2009 wait-list blues thread

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JoeyS,
Although I'm sure we all appreciate your advice and are lucky to hear from someone who has gone through the WHOLE process, people reading your assessment should still be aware that you might be a little biased. I couldn't help but read about the horrific saga that was your match-day (and the days that followed). No one deserved to go through what you went through. However, with that being said, you might (I'm not sure obviously) have had a somewhat different perspective about going through clinical psych graduate school had things gone a little smoother for you. I think it was good to read what you wrote, but I think that a post like that would have helped BEFORE we spent thousands of dollars on applications haha. Most of us have dedicated a hefty amount of time preparing for and worrying about this. Although, fortunately for them, some might heed your warning and think twice about going to graduate school- which would obviously be the right thing for them. But I want to remind the rest of you who are worried about graduate school, especially after reading Joey's opinion, to remember that you applied for a reason. You wanted to go for a reason, and just because one person had a less than stellar experience doesn't mean that you will. Everyone is different- follow a path that suits you.
JoeyS said:
I wanted to post this because I am almost done with my TOP clinical Ph.D program. This process can be blinding. Ph.D's in clinical psych are not all cracked up to what people think it is like. This process that you are going through now will be one you will go through for internship and for the job market. It does not get easier once you get in. I remember applying to Johns Hopkins post-bacc program and now realized I should have taken it. After acceptance into that program they immediately take you into their connections with med school (GW Med, Rochester Med). You have so many more options and respect. I am 29 now and I feel like it is a large possibility that I will STILL go to med school. You are at a turning point in your lives, really take a step back to see if the life you are living now is the life you want for the next 5-6 years and past that. I hope I am not bursting your happiness and dream bubbles, but what I wouldn't have given for someone to say this to me when I was in your position...
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I don't really understand why he posted this in the wait-list blues. People who have been wait-listed have been very involved in research, clinical experience, etc. and I would hope, at this point, they understand how hard upcoming experiences will be whether its internships, jobs, or getting a nice R01 funding from NIH. If Joey's post is earth-shattering information for people who have been wait-listed or accepted then I feel bad for them.
 
I am sending in my letter declining an offer to LaSalle if anyone is waiting for a spot 🙂
 
stooge: That's what I was trying to say earlier, thanks.
 
I was put on the alternate list of my top and only choice. I was excited at first thinking that alternate list meant that I was next in line for an offer...but the person I thought was ahead of me (because they were an extremely strong candidate) was also "alternate" listed. I contacted the DCT a week ago but they have not returned my e-mail about my admission status...I lose hope more and more each day....🙁
 
Aww, I'm sorry. I know it's difficult, but try to stay positive--it's not over until you've gotten that rejection letter.
 
Released an offer at buffalo and I'm hoping someone great takes it.
 
Tude85 said:
Is anyone facing this situation... you get accepted into program A, but would rather go to school B, where you are waitlisted...you have to accept on April 15th at school A, but still have a shot at getting into school B on say, the 16th? Arrrggg
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Same situation here, too! Plus, my 2nd Choice POI has contacted me a few times to ask if I have any idea when I'll be able to make my decision. I don't want to reveal that I'm waiting to hear from another school... but I'm sure they know. I'm sure the POI is also getting emails from their alternate list; just the way that I'm sending emails to the DCT/POI from my top choice school (where I am an alternate).

::Sigh:: The Circle of Psych. :xf:
 
Anyone heard from Wright State University for their waitlist?
 
Hey guys, I just got a letter in the mail informing me that i am on the alternate list for a PsyD. program and I have also recently just been accepted to a school that i really like. I was wondering if people had called schools to find out more information about how many people are on the alternate list or where they stand exactly ...and what kind of information they received. I guess i am asking for advice about my situation and calling the school where i am an alternate to figure out where i stand and my status. Any input would be great!!!! Thanx everyone and good luck to all!!! 😛
 
I emailed and asked about my position on the waitlist. They told me and also said that they're predicting I'll get an offer eventually, but obviously there's no real way of knowing at this point. So, it's worth a shot.
 
wannabephd09 said:
I was put on the alternate list of my top and only choice. I was excited at first thinking that alternate list meant that I was next in line for an offer...but the person I thought was ahead of me (because they were an extremely strong candidate) was also "alternate" listed. I contacted the DCT a week ago but they have not returned my e-mail about my admission status...I lose hope more and more each day....🙁
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I was at that interview! They told us at dinner that everybody's an alternate, so just being told that you're an alternate doesn't necessarily mean anything about where you are on the list. 🙁 I would contact your first POI (and then your second and third) to get information regarding your placement on the list rather than the DCT. :xf:

If it makes you feel any better or more hopeful, I turned down an offer at NIU a week or so ago. It's truly an awesome program with amazing professors, students, and facilities, and I definitely hope that you get a chance to go there!
 
