G'luck, ladies & gents!
I am well-versed with the waitlist blues. I played the application game two cycles. I won the privilege of being waitlisted at two programs my first year and at two programs my second year, so I am all too familiar with the waiting game that follows. However, it IS possible to be accepted off the waitlist. It happens more often than people think (even though I was extremely pessimistic about the whole mess at the time). I received that fated email on March 09, (I also know that my program has extended offers on the very last day possible in years past), so although it may seem late in the game right now, don't give up hope!
I know my program still has outstanding offers with its initial applicants, as I'm sure may be the case with other programs. As those folks respond to their offers, additional offers may be extended if they decline them for other programs. Again, don't give up hope, and try to keep yourselves occupied (as hard as that may be!).
G'luck to all!
Thanks for the success story! This is also my second year applying. Last year I was on two waitlists as well, but they obviously didn't turn in to offers. This year, I have an offer in hand from my third choice school. I haven't heard back from my second choice post interview and I am a "very high" alternate at my top choice.
Playing the waiting game is extremely difficult to do two years in a row. I am just hoping that this year it is all worth it and I get into my first choice off the waitlist. In the mean time, I am trying to channel of this anxious energy that I have into working out and other fun stuff.
I definitely have my fingers crossed for everyone out there on a waitlist!
I guess I am not very good at waiting.This thread is so well-timed . . . Here's my own personal wait-list horror story. I've been "high waitlisted" at the program where I'm currently hard at work completing my master's degree, by the person who is currently my advisor and my professor in one of my classes as well. Even more fun, he's made it clear that he values me as a student and has asked me to let him know if I receive other offers so he can give me updates about the offer pending with another student. This situation is awkward for him, awkward for the other students in the lab, and downright torturous for me! What a mess.
Well he doesn't have to wait, precisely, and he hasn't been . . . but he wants to be able to tell me whether or not I should go for it somewhere else or whether it would be worth my while to wait on him and this other student, I think. I wasn't exactly eager to draw out that particular conversation, in all honesty.
). And had they known that they weren't accepting me, then they could have provided me with the decency of notifying me as such (especially since most of the profs I interviewed with other than my primary POI spent the entire time attempting to talk me out of attending the program... ) ANYWAY... ) I actually received an extremely positive response from the DCT that left me overly optimistic for about a week or so. Aaaand then my cynicism eventually kicked in and I started questioning whether she was simply trying to be nice and she would have responded in a similar fashion to any interviewee who contacted her. Having known her for quite a few years now, however, I can nix that as most people are terrified of this lady (and were on interview day as well! 
)
The third interview was just this past weekend, so I guess we'll see.
I'd feel alot more positive in your shoes than mine, knowing you are next on the waitlist is definitely nerve-wracking but alot more hopeful than not knowing at all as well as wondering how many applicants are really on this waitlist. Am I on a waitlist with 20 others or 5 others? Am I next or bottom to next? lol sorry - my frustration is seeping out. But as you can see, you should be very happy you are next in line. That means there are others below you.
That seems a bit late and more than a bit inconsiderate!
