Chances after wait-listed?

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Cayetana

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Hi all. I've been placed on the waiting list for University of Nebraska Counseling PhD. Any ideas on what my chances might be?

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I disagree. Waitlists are very important for grad school. Think about it-- let's say a very qualified applicant got 5 offers. She can only accept one, so four other slots will go to waitlisted applicants. I'd guess that around 50% of students at any given program got in off the waitlist. The annoying part of waitlists is the first syllable-- you are basically stuck in limbo and must wait until the accepted applicants make up their mind (this is a good reason for those of you who are lucky enough to have multiple offers to not put off deciding and quickly turn down the offers you are sure not to take).
 
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I'm curious about this myself as I am waitlisted at a school. They said I was in the highest position on their alternative list, but you never know. Has anyone here ever gotten on the waitlist, but was eventually accepted to the school? The school said they'll probably know something by March. Of course they didn't say whether it would early, mid or late March...
 
someone on here last year was waitlisted at either Temple or BU (dont remember which) and was notified of her acceptance pretty late i think
 
As with anything, it depends on a whole lot of factors that we have absolutely no control over. Yes, there is a possibility that you are accepted off of the waitlist because the first choice was a highly qualified individual who received 10 other offers and can, of course, only accept one of those. However, there is also the possibility that the person being accepted did not receive any other offers (as is the case with one of my waitlistings), so it would likely be somewhat foolish to turn down his/her only acceptance. OR, it could be that your waitlisting is that other applicant's first choice school and it does not matter regardless because he/she plans to attend there. I've known a few (including the grad student hosts I stayed with last week) who were initially waitlisted and then accepted, but I know more (including myself) who were not.

Personally, if I've been waitlisted everywhere (as currently stands), then I'm going to start planning for alternate paths rather than sit around until April 15th, hoping that someone will turn down their spot and I'm magically elevated to the 1st choice alternate position.

G'luck! :luck:
 
Paramour, what are those "alternate paths" you're talking about.

I am trying to also figure out what to do if I don't get in. None of the options are pretty :(.

I don't want to move back home (across the country), I also don't want to work for a year and basically miss out on accumulating credits, so I'll probably end up continuing with the EDS program (education specialist) here, and this way the credits will be applied towards my PhD if I get in here. On the down side, if I do continue with the EDS and continue to accumulate credits, getting into another program next year might mean losing a bunch of credits if I can only transfer so many.

What sucks is that I'm not eligible for "in state" tuition anywhere in the U.S.! I'm not eligible in my home state because I went to get my Masters somewhere else, therefore I haven't lived in the state for the year previous to application. I'm not eligible here either because I've always been dependent on the school up until this point, so I'm not considered a resident. If I don't get in, I *would* be considered in-state in a year if I actually get a job and work for a year.

By the way, I love your signature!
 
Paramour, what are those "alternate paths" you're talking about.

I am trying to also figure out what to do if I don't get in. None of the options are pretty :(.

I don't want to move back home (across the country), I also don't want to work for a year and basically miss out on accumulating credits, so I'll probably end up continuing with the EDS program (education specialist) here, and this way the credits will be applied towards my PhD if I get in here. On the down side, if I do continue with the EDS and continue to accumulate credits, getting into another program next year might mean losing a bunch of credits if I can only transfer so many.

What sucks is that I'm not eligible for "in state" tuition anywhere in the U.S.! I'm not eligible in my home state because I went to get my Masters somewhere else, therefore I haven't lived in the state for the year previous to application. I'm not eligible here either because I've always been dependent on the school up until this point, so I'm not considered a resident. If I don't get in, I *would* be considered in-state in a year if I actually get a job and work for a year.

By the way, I love your signature!

That sucketh (about the tuition)! And, I understand about nonattractive options--if everything were great, we wouldn't have to worry about alternate plans. Those paths vary depending upon the person, what they want to do, what they can do, and where they eventually want to end up.