Some advice needed:
So if I (and other people I've spoken to with whom I interviewed) have not heard from a program yet AT all, when can I contact them? Should I suffer my fate and wait until April 1st or is it legitimate to email or call now? I don't really want to come off as pushy or annoying, but I'm really going insane. Their final interview date was February 23rd. I interviewed almost 50 days ago! Any feedback would be helpful.
 
JoeyS said:
I wanted to post this because I am almost done with my TOP clinical Ph.D program. This process can be blinding. Ph.D's in clinical psych are not all cracked up to what people think it is like.
Click to expand...

Hi, I am just wondering what do you think people think it is like. Of course I am talking from my own personal perspective, but it seems people do know that the process of getting a PhD is NEVER an easy one. They do go for it because of many reasons. One of them is that they do not expect easy ways, on the contrary they are ready to overcome hardships to be able to do what they want to do later on.

JoeyS said:
This process that you are going through now will be one you will go through for internship and for the job market. It does not get easier once you get in.
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I guess many of us realize this. After all nothing is easy in life. Me personally, I am NOT looking for easy ways. The easiest way for me would be to get "a degree" (any kind) and sit on it or have a job which will give me no perspectives, and no self respect, and which would not allow me to serve those whom I want to serve (clients and society) in my own chosen way which may only be attained with a PhD degree. After all, I can sit on the couch and do nothing. It would be very easy, but I would HATE IT.

JoeyS said:
I remember applying to Johns Hopkins post-bacc program and now realized I should have taken it. After acceptance into that program they immediately take you into their connections with med school (GW Med, Rochester Med). You have so many more options and respect.
Click to expand...

Getting connections and respect is a good reason to like a program. However, it seems that it makes us extrinsically motivated. Is it not better to look for intrinsic motivation? For me it matters a lot more.

JoeyS said:
I am 29 now and I feel like it is a large possibility that I will STILL go to med school. You are at a turning point in your lives, really take a step back to see if the life you are living now is the life you want for the next 5-6 years and past that. .
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29 years old is very young. I believe that a PhD degree requires maturity which not every 25 or 29 years old has. Some people mature later, and they can benefit form a PhD degree much more when they are over 30.

JoeyS said:
I hope I am not bursting your happiness and dream bubbles, but what I wouldn't have given for someone to say this to me when I was in your position... .
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It seems that you regret your choice now... I am sorry about that. I wish that you see the benefits you may have with your degree, and not only a dozen of dream bubbles which have exploded and left no hope and no optimism...

Maybe I am wrong, but it feels like you are disappointed..... I wish no one is disappointed with an education, especially when it is almost over. I also wish you are happy in your present and in your future....

Personally, I believe that learning process is a lifetime process, it doesn't end with a degree. It is a journey and not a destination! I wish we all make it an enjoyable journey even when sometimes is very hard (being waitlisted may seem like a torture sometimes, I agree with that)!
 
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I got an email today saying I am wait-listed for second round offers and as an alternate. My understanding is that second-round offers will happen before April 1, and the alternates will be notified sometime after that date. Does this sound right? My understanding is that students have to notify schools by April 15th, but can schools extend offers past that date? Also, should I ask where I'm ranked now or wait to see if I miss the second round and become an alternate before I ask? Thanks!
 
I have an offer from a school, but I'm waitlisted at my #1 (so i'm grateful). But still, whenever someone posts to state that they've just accepted an offer and removed themselves from waitlists, I imagine the chain reaction that happens in the bottleneck: emails sent, phone calls made, further acceptances made, and on and on.
 
dd123 said:
I have an offer from a school, but I'm waitlisted at my #1 (so i'm grateful). But still, whenever someone posts to state that they've just accepted an offer and removed themselves from waitlists, I imagine the chain reaction that happens in the bottleneck: emails sent, phone calls made, further acceptances made, and on and on.
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Yes! I do this too, it's like waiting in line for your favorite ride at the amusement park...only we can't count the people in front of us that have to move before we can get on the ride...we just know they are moving--and hopefully we get on the ride asap!
 
Okay, so I just realized that the most simple explanation (and cynical/paranoid/unlikely explanation) for why the person who has the offer at my first choice school hasn't turned it down yet is that I am holding the offer at their first choice school. I believe this is called a Mexican Standoff.

Think about it....applying to schools with professors doing work in a specific area of research probably leads to students applying to similar programs if they have similar interests. So really the Mexican Standoff scenario might not be too far off....so we'll probably just wait each other out and then each say yes to our non-first choice. dang it.

