Deeply waitlisted — and April 15th comes closer...

[merivo]

Dear friends,

 

I'm waitlisted and now the deadline comes closer. I haven't heard anything from my university since February. Should I write them and remind that I'm interested in their offer? Or should I simply wait till the DAY X? I really don't know what to do now. 

 

I hope that this thread is important not only for me, but also for a bunch of members of our waitlist purgatory club...

[mvlchicago]

I'd be emailing at least once a week; although for a school like JH, you'll probably have to wait until April 15th before they have an answer :/

[merivo]

Once a week?

 

Wow, no, I think they will hate me if I do so. But thanks for an answer! Probably, the truth is in between and I should write them at least now. 

[bsharpe269]

Once a week?

 

Wow, no, I think they will hate me if I do so. But thanks for an answer! Probably, the truth is in between and I should write them at least now. 

 

Write them! You have a lot to potentially gain and not that much to lose!

[remenis]

Once a week?

 

Wow, no, I think they will hate me if I do so. But thanks for an answer! Probably, the truth is in between and I should write them at least now. 

 

Yeah, I agree - emailing once a week would annoy them. But if you haven't written or heard anything since February it would be fine to send your POI a note. If you haven't heard from them, emailing is not going to result in you finding out that actually you're in and they never told you - but best case scenario, maybe they'll tell you they're waiting on a decision from one person, you're the next choice and the odds are something like 50/50.

 

Worst case scenario, they've already closed the waitlist and never told you (this happens) - but at least then you'd know.

 

When I was waitlisted, I'd received a note from my POI informing me of the status and that the program rarely took people off the list. But I never received anything (even after April 15th) letting me know the outcome one way or another. By then I didn't care anymore, because I accepted another offer but it seems to me that often a program will never contact you to let you know if they are not going to be taking you off the waitlist.

[mvlchicago]

I mean, yes it might annoy them, but you're also on the hook for a potentially life-altering decision. I think it's important to do what's comfortable for you, but I doubt the number of emails you send at this point will have any effective shift on whether or not you get off the list. In any case, good luck!

Edited April 6, 2015 by mvlchicago

[TMP]

Do you have any other offers?  If not, just remind them that you're still interested in the program and hope to be part of the department in the fall.

If you do, let them know that you have an offer from elsewhere but this program is a better fit for you.

 

E-mail the DGS and your POI just once and that'll be enough-

[schlesinger1]

[merivo]

@mvlchicago, @TMP, @remenis, @bsharpe269 — guys, thank you all for your advice! 

 

I wrote them (to their academic coordinator), and they replied, that they haven't moved to the waitlist yet, and I have to wait a little more... Hope that this will work out. 

Maybe, I will email my POI the next week at 13th and I will ask them about my chances.  

 

Thanks again!