Waiting for Guffman (the waitlist thread)

[jrockford27]

I also got the email from Pitt. asking if I still wanted to be on their waiting list.  I asked for some details, and it does sound like they are expecting to go to the waiting list for admissions.

[Datatape]

I'm declining my waitlist at Tennessee today.  Doubt it will help anyone, since I'm fairly far down, but there you go.

[socatoa]

Just declined UVA, Maryland, Wisconsin-Madison, and Penn State. Good luck!

[portraitofsarah]

Congrats on getting closer to a final decision, Socatoa! If I can ask, what's your specialty?

Edited April 1, 2013 by portraitofsarah

[smellybug]

Just declined Indiana. Also declined fully-funded offers from Santa Cruz, Buffalo, and UConn earlier this week. Hope this makes somebody happy...

[socatoa]

Congrats on getting closer to a final decision, Socatoa! If I can ask, what's your specialty?

 

Digital humanities.

[ghijklmn]

Declining UT Austin. I know someone on here's on the waitlist, so I hope you get in!

[lo.lee.ta]

I just noticed that someone was accepted off the waitlist for University of Minnesota(!) and am very curious who that was...? Anyone? Congrats whoever you are, that's awesome!

[gwarner13]

So, how's everyone holding up during the last few days of this waiting nightmare? Sending positive energy everyone's way!

[practical cat]

Just got rejected from the Wisconsin wait list. Hurts terribly. Trying to remain hopeful knowing that Brandeis was always my favorite of all the schools I applied to (and at least now I feel comfortable saying it without fear that I'm going to jinx myself at Wisconsin!) but it seems even less likely to convert now knowing the size of the program in comparison. Yikes.

[dazedandbemused]

Just got rejected from the Wisconsin wait list. Hurts terribly. Trying to remain hopeful knowing that Brandeis was always my favorite of all the schools I applied to (and at least now I feel comfortable saying it without fear that I'm going to jinx myself at Wisconsin!) but it seems even less likely to convert now knowing the size of the program in comparison. Yikes.

 

That sucks; I'm sorry. Have you gotten any info about your chances from Brandeis?

[gwarner13]

UGH. So, so, sorry to hear that. For some reason it hasn't even crossed my mind that I could get rejected from the list BEFORE the 15th (though, of course, that could totally happen).

 

Is Vanderbilt still in the picture?

 

FWIW, I'm sincerely pulling for Brandeis to convert for you, program size be damned!

Edited April 3, 2013 by gwarner13

[practical cat]

That sucks; I'm sorry. Have you gotten any info about your chances from Brandeis?

Thanks. No word recently -- and they didn't offer much earlier either -- and I'm pretty afraid to ask. Right now it feels like the cat could totally still be alive until I open up the box and find out it's been dead the whole time, you know?

ETA to gwarner13 I KNOW I was really hopeful when I opened the email but I guess they got things sorted early this year? Anyway, I'm on the wait list for the wait list at Vanderbilt so I'm not holding my breath (though that would be a marvelous surprise). Thank you! I want it to convert enough that if it could be done by sheer force of will, I think it would've by now. Fingers remain crossed.

Edited April 3, 2013 by girl who wears glasses

[ladyknight]

Anyone hear anything about movement on CUNY's waitlist...or just anything from them? The waiting is driving me up the wall.

[ErnestPWorrell]

Just got rejected from the Wisconsin wait list. Hurts terribly. Trying to remain hopeful knowing that Brandeis was always my favorite of all the schools I applied to (and at least now I feel comfortable saying it without fear that I'm going to jinx myself at Wisconsin!) but it seems even less likely to convert now knowing the size of the program in comparison. Yikes.

 dooood.... sorry. 

[dazedandbemused]

Is Vanderbilt still in the picture?

 

Lol, I don't know about girl who wears glasses, but I don't think Vanderbilt was ever actually in the picture. We both got that ridiculous "you're on the waitlist, but really it's just a consolation prize" nonsense.

[gwarner13]

Yikes. Must have missed that memo. Am I the only one who finds the prospect of a "waitlist for a waitlist" a tad insulting?

[asleepawake]

 

Yikes. Must have missed that memo. Am I the only one who finds the prospect of a "waitlist for a waitlist" a tad insulting?

 

To me, it sounds like Vanderbilt accepts exactly the number they can fund, then they have a small list of alternates, and then a traditional waitlist. It isn't that different from programs that accept 20 for 10 spots.

Edited April 3, 2013 by asleepawake

[practical cat]

Lol, I don't know about girl who wears glasses, but I don't think Vanderbilt was ever actually in the picture. We both got that ridiculous "you're on the waitlist, but really it's just a consolation prize" nonsense.

Yeah, I haven't even been factoring it into my hypotheticals. It's just been a month of agonizing over the hypothetical tough choice that Wisconsin v Brandeis would've been for me (SO HARD).

I don't know if the wait list wait list is insulting so much as, well, it's been nice to know that they think there's something kind of ok about me. I'm grateful to Vanderbilt for being the first notification I received because it wasn't a flat-out rejection.

[gwarner13]

 

 

To me, it sounds like Vanderbilt accepts exactly the number they can fund, then they have a small list of alternates, and then a traditional waitlist. It isn't that different from programs that accept 20 for 10 spots.

Okay, that makes much more sense to me-- especially if they don't over-admit. I guess I'm just still wondering why they make the differentiation between "alternates" and "waitlisters," as opposed to just having a longer, ranked waitlist. Seems unnecessary.

[gwarner13]

Yeah, I haven't even been factoring it into my hypotheticals. It's just been a month of agonizing over the hypothetical tough choice that Wisconsin v Brandeis would've been for me (SO HARD).

I don't know if the wait list wait list is insulting so much as, well, it's been nice to know that they think there's something kind of ok about me. I'm grateful to Vanderbilt for being the first notification I received because it wasn't a flat-out rejection.

Yeah, poor choice of word on my part. I apologize.

[dazedandbemused]

Yeah, I still think it's ridiculous. Especially since they make it clear that your chance of acceptance off of their waitlist is highly unlikely. I agree, though, that it was a nice response to have as your first feedback.

[practical cat]

Yeah, poor choice of word on my part. I apologize.

It's cool. I also understand why people might be disgruntled by it too. I don't understand the decision to tier rather than rank either (even though all of the wait lists I got did it that way).

Edited April 3, 2013 by girl who wears glasses

[gwarner13]

It's cool. I also understand why people might be disgruntled by it too. I don't understand the decision to tier rather than rank either (even though all of the wait lists I got did it that way).

Speaking of which, did you find departments to be forthcoming regarding waitlist policy, or was all this conveyed in the original email? I was advised not to ask specifically about rank, chances, etc., so I know nothing except that mine is "very short." Can't decide whether ignorance truly is bliss in this case or not...

[christakins]

On 4/3/2013 at 1:59 PM, gwarner13 said:

Speaking of which, did you find departments to be forthcoming regarding waitlist policy, or was all this conveyed in the original email? I was advised not to ask specifically about rank, chances, etc., so I know nothing except that mine is "very short." Can't decide whether ignorance truly is bliss in this case or not...

 

I'm only waitlisted at one school, Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), but I found the Academic Coordinator to be incredibly helpful and honest throughout this entire process. She's answered all of my questions, and I know exactly (as in the numerical digit) where I stand. The department seems very organized; I would be delighted to attend if offered the chance.

 

It seems awkward that a department told you specifically not to inquire about the waitlist or your position on it. I know it's a business and they have to cover their asses, but geez.