--they can't proceed with their second-round acceptances (i.e. we wait-listers) until April, and they have to get each one approved individually by the graduate office. Awesome.

[unspeakable]

I really hope this was, indeed, a Scooby-Doo reference.

It was, it was! I love Scooby.