Waitlist Agony - 2014 Edition

[novacancy]

Hi everyone,

Having been informed that I'm on the waitlist for my top choice program today, I decided to start this thread. We're in for a bumpy ride--as if waiting it out hadn't been stressful enough!

 

It's hard to tell which posts on the results page came from people who were accepted/rejected off the waitlist in previous years unless they've mentioned so in the comments section. Because of this, I decided to summarize the information found on the 2013 waitlist thread:

 

 

I tried my best to populate the table! Yes, I do have a LOT of time.

 

I guess my point of posting all of this is to show us all that there is hope. 18 of 28 posters who reported decisions on that thread got in off of the waitlist. Clearly we could have some reporting bias going on here, but nevertheless… This is pretty encouraging.

 

Best of luck to everyone! I'm told I'll hear back in March!

[doobiebrothers]

go bruins!

[ProfMoriarty]

Wait listed at U. Minnesota.

My POI emailed me after the notification, though, and was very nice and encouraging

[novacancy]

go bruins!

 

YES! This!

 

As they say...

 

[novacancy]

Well, guys, I'm officially on ANOTHER waitlist.

[drvb8d]

I was waitlisted as well, though they gave me a number (#1). I feel like this must be a way of saying "hang tight, you'll get there." It would be horribly sadistic, otherwise... right?

[FreeRadical]

I was waitlisted as well, though they gave me a number (#1). I feel like this must be a way of saying "hang tight, you'll get there." It would be horribly sadistic, otherwise... right?

 

Just because something is sadistic doesn't make it unlikely...

 

I got waitlisted at UW too. I was told a potential decision would come sometime between June and September? September??

[ihatepencils]

I got waitlisted at one my higher choices...guess I'll hear back in April 

[novacancy]

Just want to BUMP this thread as I see more and more people getting onto waitlists. LET'S COMMISERATE TOGETHER.

 

That being said, I've heard nothing thus far.

[leSpyFox]

I got on my first waitlist. The faculty member who emailed me was really nice and said people "can and routinely do" move off the list. So here's hoping. Always better than a rejection!

 

Thanks for the chart! It makes me feel a bit better.

[jean21]

nice thread!  i just got wait listed this week, and am feeling pretty depressed, so i'm sure i'll be a frequent visitor 

[walterwhite]

I'm on one waitlist right now. Last year, during my first (and unsuccessful) application cycle, I was waitlisted at my top choice. Ultimately I wasn't admitted. I reapplied this year -- it's still my very top choice. I'm waiting to hear back and can't describe how anxious I'm feeling. 

Edited February 20, 2014 by walterwhite

[walterwhite]

Also, good luck to everyone here - I'm confident you'll be hearing good news soon.

[ihatepencils]

I am a proud member of three waitlists now! 

[novacancy]

Yeesh, I thought two was bad enough. Hang in there, ihatepencils!

[aurora_nova]

So far out of 7 schools, I have one rejection and one waitlist (and at one of my top choices too!)... This waiting is agony. I wish I had an acceptance to fall back on.

[ihatepencils]

Yeesh, I thought two was bad enough. Hang in there, ihatepencils!

 

Thanks! I do have one admit so the pressure is not as bad anymore. The three waitlists are all from schools near the top of my list though!

[Porshyen]

I landed on the wait list earlier this week. I do have one admittance, so like others have said, there is not as much pressure. I wish they were able to tell you where you fall on the wait list, if not specifically, then generally, so as to have some idea on what to expect. I know some programs do this, but not everyone does. 

 

I received this: " I want to emphasize that the admissions committee was in agreement that you possess all the desired qualifications for graduate work. Should a spot in our 2014/15 class open up, I will be pleased to welcome you to our program." Does that mean I am somewhere near the top of the pile? The letter was pretty generic and I want to say that it is impossible to know/they send this to all the applicants they put on the wait list. Any ideas?