This could be happening with more than one "showdown" too: think three, four, or even a hundred people.....When does it all come crashing down? How long should one hold out? People who have been through this, do you wish you'd waited longer to see if you got off the wait-list at your first choice before accepting at your second choice--or did you wait too long?
 
jclinical said:
Okay, so I just realized that the most simple explanation (and cynical/paranoid/unlikely explanation) for why the person who has the offer at my first choice school hasn't turned it down yet is that I am holding the offer at their first choice school. I believe this is called a Mexican Standoff.
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I believe this scenario was what the APPIC match was designed to prevent. Or one of the things it was designed to prevent.

I've wondered if having an APPIC-style match system would work with admissions. I think it would, but it would also give me a whole new raft of things to complain about.
 
I just found out I'm the #3 alternate for IUP (my top choice). For anyone deciding not to accept there, I anxiously await your decision :/ Good luck to everyone else in this situation!
 
For those of you wondering if you are waiting too long...realize that you are ALLOWED to wait until april 15th, and that the person who's trying to decide about whether to take the offer you would like to have also does, and isn't really allowed to take longer than that...I'm assuming that a lot of these standoffs will end up resolving themselves on the 14th and 15th of April.

I am really crossing my fingers at my top choice school. I've gotten 2 other offers, one of which I turned down. I do feel bad holding on to that 2nd offer, but I've been honest with the DCT, saying I am waiting for a response from other schools. I'm sure they understand how stressful this is for us. That being said, for those of you who already HAVE 2 or 3 offers that you are trying to decide between instead of waiting for a response from another school, I think it would be responsible to make that desicion as quickly as is possible (of course making sure you make the right choice for you).

...can you tell right now I'm in the "calm" phase? In 2 hours I'll be eating haagen dasz and staring at the phone angrily waiting for it to ring, lol..
 
sugarhi385 said:
I just found out I'm the #3 alternate for IUP (my top choice). For anyone deciding not to accept there, I anxiously await your decision :/ Good luck to everyone else in this situation!
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I'll be declining my offer from IUP today. Good luck!
 
When you are wait listed, do schools notify you to let you know? I've still heard nothing from a good number of schools. I also heard nothing from some schools I interviewed at.
 
sugarhi385 said:
I just found out I'm the #3 alternate for IUP (my top choice). For anyone deciding not to accept there, I anxiously await your decision :/ Good luck to everyone else in this situation!
Click to expand...

Congrats (sort of) !

I've already seen two people mention that they will be turning down their offers at IUP. Plus, the #1 and #2 alternates may have been accepted elsewhere. Sounds like there is a GREAT chance you will get your top choice.

I have an offer from IUP, but it was also my top choice, rivaled by only one other program, so I can't see myself turning it down.

Good Luck!
 
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Psych1212 said:
Congrats (sort of) !

I've already scene two people mention that they will be turning down their offers at IUP. Plus, the #1 and #2 alternates may have been accepted elsewhere. Sounds like there is a GREAT chance you will get your top choice.

I have an offer from IUP, but it was also my top choice, rivaled by only one other program, so I can't see myself turning it down.

Good Luck!
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I was just about to say the same thing. I think I've seen 3 rejected offers from IUP today, so an early congrats! It's just a matter of getting that phone call now.
 
Yeah, there is EM132 and then someone else on the Acceptance thread turning down IUP offers, so I think you have a very good chance! Best of luck 😀
 
Anyone else waitlisted at LaSalle? I'm not sure how many people they accepted and how many people they put on their waitlist.
 
I'm "high on the waitlist" 🙄 at a school (the eye-roll reflects my exasperation at the vagueness of such distinctions) and the prof said that i should feel free to email him if my situation changes or if i want to check in. My situation hasn't changed (still no offers), but i am getting antsy! I don't know when/if I should probe him about my status. What do you think? The last email I got from him was 10 days ago.
 
Aww, thanks so much for everyone's encouragement! Its really nice of you guys, and definitely appreciated - you've all helped to brighten my day 🙂

Now I just have to wait... eep.

Psych1212 said:
Congrats (sort of) !

I've already seen two people mention that they will be turning down their offers at IUP. Plus, the #1 and #2 alternates may have been accepted elsewhere. Sounds like there is a GREAT chance you will get your top choice.

I have an offer from IUP, but it was also my top choice, rivaled by only one other program, so I can't see myself turning it down.

Good Luck!
Click to expand...

terpskins10 said:
I was just about to say the same thing. I think I've seen 3 rejected offers from IUP today, so an early congrats! It's just a matter of getting that phone call now.
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alleycatpsych said:
I'm "high on the waitlist" 🙄 at a school (the eye-roll reflects my exasperation at the vagueness of such distinctions) and the prof said that i should feel free to email him if my situation changes or if i want to check in. My situation hasn't changed (still no offers), but i am getting antsy! I don't know when/if I should probe him about my status. What do you think? The last email I got from him was 10 days ago.
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I'm in the same situation. I waited about 10 days to email asking for more specific info on where I stand on the waitlist. The prof said he was happy to hear from me and I shouldn't hesitate to contact him...so I would say go ahead and email!
 
thanks! i just emailed him... I'm sort of dreading his response, but trying to be hopeful!
 
