Waiting for Guffman (the waitlist thread)

[christakins]

Just heard back from the DGS at Rice and apparently I'm in the lower half of the top 10 people on the wait list. Sounds like pretty awful odds to me but I've never gone through this before so... Anyone with experience care to weigh in? Should I celebrate with a drink or cry with a drink?

[ErnestPWorrell]

Just heard back from the DGS at Rice and apparently I'm in the lower half of the top 10 people on the wait list. Sounds like pretty awful odds to me but I've never gone through this before so... Anyone with experience care to weigh in? Should I celebrate with a drink or cry with a drink?

Do you how many spots they have or how many acceptances have gone out?

[christakins]

They have 7 spots. I would assume they extended all offers but there's no way to know for sure, short of asking of course. I don't want to be too "naggy."

[bfat]

Has anyone asked about more info on the Michigan waitlist? The email said it was short and that they often pull people from it, but I'm just curious about whether or not anyone got more info--is it ranked? How many is "short"? I might email to ask, but I already asked about visiting (they said they wouldn't pay for it unless I was admitted, which makes perfect sense).

[Two Espressos]

I definitely belong in this thread: 1 waitlist at a great school, 2 rejections, still waiting to hear from 4 programs.

[nada.am]

Has anyone asked about more info on the Michigan waitlist? The email said it was short and that they often pull people from it, but I'm just curious about whether or not anyone got more info--is it ranked? How many is "short"? I might email to ask, but I already asked about visiting (they said they wouldn't pay for it unless I was admitted, which makes perfect sense).

 

Hi bfat, I just emailed Michigan about the wait list and it is NOT ranked. Beyond that I don't have much information. Best of luck!

[practical cat]

Pretty sure my wait lists will be my only option. Feeling better about that than I had been previously, though. I don't think the Wisconsin wait list is as bleak as I had been saying.

[Gustav]

Anyone has any idea how a "unranked" wait-list works? Do we need to do anything to increase our chances in this situation? I mean I did respond positively to the wait-list mail and told them unequivocally of my continued interests in their program. But beyond that are we suppose to do anything else? Or we just wait and wait?

[HHEoS]

Usually, an 'unranked' wait list means that instead of just going to WL student #1, then WL student #2 etc. when spots open up, they have a list of applicants by specialization, who have the chance to fill spots offered to accepted students with the same specialization. For instance: If you are a Victorianist, you'll only be offered an acceptance off the wait list if the/one of the Victorianists they offered admission to say "no". And yea, the only option is pretty much waiting, unless you feel like asking how many people in your concentration have been admitted and how many people in that concentration are on the wait list. That may/may not be a good idea, though. Depends on how tight you are with the DGS, I guess. Hope that helps.

[Gustav]

Usually, an 'unranked' wait list means that instead of just going to WL student #1, then WL student #2 etc. when spots open up, they have a list of applicants by specialization, who have the chance to fill spots offered to accepted students with the same specialization. For instance: If you are a Victorianist, you'll only be offered an acceptance off the wait list if the/one of the Victorianists they offered admission to say "no". And yea, the only option is pretty much waiting, unless you feel like asking how many people in your concentration have been admitted and how many people in that concentration are on the wait list. That may/may not be a good idea, though. Depends on how tight you are with the DGS, I guess. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks a lot! That really clarifies it! 

 

So I guess it means the list might be ranked in a narrower sense. That is, if they waitlist more than one applicant in the same area of specialization, they still need to choose one over another, right?  Oh well, never mind. We are born to wait. 

[Mercyhurst2010]

Just heard back from the DGS at Rice and apparently I'm in the lower half of the top 10 people on the wait list. Sounds like pretty awful odds to me but I've never gone through this before so... Anyone with experience care to weigh in? Should I celebrate with a drink or cry with a drink?

 

I'm also a Rice wait-lister (I took your advise in another thread and emailed the DGS to inquire about an hour ago). From the sounds of it, the wait list is larger than the number offers they made, which seems sort of strange? No matter, this is one of my top three choices remaining (among Rice, Maryland, and PSU), if not my top choice when you factor in items such as possible job opportunities for my wife (she recently graduated as a certified special ed teacher and we're living in PA right now, where there are no jobs), the funding / teaching load equation (seems to be lighter than 1/1, whereas many are 2/1 or even 2/2), and the fact that it doesn't have a foreign language requirement (possibly my biggest weakness right now, and I worry that if I went somewhere that required 2 languages, I wouldn't be able to do it in time).

 

So far, I've only heard back officially from 4 of 13 applications, which compared to most on the board here seems fairly small. I am in at Case, and I had a great experience doing my MA there--and also had lots of opportunities to make some great friends and some personal attachments in the Cleveland area (on top of being a die-hard Indians fan!), so the thought of going back there for the PhD is not at all unappealing.

 

Good luck, everyone!

[Taco Superior]

On 2/22/2013 at 9:30 PM, Gustav said:

Thanks a lot! That really clarifies it! 

 

So I guess it means the list might be ranked in a narrower sense. That is, if they waitlist more than one applicant in the same area of specialization, they still need to choose one over another, right?  Oh well, never mind. We are born to wait. 