I, personally, know I will apply to doctoral programs again. At this time, I am attempting to determine whether I will apply again this next application cycle, or wait one out.

I already have my master's as well, so "go for a master's degree" does me no good.

I can attempt to find a research position but those around here are less than optimal which leaves me moving. Not so great, however, for a number of reasons. I am married. I have a child. We own a house. If I go elsewhere, it would only be for 1 year, 2 years max, at which point we (I) would then have to move again. I have no desire to pull my child in and out of schools, so likely they would stay here and I would commute somewhere. This leaves me needing to make a sufficient amount of money to pay for "commuting fees" (e.g., hotel expenses, etc.) on my own. Most research positions that I'm interested in and that pay well are in larger cities that would likely kill me to live there on my own (e.g., Boston, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles), so probably not feasible. Vanderbilt does have some nice positions currently available and it's not so far away, so I am keeping them in mind for the time being.

Whatever I decide to do, I need to verify that it is something worthwhile and that improves my competitiveness as an applicant. No need to just "kill time" with any ole' job.

Speaking of that competitiveness, I have to decide what to do about my GREs. My GRE scores are okay, not stellar, but okay. Of course, I did not study and decided at the last minute that I was going to take it (about 3 weeks before). I currently have 1240 total (580V, 660Q) with 6.0 Analytical/Writing. I really have no idea what happened with my verbal, usually that's the section I kick ass on. I actually took the GRE back in 2004, and was planning on retaking this last semester. Registered for it and then ended up with the flu, so I blew my money since I was unable to cancel within 3 days. I was going to take it anyway but I had no desire to end up with lower scores on my report, which was likely since my head was so addled that my practice exams the day before really sucked.

Soo, do I retake it before reapplying? If I do, do I do so before the new GRE? The new GRE sounds attractive for a number of reasons, however, there are also some downsides to it. If I take the current one, I only have until July 31st. Is that ample time for me to study in order to do well? I'm afraid that I will retake it and actually lower my scores. I have been up to Calculus, 1 full year of it, but it It has been several years since I took any of those math courses. Do I have time to 'refresh' myself on all that math 'stuff'?

Not sure I want to do this as I am almost positive I will end up taking the subject (psyc) GRE at some point. This limited some of the programs I could apply to last time around, so I'm hoping it will open up some possibilities for me. At the same time, it's going to cost me (at a time that I end up with additional bills because I get to start paying loans, woo hoo!). So, do I just take the subject GRE and hope that's sufficient with my current scores? Do I suck it up and take both? Yet another decision to make.

I've had two professors advise me of a post-masters fellowship opportunity sometimes offered by the department. I actually knew about this fellowship several months back. I still think the guy jinxed me! We were talking about applying to doctoral programs and he tells me, "well, if you don't accepted . . . " Up until that point, I (as well as everyone else) just knew that I would be accepted into at least one program. All I need is one after all, right? And, now I'm here with several rejections, waiting for confirmations on a handful of others, and two waitlists. I'm up one waitlist from the last app cycle, however, so I suppose you could say I've improved. Of course, this could worry me that during the next cycle I'll end up with 3 waitlists! :rolleyes:

blah, anyway, I also have to re-evaluate my research interests. Although I'm interested in a broad range of areas, I am particularly interested in one specific area that really limits me to where I can apply. My past & current experience are in another area--and I get mixed reactions with it. One interviewer absolutely loved that I had expertise in that area; another told me that it did not interest him, and if I had any interest in it, then he really did not see the point in considering me. Just because I have the experience does not mean I want to stick it out in that area for the next 5-7 years! But, he could not seem to get past that. If I had applied with profs who worked in those areas, on the other hand, I probably would not be sitting here with zilch for acceptances. So, in the end, do I apply to a range of my interests just to get accepted elsewhere and likely get pigeon-holed into that area research-wise? My profs claim that I should apply more broadly, but I'm really not so sure about this . . .

hehe, a lengthy rambling answer that may not help you whatsoever! :smuggrin: But, it at least helps me get my thoughts out so I know where I'm currently at. If I'm looking for research opportunities or what to do, I need to figure it out soon. Some of those positions take a while to process and I don't want to wait until halfway through the summer before I start something.

