Wednesday, January 21, 2009

More Waiting -- Teach for America and NYC Teaching Fellows

As per their schedule, I got an update on my waitlist status from Teach for America on Jan 20. My new status is that I have to continue to wait. I still haven't been tossed curb-side, which I suppose is good, but I'll have to wait until March 10th for any more info.

Grrr.

I'm not sure what's up with NYC Teaching Fellows. They've begun sending out emails to people who interviewed in early December. Admissions are given on a rolling basis so, ostensibly, someone who interviewed on Dec 2nd (as I did) would hear before someone who interviewed on Dec 9th. But something is up. A friend of mine who interviewed on the same day that I did got an email saying she was waitlisted, several other people have posted to a message thread on the LiveJournal NYCTF site with their emails -- some outright rejected, others waitlisted, but none accepted. What's odd is that people who interviewed after me have received emails, but I have not.

My friend suggested that this might be a good sign. But knowing the Teaching Fellows, it could just as well be a bad sign, or a neutral sign, or a sign that my last name comes near the end of the alphabet and they simply haven't gotten to me yet.

Here are copies of the NYCTF waitlist and rejection notification emails, both copied from that LiveJournal thread linked just above. Thanks to both of the people who posted them:

Thank you for your continued interest in the NYC Teaching Fellows Program. At this time, we are reviewing your candidacy for the June 2009 program. Because of uncertainty about the budget, which will impact hiring needs for next school year, we are deferring admissions decisions until we have more information that enables us to better project the need for new Teaching Fellows.

Although we are unable to provide you with a final notification at this time, please be aware that you are part of a select group of applicants, and we will strongly consider your candidacy for our program. We expect to inform you of your final admissions decision by no later than Friday, March 27.

We thank you for your patience as you continue through the application process, and we appreciate your dedication to raising student achievement in the NYC classrooms that need you most. If you have any additional questions about the Fellowship, please do not hesitate to contact us at fellows@schools.nyc.gov or 718.935.4101.


and

Thank you for your interest in the NYC Teaching Fellows program. We appreciate the time and energy you have devoted to the application process and your desire to close the achievement gap. We have completed a final review of your application, and unfortunately, you have not been admitted to the Fellowship.

As you may know, the applicant pool for the Teaching Fellows program is extremely competitive. Each year we receive far more applications from qualified individuals than we have positions available.

We wish you the best in your future endeavors.


What's odd is that the wording in the waitlist notification email seems to be saying that it wasn't just this individual who was waitlisted, but that they are "deferring admissions decisions" for the entire program. If that is the case, I would think I'd have gotten the same email myself.

Not sure if that bodes well. I suppose it's a Good, Bad, or Let's See sort of situation -- as is getting into either program at all. Perhaps my path goes a different route altogether. We shall see.

If I hear anything else, I'll be sure to post it up here.

ADDENDUM
I finally heard back from NYCTF. It looks like they are only giving out rejections and waitlist emails. They aren't giving out any actual admissions right now because they have no idea what the demand will be from the schools. They say that we (meaning anyone who wasn't outright reject ed) should hear some final word from them by March 27th at the latest.

12 comments:

Adelaide said...

I observed the patterns last year and it seemed like those who never heard anything from NYCTF were much more likely to get in. The people who were accepted in the end went straight from interview completed to accepted. And I know before my acceptance there was a mass emailing of rejections.

So this could be a good sign if last year was any indication.

Anonymous said...

i just got into Teach For America, after being waitlisted. If I can give one piece of advice, push push push. I went to the national office, constantly emailed my recruitment person, visited a TFA classroom, and even called the regional office I wanted (Chicago). My recruitment contact said that my persistence is what got me in. good luck

Anonymous said...

Have you seen this?
http://gothamschools.org/2009/01/29/citing-citys-budget-teach-for-america-reduces-its-nyc-corps/

Anonymous said...

Adelaide I hope you are correct and it is the same this year, it just seems as though the economy has changed so much the past year that the Fellowship is at risk over all. It is nice to read messages like yours that give some hope, thanks for the encouragement.

Anonymous said...

Adelaide I hope you are correct and it is the same this year, it just seems as though the economy has changed so much the past year that the Fellowship is at risk over all. It is nice to read messages like yours that give some hope, thanks for the encouragement.

Anonymous said...

I was actually just thinking about you when I was having those conversations about what's going on with the NYCTF. It's painful to hear the sorts of stories coming out of this uncertainty. I have friends who thought they've found the job of a lifetime when they got accepted, but now they're all being held on pause, as if time is to "stand still." Please keep us all updated on what's going on with you. Peace.

Meadow at dusk said...

have you heard from them yet?

Anonymous said...

Any updates on TFA to share? Hope all is well!

Anonymous said...

I interviewed on January 21st and e-mailed NYCTF to find out when decisions would be made. I received an e-mail back today that by the end of this week people who interviewed that week would receive a decision.

Anonymous said...

so, did you get accepted or still waiting????

Anonymous said...

any word from TFA? i got waitlist til april 20th, which i feel like is awfully late in the game to get things lined up for the fall. we'll see...

Anonymous said...

I also got waitlisted for nyc tfa. i'm hoping that it is b/c they are uncertain about nyc, and not b/c i'm not qualified. but i guess it's better than a rejection! good luck with getting in!


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