 

Hey Gustav,

this might not be that helpful since I'm english not comp lit, but I imagine comp lit at WashU has to be as small or smaller than english. with that in mind, the DGS for english tells me they accepted 9 people and waitlisted 9 people. 

[Gdom87]

Removed myself from the OSU wait list. Good luck to everyone!!

[ErnestPWorrell]

officially wait-listed at my top choice. until april, i'll be spending most my time in NERVOUS TIME BARF CITY. 

[leekath9]

I'm so glad that someone started this post! I've been waitlisted at two schools and I have no idea how to proceed. Should I still visit the school? Is it ok to e-mail the DGS and talk about options? I, for some reason, feel very awkward calling a department. I have no idea why though. I think its because I don't want to seem like a pest and then have them think worse of me. Maybe that's being stupid, I don't know. But, at this point is there nothing you can do except truly wait?

Good luck to every one here by the way! We all deserve to be in somewhere!!

Accepted: UW-Madison

Interview: Notre Dame

Rejected: Duke, Brown, Northwestern

Waitlisted: UC Davis, U of Michigan

[Datatape]

You absolutely should remain in contact with the DGSs to show you're interested.  Ask about the protocol for a visit; you may not be invited to recruitment weekend, but they may be willing to have you come visit and meet with you on your own time (since you're in Columbus, it would obviously be much easier for you to get up to Ann Arbor for a potential visit than out to Davis).  If you feel awkward on the phone, then send an email.  A waitlist is an acceptance-in-waiting; they thought highly enough of you to put you in reserve, so you should not feel uncomfortable making contact with them in the slightest.

[Mercyhurst2010]

Just heard back from the DGS at Rice and apparently I'm in the lower half of the top 10 people on the wait list. Sounds like pretty awful odds to me but I've never gone through this before so... Anyone with experience care to weigh in? Should I celebrate with a drink or cry with a drink?

 

Looks like we're in a very similar position. I heard back from the DGS today. She said that there are 14 spots on the wait list, and that I am in the 9th position.

 

Not as high up the list as I would have liked, obviously! But if there were only 7 offers given for 7 spots, and you figure that a lot of the first offers are looking at other offers (for example, bluecheese who turned down Rice, etc, for Brown), along with a few in the upper spots of the wait list, I suppose I have a chance. I'm not getting my hopes up--but it is somewhat refreshing to know exactly where I stand. Now, if I somehow get in, I can be thrilled, but I can also come to terms with any other offers I receive between now and April 15.

[ErnestPWorrell]

You absolutely should remain in contact with the DGSs to show you're interested.  Ask about the protocol for a visit; you may not be invited to recruitment weekend, but they may be willing to have you come visit and meet with you on your own time (since you're in Columbus, it would obviously be much easier for you to get up to Ann Arbor for a potential visit than out to Davis).  If you feel awkward on the phone, then send an email.  A waitlist is an acceptance-in-waiting; they thought highly enough of you to put you in reserve, so you should not feel uncomfortable making contact with them in the slightest.

Is it acceptable to say "if accepted I will attend"?

[TripWillis]

If y'all don't get in, you should call your DGS' and give them this exact speech.

 

[ErnestPWorrell]

If y'all don't get in, you should call your DGS' and give them this exact speech.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De6AkndwRpM'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De6AkndwRpM

Amen

[HHEoS]

Is it acceptable to say "if accepted I will attend"?

 

I think saying something along those lines might be okay, but if it were me, I'd try not be absolute. I'd personally go with something a little more reserved, along the lines of: I am very interested in your program, and should the opportunity arise, I'd be thrilled to have the chance to attend your program. Or, if you want to go further, something like: I am very interested... it's highly probable that, if an admission offer were extended, I would accept. 

[practical cat]

Yeah. I wouldn't commit myself prematurely even being 100% certain. I know my response emails have been downright cold compared to what I actually wanted to say (and I used the word "thrilled" on one occasion, so). Be genuine but not desperate and don't make any promises.

[christakins]

Looks like we're in a very similar position. I heard back from the DGS today. She said that there are 14 spots on the wait list, and that I am in the 9th position.

 

Not as high up the list as I would have liked, obviously! But if there were only 7 offers given for 7 spots, and you figure that a lot of the first offers are looking at other offers (for example, bluecheese who turned down Rice, etc, for Brown), along with a few in the upper spots of the wait list, I suppose I have a chance. I'm not getting my hopes up--but it is somewhat refreshing to know exactly where I stand. Now, if I somehow get in, I can be thrilled, but I can also come to terms with any other offers I receive between now and April 15.

 

Thanks for the info! For some odd reason I assumed she was being kind with the "top ten" comment. It feels a little better to know there are 14 spots and we're not at the very bottom. I'm also in at Purdue so this isn't my only option so far, but geez it would be perfect. It ain't over till it's over, right?

[Datatape]

I have an email out to the Graduate Director at Tennessee, asking about my place on the waitlist.  I think I remember vaguely that they've historically had a long, but ranked waitlist.  Fingers crossed.

[bfat]

I had a voicemail on my phone from Ann Arbor today when I came out of class, and I just about had a goddamned heart attack. But it was a call from a realtor, because I registered for a site so I could start comparing housing prices/options if my fam needs to move. Oy.