We shall see! What works for me may not for you, and vice versa. If you ever wish to chat, feel free to PM me. G'luck! :luck:

And, thanks for the siggy comment. Someone I knew told me this about a year back and it has stuck in my head ever sense! :D
 
I'm a current clinical grad student, and I know a lot of people who have gotten in off the waitlist. It happens quite a bit, and it might not only be the highest alternate because that person will have taken their name out of conention in the meantime. That said, it is sort of crapshoot, and takes some waiting, since people may hold offers until April sometime.

Also, if you are on a waitlist, and it's your first choice, every so often you should email your POI and the director of clinical training or head of the admissions committee, who is also heavily involved, and continue to express your interest. When it gets down to crunch time, professors want to take someone who's actually going to accept. They may actually skip one person down if they're pretty sure the person below is going to take the slot so that it makes the numbers look good and they've got someone. I'm not saying that if you're at the very bottom of the waitlist you'll make it, but the waitlist isn't set in stone (at least in my school).

However, my mentor's biggest pet peeve is when you're on the waitlist, telling him his school is the FIRST choice, and then turning it down. He remembers those people. If it isn't, say you're extremely interested, you think it would be a great fit, an excellent match, etc, but don't promise it's your first choice if it isn't.
 
That sucketh (about the tuition)! And, I understand about nonattractive options--if everything were great, we wouldn't have to worry about alternate plans. Those paths vary depending upon the person, what they want to do, what they can do, and where they eventually want to end up.

I, personally, know I will apply to doctoral programs again. At this time, I am attempting to determine whether I will apply again this next application cycle, or wait one out.

I already have my master's as well, so "go for a master's degree" does me no good.

I can attempt to find a research position but those around here are less than optimal which leaves me moving. Not so great, however, for a number of reasons. I am married. I have a child. We own a house. If I go elsewhere, it would only be for 1 year, 2 years max, at which point we (I) would then have to move again. I have no desire to pull my child in and out of schools, so likely they would stay here and I would commute somewhere. This leaves me needing to make a sufficient amount of money to pay for "commuting fees" (e.g., hotel expenses, etc.) on my own. Most research positions that I'm interested in and that pay well are in larger cities that would likely kill me to live there on my own (e.g., Boston, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles), so probably not feasible. Vanderbilt does have some nice positions currently available and it's not so far away, so I am keeping them in mind for the time being.

Whatever I decide to do, I need to verify that it is something worthwhile and that improves my competitiveness as an applicant. No need to just "kill time" with any ole' job.

Speaking of that competitiveness, I have to decide what to do about my GREs. My GRE scores are okay, not stellar, but okay. Of course, I did not study and decided at the last minute that I was going to take it (about 3 weeks before). I currently have 1240 total (580V, 660Q) with 6.0 Analytical/Writing. I really have no idea what happened with my verbal, usually that's the section I kick ass on. I actually took the GRE back in 2004, and was planning on retaking this last semester. Registered for it and then ended up with the flu, so I blew my money since I was unable to cancel within 3 days. I was going to take it anyway but I had no desire to end up with lower scores on my report, which was likely since my head was so addled that my practice exams the day before really sucked.

Soo, do I retake it before reapplying? If I do, do I do so before the new GRE? The new GRE sounds attractive for a number of reasons, however, there are also some downsides to it. If I take the current one, I only have until July 31st. Is that ample time for me to study in order to do well? I'm afraid that I will retake it and actually lower my scores. I have been up to Calculus, 1 full year of it, but it It has been several years since I took any of those math courses. Do I have time to 'refresh' myself on all that math 'stuff'?

