MSTP waitlist

[lillian03]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi everyone,
I would appreciate some advice on a situation. Let's say that you get waitlisted at your number one choice MSTP. Then you get accepted to your number two choice MSTP. Both programs are great, but your number one is a little higher ranked. Should you still wait around for your number one? I mean, they put you on the wait list. They are treating you like a second-class citizen. They only want you, if some other people turn them down. Whereas, your number two choice clearly wants you and is actively recruiting you. Should you just forget your number one and just be happy with your number two? Or should you still wait around for your number one? Keeping in mind, you might not get off the waitlist until mid-may? What's everyone's opinion on this situation?

 

[surge]

I was actually thinking about this. Since you are implying that the #2 school is not much behind #1, I would say that it should definitely be about how they treat you as an applicant.
With so little difference between the schools, it truly won't matter in the long run where you went, except to the extent of your performance at a particular school. And I would never like to be at a place that I knew took me in as a second choice.
I have every intention of picking up the phone the second I learn of something like this and withdrawing with pleasure. Their loss.

 

[Adcadet]

true, you may be your top school's "second choice," but you're ahead of many many others. Now, if they are treating you like crap, I'd think seriously about the program - if they treat people good enough to let in (waitlist) like crap how do they treat current students? But then again, you may have very little contact with those running the admissions process.

 

[Angeliqua]

Don't feel like a second-class citizen for being on the waitlist, as previously mentioned, you got further than probably a fair amount of people. Be happy you are there and not rejected! (I sort of went through the same thing last week when I was waitlisted at a school I would love to attend). 😎

Anyway, it is great that you do have an acceptance in hand (to your second choice, not bad). Be happy about that, mid-May is not too far away and schools realize that a lot of people will be shuffling around at that point and this second choice school will totally understand if you bail on them and join another program; some other "second-class" citizen may get to go there and be really happy about it! 😉 If this other school is your first choice, I would not recommend withdrawing, hang out and see what happens - I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

Also, about the second choice thing...it does kind of suck to think about it in those terms, but next year when you are there kickin' a$$ and doing some great research in a few years, no one will think of you as one of the "second-choice" students.

Regardless, you are going to start an MD/PhD program next year, congratulations and good luck!

 

[Vader]

There is normally a lot of shuffling around with waitlist movement as acceptances are declined. A waitlist is not a second-class spot. Every person ranked on a waitlist is qualified to get accepted to the program. The idea of the waitlist is that there are more great applicants than there are spots at any given program. Therefore, there is by necessity shuffling that goes on once acceptances are sent out. Be patient and don't regard being waitlisted as disrespect toward you. Hope you get your number one! 😀

 

[nooreen]

Originally posted by lillian03
Both programs are great, but your number one is a little higher ranked.

Lillian,

I hope you realize that your entire future depends on the rank of your future school in the US News & World Report.

Seriously, I think you should:
A. Consider whether you would attend your top-choice school if you are taken off the waitlist and given an offer. If so, then wait! Don't turn down your other acceptance of course. As other people said, you should remember that a lot of applicants don't even get that far.

B. Be happy with the offer that you have! Congrats!!

Of course, I do not know what schools you are considering and why. But I am also wait-listed at one of my top-choices and trying to figure it out. I am trying not to look at it as a second-class situation. Afterall, I could have a very long relationship with the people there, and there is nothing to gain from being bitter. Good luck!

--Nooreen

 

[badger03]

This post seemed to be sinking towards the bottom, so I thougtht I'd give it a 'bump'.

I just got a letter from Harvard today stating that I'm on the waitlist for MSTP. I'm still waiting to hear back from Stanford, but I'd be curious to know what people think about the dynamics of wait lists at schools like Harvard or Cornell (b/c I'm waitlisted there too 🙁 ). Should I begin to look elsewhere?

 

[giverny]

pm'ed you. 🙂

 

[isidella]

Originally posted by nooreen


I hope you realize that your entire future depends on the rank of your future school in the US News & World Report.

You are awesome! So nooreen, where are you considering going? PM me if you want .