Waitlist Question

[intotherainbow]

Hi

 

I am a student who just graduated from undergrad and applied to several international relations related programs.

 

I got into several programs, but was waitlisted into my top choice (SAIS).

 

I was wondering if it is OK to send one of the schools that I got into deposit (since waitlist is not a guarantee) and if SAIS happen to accept me later, then enroll at SAIS.

 

Are there any restrictions in doing so? Does paying deposit mean that I absolutely have to enroll at that particular institution?

[deletethisname]

Hi

 

I am a student who just graduated from undergrad and applied to several international relations related programs.

 

I got into several programs, but was waitlisted into my top choice (SAIS).

 

I was wondering if it is OK to send one of the schools that I got into deposit (since waitlist is not a guarantee) and if SAIS happen to accept me later, then enroll at SAIS.

 

Are there any restrictions in doing so? Does paying deposit mean that I absolutely have to enroll at that particular institution?

 

Paying a deposit does not necessarily mean you have to enroll in that particular school, its just meant to guarantee you a spot for the fall semester. Now if you end up getting into SAIS, your deposit for the other school is gone since it is non-refundable. You will have pay another deposit to SAIS. 

[ReinventOneself]

　

 

Hi

 

I am a student who just graduated from undergrad and applied to several international relations related programs.

 

I got into several programs, but was waitlisted into my top choice (SAIS).

 

I was wondering if it is OK to send one of the schools that I got into deposit (since waitlist is not a guarantee) and if SAIS happen to accept me later, then enroll at SAIS.

 

Are there any restrictions in doing so? Does paying deposit mean that I absolutely have to enroll at that particular institution?

 

I was accepted at SAIS and will almost certainly be declining, so hopefully you'll get my spot.

[Cristianvb]

Don´t you think accepting and paying the deposit is not to fair with other waitlist candidates for your second option program?

Is there a definitive date to compromise with your definitive option?

[chocolatecheesecake]

I think the path you are suggesting is very common, as well as very common sensical. As long as you intend to go to this school if you don't get into SAIS, then depositing at this school is absolutely the right thing to do. If you ultimately do get into SAIS from the waitlist, then you can forfeit your enrollment deposit at the first institution, and enroll at SAIS. If you have your heart dead set on SAIS, then you shouldn't deposit at any other schools and just wait or apply next year if it doesn't work out. In all other circumstances, you should deposit at your second favorite school, where you will most likely have a great experience and a fruitful career and a happy life. 

 

I don't think this is unfair at all to anyone on the waitlist; this has nothing to do with them, because schools may ultimately decide not to take anyone off the waitlist, independently of whether accepted students decline or accept offers. They don't take one person off the waitlist for every one that declines admission, because schools always over-admit and must over-admit. What your chance of getting off the waitlist ultimately depends on is the entire composition of the cohort.

 

There is no drop-dead date for declining an offer, although you should always make those decisions in good faith. A student from the cohort above me had deposited, enrolled, and actually spent a few days at another school before he decided he should really be here instead, and switched over in the middle of orientation week or the first week of classes. Anecdotally, I've also heard that some people will take a week or two of classes before they were wrong about graduate school, and that it wasn't for them at this point, and left early enough in the semester to get most of their money back. 

[WhatAmIDoingNow]

That is the point of deposit.  I would wait to pay the deposit until a day or two before the deadline, give SAIS a couple weeks to get back to you.  I assumed the deadline for the deposit is April 15th.

 

If SAIS ends up admitting you, go there. If you paid the deposit at the other school, you end up eating that cost.  Losing out on $200 is better than not getting any spot in the fall. 

Edited March 20, 2015 by WhatAmIDoingNow

[zd0943]

I'm in a similar situation and was also wait listed at SAIS. I plan to pay my deposit for another program I have been accepted to, knowing full well that I would still receive a quality graduate education. While SAIS is my top choice, I wonder if there's something to be said about enrolling in a program that wants you to be there versus a program that can't decide/perhaps wasn't fully confident in your ability. 

 

I also agree with chocolatecheescake that getting off a waitlist will ultimately depend on the "composition of the cohort." Maybe a program that wait lists you knows you would be a good fit for x concentration, and can contribute a background that would make the class in x concentration more robust. You're basically a qualified, compelling admit. However, another applicant with a similar fit/background but with higher grades, more of a quant background, relevant UG coursework, whatever else/etc, may be quicker to gain admission as the adcom feels more confident in their ability to complete advanced graduate study in x concentration. So he/she is immediately admitted.

 

That student may decide to go elsewhere. Or maybe he/she pays a deposit and then his/her plans change in mid summer. Or maybe he/she is an international student and for some reason finds out just before departing that there is an issue with their US student visa. Now the program needs to go back to its waitlist and find the student(s) that mirror the admitted student's profile and concentration. Hence, wait list admissions can happen as early as May, or as late as August, and are probably pretty fickle.  

 

Which is why maybe sending a deposit for an alternative program that is confident in your ability is an equally great option. You presumably only applied to schools that you would be happy to attend, and you've been accepted somewhere, and there's no reason why it shouldn't be a great experience. 

 

Of course, if SAIS were to admit me off their wait list I might revise my thinking!