How do you respond to a PhD waitlist?

Indicate your sincere interest in this graduate program. Mention that you’ve responded as requested to your waitlist status. End the note by thanking this person for the time and attention they’ve given and will give to your application.

What does it mean to be waitlisted for a PhD program?

Being in the waiting list means you haven’t been selected, but you came close. If some of the selected applicants declines the offer (because they got somewhere else), they start going down the waiting list. At this point, there is nothing you can do to change the outcome.

How long do college Waitlists last?

Schools usually start to admit applicants off the waitlist after May 1 and will continue to admit applicants until they’ve filled their entire freshman class.

How do you respond to being on the waitlist?

Once you receive your notice that you have been waitlisted, you should consider writing a letter to the admission officers. No more than one page, the letter should convey your continued interest. You should send it as soon as possible to help sway your admission status positively.

Is being waitlisted bad grad school?

Why It’s Not So Bad First, being waitlisted gives you the rare chance to improve your application without reapplying (which takes an extra year or more). Second, being waitlisted actually gives you an additional chance (or two) at acceptance.

How do graduate Waitlists work?

Many graduate schools have large waitlists only expecting to admit a few, if any, from the list. Additionally, waitlists are often used to craft the class later in the admissions cycle. Some schools review their waitlists in April or May, after first deposits are due, letting candidates know their fate rather quickly.

When can I expect to hear back about my PhD application?

If there’s movement off the waitlist, you can expect to hear something as April 15 approaches (and even slightly afterward) as the department solidifies its final list of incoming PhD students.

What is the deadline to apply for PhD programs?

Second, understand the timeline you’re dealing with. For most U.S. PhD programs, April 15 is the final date for accepted students to provide notification of intent to enroll. Schools require a commitment from admitted students by that deadline in order to fill their cohort.

What does it mean when you’re waitlisted from a university?

Most of the time, it means you have the academic credentials to be admitted, but for one reason or another, the admissions office wasn’t ready to accept you. If you’ve been waitlisted, don’t panic.

What happens if you are waitlisted or deferred from admission?

Remember that if you have been waitlisted or deferred, you have not been denied admission. It’s as if you have been asked to stay in the waiting room a little longer, pending an ultimate decision. As with any waiting period, use the time wisely.