Question about waitlisting

[LolJustAdmitMe]

(I posted this in another area of the forum but I  think people rarely go into the section of the forum, so I’m posting it here instead. Sorry!)

I’m posting this because I haven’t been able to find a thread on being waitlisted (but if you know one, please share the link!) so my apologies if it’s an annoying question!

I was recently waitlisted by my top choice and they stated that if an interview slot opened, they would notify me. Does THAT happen often? I’ve heard of waitlisting post-interview but not before. I would think everyone who applied would accept the interview invite and that the committee would select from that group being they take so few anyway...so basically I read the letter and counted it as a passive rejection. I am debating on emailing them, restating my interest and thanking them (as it’s suggested you do) but I’m feeling a tad pessimistic about my chances. What should I do?? Should I feel optimistic about this???

[TheHessianHistorian]

Yes, it is basically a passive rejection, but you have nothing to lose from contacting the school. What I would really recommend is contacting your POI at that school and asking them to look into the status of your application for you. I have heard of applicants being un-waitlisted and accepted after a professor takes a look at the application personally and inquires with the admissions committee where they're at in accepting the student.

[Assotto]

On 12/16/2017 at 2:29 PM, LolJustAdmitMe said:

(I posted this in another area of the forum but I  think people rarely go into the section of the forum, so I’m posting it here instead. Sorry!)

I’m posting this because I haven’t been able to find a thread on being waitlisted (but if you know one, please share the link!) so my apologies if it’s an annoying question!

I was recently waitlisted by my top choice and they stated that if an interview slot opened, they would notify me. Does THAT happen often? I’ve heard of waitlisting post-interview but not before. I would think everyone who applied would accept the interview invite and that the committee would select from that group being they take so few anyway...so basically I read the letter and counted it as a passive rejection. I am debating on emailing them, restating my interest and thanking them (as it’s suggested you do) but I’m feeling a tad pessimistic about my chances. What should I do?? Should I feel optimistic about this???

It is not a passive rejection. Your application is quite literally just waitlisted. This leaves room for you to be invited for an interview and become accepted should someone else turn down an interview. What the "waitlist" actually looks like is arbitrary (some departments have a ranking system) and you could very well be #1 on that list.

It would certainly not hurt to respond by thanking them and re-expressing your interest. Anything is possible between now and April 15th.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Assotto

[LolJustAdmitMe]

1 hour ago, Assotto said:

It is not a passive rejection. Your application is quite literally just waitlisted. This leaves room for you to be invited for an interview and become accepted should someone else turn down an interview. What the "waitlist" actually looks like is arbitrary (some departments have a ranking system) and you could very well be #1 on that list.

It would certainly not hurt to respond by thanking them and re-expressing your interest. Anything is possible between now and April 15th.

Thank you for the clarification!! Hopefully it will end with an acceptance but like you said, it could be a long 6 months.