Waitlist Thread

[Rollontheground]

Would any one like to venture a guess as to how confident/worried one should be if they are informed they are on a wait-list, but not told that they are near the top of said list? 

 

This is the situation I am in with two schools, both of which I'd love to attend, but I am not sure what the chances are that I''ll make it off the WL. In my mind, a reasonable estimate for the number of students on a 'short wait-list,' which is what most schools seem to keep, would be in the 8-12 range, or even smaller. But, then again, we can see from the results page that wait-list numbers at various schools are high, even though all of us that are 'waiting' are told the lists are short........

 

Oh the stress.... 

 

I have a flowchart of wait list hypotheticals on my whiteboard.

 

I think it's more stressful than actually waiting to hear back, the whole so close but so far thing. Best of luck.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Rollontheground

[objectivityofcontradiction]

I have a flowchart of wait list hypotheticals on my whiteboard.

 

I think it's more stressful than actually waiting to hear back, the whole so close but so far thing. Best of luck.

 

a joke I assume... 

[Rollontheground]

a joke I assume... 

I wish it were.

[humean_skeptic]

I wish it were.

 

I definitely have an internalized flowchart composed of all of the most likely waitlist-outcome possibilities relative to all the evidence and information that I've gathered. But you actually wrote out your flowchart? Dang. 

[Rollontheground]

I definitely have an internalized flowchart composed of all of the most likely waitlist-outcome possibilities relative to all the evidence and information that I've gathered. But you actually wrote out your flowchart? Dang. 

 

I have two white-boards in my apartment on which I sketch ideas, paper structures, etc. I was stalking the results page, looking at everyone's GPA and GRE data, trying to find out who got into what schools, who's likely to remove themselves from the wait list and whatnot, and I just started writing it down. 

Edited February 25, 2014 by Rollontheground

[Wait For It...]

I don't know if that is true, but I've talked with Rasmussen in the past, and he was struggling in the job market. Having said that, his focus was on philosophy of religion - so it might work differently for someone who is specializing in, say, metaphysics or something. However, I know a grad student at Rutgers who is very into philosophy of religion, and his reasoning was to focus on a non-religious specialization to increase the probability of getting hired out of college. Presumably, he can shift gears into philosophy of religion later once he has secured a position. This guy has expressed major pessimism over the education quality of Notre Dame, I think mostly because some of its biggest names recently retired. He also suggested that Notre Dame has this reputation of producing "philosophers for Christ," which migh play a role in the hiring process.

 

Incidentally, I attended the Plantinga retirement ceremony as a freshman in community college, and I considered referencing it in my statement of purpose or to my letter writers. You know, to paint this impression of extracarricular passion for philosophy. Eric Schwitzgebel advised me against it for the reason that philosophy of religion is looked down upon.

 

I personally don't know what the climate is like at Notre Dame, and I'm just going by hearsay. But it's probably worth taking into consideration. It couldn't hut to look into the placement record and/or contact some recent graduates from the program.

 

Again, I could be 100% wrong - just throwing it out there.

Rasmussen recently accepted a tenure-track job at Azusa Pacific, which isn't too bad at all. And although he's well published in philosophy of religion, he wrote his dissertation on a theory of propositions.  

[Rollontheground]

Rasmussen recently accepted a tenure-track job at Azusa Pacific, which isn't too bad at all. And although he's well published in philosophy of religion, he wrote his dissertation on a theory of propositions.  

Barney!

[humean_skeptic]

I have two white-boards in my apartment on which I sketch ideas, paper structures, etc. I was stalking the results page, looking at everyone's GPA and GRE data, trying to find out who got into what schools, who's likely to remove themselves from the wait list and whatnot, and I just started writing it down. 

 

Not a bad idea with the whiteboards. 

[Rollontheground]

Not a bad idea with the whiteboards. 

This is what happens when House fans go to grad school ...

[Structural_Realist]

I have two white-boards in my apartment on which I sketch ideas, paper structures, etc. I was stalking the results page, looking at everyone's GPA and GRE data, trying to find out who got into what schools, who's likely to remove themselves from the wait list and whatnot, and I just started writing it down. 

 

 

I'm a huge fan of white-boards. There's nothing more satisfying than confidently blasting through a logic proof on a white board in the comfort of your own home.

[Establishment]

I'm a huge fan of white-boards. There's nothing more satisfying than confidently blasting through a logic proof on a white board in the comfort of your own home.

 

Nah, you gotta do logic on paper. That way when you finish a proof, you can store it away with all your other stacks of proofs. Then when outsiders go rummaging through your things, they'll marvel at your work. With a whiteboard, they at most see one instance of you proof working.

