I'm Wait Listed, Now What?

Graduate admissions committees realize that not all candidates who are accepted will take them up on their offer of admission. Sometimes admissions committees don't notify the candidates they've selected as alternates; they wait and notify them of acceptance if a slot opens rather than telling candidates that they've been wait-listed (and perhaps getting candidates' hopes up prematurely). More frequently, applicants who are alternates are sent letters indicating their alternate or wait-list status. If you're wait-listed, then you're waiting to see if a slot opens - if a candidate who has been offered admission declines.

What do you do if you're an alternate? Wait. Take the time to consider whether the program is still of interest to you. If you've been accepted elsewhere and plan to attend, notify the admissions committee to withdraw yourself from the wait list. If you receive an offer from another program but you're more interested in the program to which you're an alternate, it's permissible to follow up and inquire if any more information is available if the April 15 deadline is approaching. Understand that the program staff may not have more information, but, like you, they want to end the process as quickly as possible. If you're down to the wire and have an offer of admission, sometimes you'll have to make a decision to withdraw your alternate status or run the risk of declining a solid offer of admission for something that may never materialize (forcing you to start the graduate admissions process all over again).