Being Waitlisted
As you can imagine, we are getting a number of questions from applicants who have been waitlisted. We understand that being waitlisted frequently feels like a combination of disappointment at not being admitted, elation at not being rejected, and confusion about what to do and how to prepare for the future. The thoughts,” can I expect to hear something? When should I expect to hear something? Should I be moving forward with my back up plans? Is there any hope? And if there is any hope, what is the percentage of hope and where am I in relation to others?” are all completely normal and very common. Below we’ll try to answer some of these frequently asked questions:
1) When will the next round of offers go out?
The first round of offers closes on May 22 at 12:00 (noon) PST. At that time we will take a look at how many applicants have accepted their offer and paid their deposit and at which sites we have positions available. We will then send subsequent rounds of offers as soon as possible- likely on May 23.
2) How does the waitlist work and who is on the waitlist?
This is a complicated question (don’t you love that answer?) 🙂 Our best description of the waitlist and how it works is on the handout we provided at the site information sessions. If you don’t happen to still have a copy, you can find one here.
3) If I am offered a position off of the waitlist, how will I know and how long will I have to decide?
Offers of admission will continue to be given electronically. Because the time frame for acceptance will become shorter and shorter throughout the summer (as we get closer to the start of classes) we strongly encourage you to check your OAS account or email once a day. If you do choose to rely on email make sure your email stays current and that you are still able to receive our messages. Also, make sure your phone numbers and mailing addresses stay current as we may need to get in touch with you other ways. You can update your information on your profile page. In the next few weeks we will try to give offered candidates 3-4 days to respond, but later the notice periods can be as short as 24 hours.
4) How many applicants get off the waitlist?
The stats for the last few years are posted on our website. Scroll to table 15 where it says “Declined Offer.” Feel free to check it out! We can’t say from year to year, but as you can see there are trends.
5) How long is the ‘waitlist’?
Somewhere between too long and exactly right. Sorry, cannot disclose precisely how many, too many confounding issues like site preferences and in-province, out-of-province status.
6) How is the waitlist ranked?
It is based on the holistic review process of the Admissions Committee. Calculating your ‘TFR’ pre-interview and trying to gauge where you are on the list is not a worthwhile endeavor.