[Cottagecheeseman]

Nah, you gotta do logic on paper. That way when you finish a proof, you can store it away with all your other stacks of proofs. Then when outsiders go rummaging through your things, they'll marvel at your work. With a whiteboard, they at most see one instance of you proof working.

please marry me

[mjpcampbell]

Congratulations. Could you give more information about the notification of Duke waitlist? How did you get the notification (email, website, or other means)？ Thanks.

 

Thanks. I was sent a personalised e-mail by Dr. Gopal telling me I was high on a short wait list. Hope that helps. 

[Platonist]

Thanks. I was sent a personalised e-mail by Dr. Gopal telling me I was high on a short wait list. Hope that helps. 

Thanks for the response. So Duke has a *short* waitlist. My hope that I will be on the extended waitlist is delusional. I think the rejection notification will arrive at some time.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Platonist

[ianfaircloud]

I'm on the University of Wisconsin-Madison wait-list. I think this is a relatively long wait-list. But keep in mind that departments have long wait-lists because they need them! I bet that most people on wait-lists in 21-30 range programs are eventually accepted to those programs.

[bar_scene_gambler]

Anyone know how long the GSU waitlist is? They won't say where I am, so I'm just hoping it's a short one.

[ianfaircloud]

Anyone know how long the GSU waitlist is? They won't say where I am, so I'm just hoping it's a short one.

 

I hate to tell you this, but I happen to know that the top-six MA programs have recently kept very, very long wait-lists. Here's why: LOTS of very, very good applicants are applying to GSU, Brandeis, Tufts, etc., as backup plans. These schools are having to wait-list like two or three times the number of people admitted outright.  In GSU's case, that's like 40 people.

 

Here's the good news: These programs keep long wait-lists for a very good reason. They need them. So I think being on a wait-list at one of these schools is usually a great thing (unless you are told that you aren't near the top of the list). I'm sure someone will disagree with me, but I think if you're on the wait-list at GSU right now, you (conservatively) have a better than fifty percent chance of being admitted. This program knows how many people it needs to wait-list. The department chair at GSU is keen on admissions and very organized, more than most chairs.

[Wait For It...]

I found the two Irvine wait-list notifications this morning. Anyone want to claim them? Were they sent yesterday? I didn't receive one and am assuming a rejection at this point.  

[Cottagecheeseman]

There's a Johns Hopkins waitlist on the results page, which is odd, because the email I last have explicitly states that decisions would not go out until mid-march. Anyone have any more info?

[ianfaircloud]

There's a Johns Hopkins waitlist on the results page, which is odd, because the email I last have explicitly states that decisions would not go out until mid-march. Anyone have any more info?

 

I agree that this is suspicious. If it's genuine, then it's only the second (perhaps the third) ranked program this year to send a wait-list before anything else. Also, I'm predicting Hopkins to be the last department to send notifications.

[Cottagecheeseman]

I agree that this is suspicious. If it's genuine, then it's only the second (perhaps the third) ranked program this year to send a wait-list before anything else. Also, I'm predicting Hopkins to be the last department to send notifications.

Maybe I'll send them an email. Maybe that's what this person did and how they found out. 

[ianfaircloud]

Maybe I'll send them an email. Maybe that's what this person did and how they found out. 

 

Well, if you decide to send it, would you please let us know the result? Good luck.

 

Side note: It feels a bit ridiculous to me that Johns Hopkins takes until mid-March to release initial notifications. Actually, several of these programs wait until after March 1. I don't understand that. I guess they figure that they have that right. Or maybe there's something I don't know.

[roast beef]

The Johns Hopkins waitlist is mine. I'm really excited; it would be an excellent fit for me. I didn't inquire, and I was as surprised as you about how early it came. Hopefully it turns into an offer!

[Cottagecheeseman]

The Johns Hopkins waitlist is mine. I'm really excited; it would be an excellent fit for me. I didn't inquire, and I was as surprised as you about how early it came. Hopefully it turns into an offer!

Congrats... [also I kinda hate you right now but that'll be over tonight]

[mattyod86]

There's a Johns Hopkins waitlist on the results page, which is odd, because the email I last have explicitly states that decisions would not go out until mid-march. Anyone have any more info?

ill claim a Hopkins waitlist (having already been rejected from Brown, Northwestern, MIT and UNC) came by e-mail, it also said that the initial acceptances were very conservative and that the likelihood that the waitlist would be dipped into was higher than previous years. Mail also included funding info...