Not sure I want to do this as I am almost positive I will end up taking the subject (psyc) GRE at some point. This limited some of the programs I could apply to last time around, so I'm hoping it will open up some possibilities for me. At the same time, it's going to cost me (at a time that I end up with additional bills because I get to start paying loans, woo hoo!). So, do I just take the subject GRE and hope that's sufficient with my current scores? Do I suck it up and take both? Yet another decision to make.

I've had two professors advise me of a post-masters fellowship opportunity sometimes offered by the department. I actually knew about this fellowship several months back. I still think the guy jinxed me! We were talking about applying to doctoral programs and he tells me, "well, if you don't accepted . . . " Up until that point, I (as well as everyone else) just knew that I would be accepted into at least one program. All I need is one after all, right? And, now I'm here with several rejections, waiting for confirmations on a handful of others, and two waitlists. I'm up one waitlist from the last app cycle, however, so I suppose you could say I've improved. Of course, this could worry me that during the next cycle I'll end up with 3 waitlists! :rolleyes:

blah, anyway, I also have to re-evaluate my research interests. Although I'm interested in a broad range of areas, I am particularly interested in one specific area that really limits me to where I can apply. My past & current experience are in another area--and I get mixed reactions with it. One interviewer absolutely loved that I had expertise in that area; another told me that it did not interest him, and if I had any interest in it, then he really did not see the point in considering me. Just because I have the experience does not mean I want to stick it out in that area for the next 5-7 years! But, he could not seem to get past that. If I had applied with profs who worked in those areas, on the other hand, I probably would not be sitting here with zilch for acceptances. So, in the end, do I apply to a range of my interests just to get accepted elsewhere and likely get pigeon-holed into that area research-wise? My profs claim that I should apply more broadly, but I'm really not so sure about this . . .

hehe, a lengthy rambling answer that may not help you whatsoever! :smuggrin: But, it at least helps me get my thoughts out so I know where I'm currently at. If I'm looking for research opportunities or what to do, I need to figure it out soon. Some of those positions take a while to process and I don't want to wait until halfway through the summer before I start something.

We shall see! What works for me may not for you, and vice versa. If you ever wish to chat, feel free to PM me. G'luck! :luck:

And, thanks for the siggy comment. Someone I knew told me this about a year back and it has stuck in my head ever sense! :D

Hi, I'm pretty new here. This is my first year applying. I graduate with my BS in May. I'm still waiting to hear from a few schools that I haven't received rejections to or interview invites. So, it doesn't look promising. But, I'm hanging on to a little hope. Anyway, I just wanted to say I hope you get in.
 
Hi, I'm pretty new here. This is my first year applying. I graduate with my BS in May. I'm still waiting to hear from a few schools that I haven't received rejections to or interview invites. So, it doesn't look promising. But, I'm hanging on to a little hope. Anyway, I just wanted to say I hope you get in.

Well, although not optimistic for myself, I can easily be optimistic for others . . . so good luck! :luck: And, thanks, that makes two of us hoping that I get in. :D
 
How do you know if and where you are on a waitlist. I have interviewed at one school more than two weeks ago and I haven't heard anything. Any advice on what I should do now?
 
I am also a long time wait-lister. When I did this two years ago I was wait-listed at four schools. None of the schools told me my status until I emailed them. Then some of the programs said where I was on the wait-list, others said, you are near the top I wouldn't be surprised if I did make you an offer soon, and others just said I was on it and to keep checking back with them. Ofcourse, I did not receive an offer from any of those schools. But I do know people that get offers from wait-lists so don't give up.

The best thing to do if you want to know your status is to ask your POI. For me it is better to know something then just sit here and wait. I finally emailed the POI of a school I interviewed with a month ago, thinking that I really didn't have a chance because I had not heard anything and was told I was the first alternate. So it doesn't hurt to find out.

How do you know if and where you are on a waitlist. I have interviewed at one school more than two weeks ago and I haven't heard anything. Any advice on what I should do now?
 
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