I'm going to email for an update on April 1 or so, probably.
 
Hirschykiss310 said:
Anyone else waitlisted at LaSalle? I'm not sure how many people they accepted and how many people they put on their waitlist.
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I am not sure how they do it... I still didn't hear anything from them. Supposedly they send out letters last week but my sister and I didn't get anything. When did you all hear back from LaSalle?
 
On the wait list for Wright State University PsyD, got rejected from all the other Doctoral program... so at least something!
 
udpsyc said:
I am not sure how they do it... I still didn't hear anything from them. Supposedly they send out letters last week but my sister and I didn't get anything. When did you all hear back from LaSalle?
Click to expand...


I got my letter this past Saturday
 
Out of the Blue....My POI at one of my waitlisted schools emails me to see if I'm still interested in the program. No offer. Just a general note. She even agreed to meet me again to discussion the program. Part of me is excited and thinking that this may be a good sign. Another part of me is proceeding with caution 😏. Up until now, I had, in my mind, crossed this school from my "hopeful" list, since I have been on the waitlist for over a month. I'm soooo confused about this strange admission dance.

Quit playing games with my heart admissions committee!😱
 
Emilee said:
Out of the Blue....My POI at one of my waitlisted schools emails me to see if I'm still interested in the program. No offer. Just a general note. She even agreed to meet me again to discussion the program. Part of me is excited and thinking that this may be a good sign. Another part of me is proceeding with caution 😏. Up until now, I had, in my mind, crossed this school from my "hopeful" list, since I have been on the waitlist for over a month. I'm soooo confused about this strange admission dance.

Quit playing games with my heart admissions committee!😱
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That sounds promising. If it's one of your top choices, I'd take that opportunity very seriously.

Good luck!
 
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I just got accepted to the University of Montana off the waitlist!!! It is my#1 choice...I'm soooooo excited!

:soexcited::banana::zip::biglove::clap:

Now I'm sending good luck to everyone still on waitlist, especially Cara!
 
Hi guys, I just got waitlisted for Ph.D in Business administration at UTSA. I was wondering if anyone had declined their Ph.D offer
 
I was also wondering how long it takes to get off a waitlist
 
rmenoch, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! Montana seems like a great program, and I'm glad at least one of us could get in there 😀

And thank you for the wishes too!

Btw, did you get funding? I heard that they only have partial funding. You can PM if you want 😀
 
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For those of you on the waitlists for Pacific University Oregon or Wright University, I released both offers today 🙂
 
I spoke too soon.

I finally got my letter from LaSalle today and got waitlisted 🙁

It is my #1 choice school. I want to find out what position I am on the waitlist ...can I call and find out?

Also, does anyone know if not having to make a decision till April 15th apply to Psy.D programs also? I got accepted at a masters program last week and don't want to give them an answer until I know about LaSalle. But at the interview the program director said if you get accepted not to wait a while before giving them an answer because those who are waitlisted might make have already decided not to wait and accpeted an offer somewhere else. So now im stuck ! How can I make a decision when LaSalle won't give me a answer until after April 15th?! 😕
 
udpsyc said:
I spoke too soon.

I finally got my letter from LaSalle today and got waitlisted 🙁

It is my #1 choice school. I want to find out what position I am on the waitlist ...can I call and find out?

Also, does anyone know if not having to make a decision till April 15th apply to Psy.D programs also? I got accepted at a masters program last week and don't want to give them an answer until I know about LaSalle. But at the interview the program director said if you get accepted not to wait a while before giving them an answer because those who are waitlisted might make have already decided not to wait and accpeted an offer somewhere else. So now im stuck ! How can I make a decision when LaSalle won't give me a answer until after April 15th?! 😕
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Yes, the April 15th deadline applies to Psy.D. programs as well..

I'd say it's perfectly acceptable to call the school that you are waitlisted at to find out more information regarding your status. Explain your situation and your interest in the program, and they should be more than understanding.

If you are waitlisted at your #1 choice and have received an offer somewhere else, you should wait to accept that offer until your status at your #1 has been determined (or until you are forced to make a decision due to deadlines). Programs may try and rush you into committing, but that serves themselves and other applicants better. In your situation, you have to look out for yourself 1st....hold that offer until you either receive a more attractive one or it becomes your best option.
 
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I don't think April 15 applies to Masters programs, so you don't have to really worry.
 
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