Waitlisted for top-choice - can I change it?

[avidphlegmatic]

Hi all!
This community has been so helpful to me in the past, so I was wondering if any of you could shed some light on my issue.

First some background: I'm applying for a PhD in English. I already have a BA in English and studying towards an MA in Creative Writing and English.

Comments

[everyoneiknow]

Did they mean that they don't want to give credit for your MA? If so, could you offer to start under the same conditions as someone who does not have an MA, meaning you plan to take do of the same coursework etc. as someone who has just finished undergrad? You could let them know that it's okay with you if none of your credits transfer or count toward their program (assuming that it is okay with you).

If that is not what they meant, what did they mean by "this track?" (I know nothing about English departments.)

[shil]

Hmm, that is kind of weird. It sounds like they usually allow students with MAs to bypass some of the coursework and go straight to the "PhD" part of the degree. Regardless of whether the problem is that you have an MA at all or that it's not from a familiar school, it sounds like you could potentially get around this problem by telling them that you're happy to enter the program at the beginning like everyone else does. I wouldn't offer to drop out of your current program, because it's unlikely to help and will sound like you aren't serious about what you're doing. They don't care whether you actually have the degree or not, they just don't know exactly what to do with you.

[tisiphone]

I am not sure that saying "I'll drop out of my current program for you!" will convince them that you have the tenaciousness required to complete a graduate program. However, letting them know that you would be willing to start the coursework from the beginning rather than expecting transfer credits may help. (Then again, it may not - one can but try.)

[homericlaughter]

This.

[nzraya]

I read that as saying "We are only accepting one person with an outside MA directly into our PhD program this year, and it's not you, so if we do take you off the waitlist it means you will be starting from scratch with us (completing requirements for the MA before being advanced to candidacy for the PhD

thanks!

[avidphlegmatic]

Thanks for all the input!
You guys have given me much food for thought...thanks for alerting me to the fact that I shouldn't go all out and threaten to throw my degree away. I think I got caught up in the urgency of it all :)
I'm going to call their director of graduate admissions today, and clear everything up. I'll let you know what it turned out to be.

Have a great week all!