 

Good luck, everyone! 

Edited February 21, 2014 by Porshyen

[novacancy]

Has anyone else here contacted their waitlist departments for more information? After reading some other forums, I did, and for one school, I actually got some news. I'm not off the waitlist, but I'm depending on literally one specific person to decline so I may be granted a spot in the program.

 

Has this news helped me or stressed me out even more? Hard to say.

[ihatepencils]

Has anyone else here contacted their waitlist departments for more information? After reading some other forums, I did, and for one school, I actually got some news. I'm not off the waitlist, but I'm depending on literally one specific person to decline so I may be granted a spot in the program.

 

Has this news helped me or stressed me out even more? Hard to say.

 

I was thinking about contacting one of my programs but had no idea how to go about writing such an email. What did you ask?

[ProfMoriarty]

Minnesota sent me an initial email to inform me that I was waitlisted. Then they sent a second email with the official letter from the department. And yesterday they sent a THIRD email with the subject title "Application for admission decision" causing me to nearly have a heart attack at work... only for it to be the official waitlist decision from the Grad school. Hooray!

[drvb8d]

This is exactly my problem, as I mentioned a few weeks ago. Why would you let me know I'm #1 this early in the process? "One of our top candidates" seems so much easier to swallow! I expressed my disappointment AND optimism in an email to the DoG the day I received the letter (early Feb). I've since sent an email to both the DoG and my specific faculty contact, updating them on a recent conference presentation and various writing opportunities.

 

I believe fellowship decisions will happen soon, so I'm confident people will make firm decisions once they do or don't have extra money on the table.

[PsychGradHopeful14]

In reference to questions of how to contact schools that wait listed you, it is risky to petition for reconsideration or to be told your ranking on the list... I have heard mixed opinions on this but generally what I have heard is that the safest thing you can do to help, but not hurt, your chances, are to go about it the following way:

 

If you have a time frame for when you will hear from a school, and this passes by a week or so with no word, at that point I think it is OK to check in (though some have said that even this is risky and advise against it, so proceed with caution here) to see if decisions have been made.  If you get a notification that you are on a wait list, just take what ever information they give you in addition to that from the initial notification (sometimes they will let you know a little more) but trying to press beyond the information they volunteer could make you seem pushy and/or desperate, maybe even less desirable, so it is really just better to thank them for the information, and then state to the program (probably more specifically your POI) that you are still interested in being considered should an opportunity for you arise during the process.  That's about all you can do there.  Some may appreciate it, some may shrug it off.

 

Once you have another offer that you are willing to take should that be the main option you have, this is where I have heard if there are other programs in which you are more interested, they will be a little more receptive to you contacting them for additional information on your status under these circumstances.  You would probably phrase it in a way indicating that you have received another offer that you are considering, are more seriously considering them (or are more interested), and that you would appreciate any information on your status there that may help you make a more informed decision.  From what I have heard, the person to contact about this can vary by program, either a program coordinator or POI directly, and they may give you a vague response or give you specifics on where you are.  Vague responses would be more along the lines of "you have a good chance, we encourage you to be patient" or "you may be better off taking your current offer."

 

Hope this helps to those of you sitting on wait lists... I, myself, being globally wait listed after multiple interviews, understand how tough this is and really all we can do is at the most restate our interest and then sit on our hands until we get pulled off or get another offer.

[ProfMoriarty]

I actually asked my POI where I ranked on the waiting list, and he replied that their waiting list isn't ranked. When I got the first notification, the email was CC'ed to the potential advisors the department considered for me (one of them being my POI) and it said they would contact me individually. My POI did so very soon after, saying he was open to questions. I took that chance to ask about my ranking.

[PsychGradHopeful14]

^ Yea, I think invited contact like that can also be grounds to get more information.  In my experience so far, I have not had this happen so it would probably be less appropriate without them making the first offer for more information, but that's pretty cool that your POI did that.