Placed on reserve list PhD- advice

So I had an interview for a PhD on Friday. I thought the interview went well and even a member of the panel said it was a good interview afterwards. Me and the PI for the project get on like a house on fire and we had many talks before my interview.

Disappointingly, they are not able to offer me the studentship at this time, but think I interviewed well, and were impressed with my research experience so have placed me on a reserve list.

Honestly I thought I had knocked the interview out of the park and even my supervisor was surprised to hear I didn’t get in.

I’m now waiting and hoping one or two people reject their offer and I don’t know what number I am on the list (hopefully high), although I’ve emailed to ask how I can improve and where I stand on the list.

Any advice for dealing with the disappointment and the likelihood I will get a place? I mean the rejection email ended “(not everyone accepts the offer) there is a reasonable possibility that we will be able to offer you a studentship in due course“
Thanks

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 1

Fmcp

I was on a reserve list for funding and was awarded it in the end. But really nobody can say what the likelihood of this is; there's so many factors.

To your other question though: when I got the email about being on the reserve list I initially thought I was outright rejected and went to commiserate with a friend who was up for the same funding and got rejected. Then I went back to the email (probably to rub salt in my wound 😂) and only then noticed the reserve list part. I was actually really pleased -- reserve list is an achievement. I knew my proposal was good -- I could not have done anything more -- and previous achievements were all at the highest level. I had an unconditional place on the PhD despite not having finished my master's, and some prizes. My supervisors were surprised and disappointed but very reassuring. I took it as a really good lesson that rejection of some form in academia is inevitable, and if I wanted to continue, I should really learn to accept it now. I realised it also didn't make me any less proud of my proposal, which was super important because I eventually did get the funding to execute that project!

Don't lose hope and don't get down on yourself. If it helps, let yourself wallow a little in disappointment but then re-orient yourself to why you want to do the PhD, and remind yourself of your achievements thus far. You're clearly at the top of your game if you've come this close, so don't forget this. Sometimes bad luck just intervenes and it's nothing to do with you. Decide whether, if you don't get this one, you want to try for others, and put your energy into that once you know the outcome of this. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Reply 2

Happybeescience

Thank you, yeah I must’ve reread the email several times and was a little happy but mostly disheartened to be on the reserve list. This DTP is super competitive and the other applicants I met were strong candidates so I can only hope at this point that someone prefers a different position somewhere else.

This is definitely not the end though, I’m waiting to hear back from another studentship about interviews and if that fails and I don’t move from the reserve list, I will reapply again next year and work on the things that lowered my standing this time round.

Reply 3

Happybeescience

Update: I received an email yesterday saying this years round had now closed and there are no more places meaning I wasn’t able to get off the reserve list into the studentship, which I guess I knew would happen deep down.
It looks like the candidates that have been offered a place have accepted their positions ahead of the deadline which meant no one on reserve this year actually got offered a place, for the first time in years.
I know it’s too late to apply to anymore studentships so it’s time to wallow in my grief and start looking again for the next round.
Next year is my last year of applying, this year was my third year and the longer I’m out of education the harder it is to go back.