To think I've been accepted by accident?

[lynkat]

I am due to start a postgraduate course in a few weeks. I have enrolled and paid the fees etc and my status is showing as enrolled and I have my timetable through.

However, I did terribly at interview, really bad, hardly said a word and there was only a limited amount of spaces so I was really shocked to get a place.

Today I was emailing with the course leader (who did the interviews) and asked him to confirm something - he replied, 'Let me check with admissions as you are not on my list of people who had accepted a place and were eligible to enrol. Our system is probably just not keeping up with developments. Please check back with me on Friday.'

I am now really worried that I wasn’t actually accepted on to the course and this has been done in error. I’m also worried that even if he comes back to me and says everything is fine that I’m not actually deserving of a place on the course but they just accept me due to their mistake.

AIBU to read the email in that way?

Oh op - you got accepted.

be brave and confident.

you are about to embark on a big commitment. You earned your place. Don’t let your anxiety grind you down.

Classic Imposter Syndrome. You’re in and you will be fine.

They can't retract the offer now you've signed up and paid. So I'd just accept it as someone looking down on you and make it worth it.

That's not true for all courses, some have very limited spaces, especially those where placements are required.

I was about to say this!

I think you do need to think to yourself op…. You are paying them a small fortune OP.

Short of being Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and a handful of others - be confident you have the upper hand!

Why are you automatically assuming it's an error? The interview will only be one element of the criteria and usually, we are our own harshest critic.

If they come back telling you, you are in,then accept that it's on merit.

My course is social work so there was only 12 spaces on the course due to placements

But you are still paying them many multiples of thousands?

Yes 14,000 to be precise 😅

Interviews often go better than you think! They are also looking at your experience, qualifications, etc. Have faith. I work at a University as a Course Leader and work with admissions. In honesty course leaders don’t always have the most up to date list at this point in the year. In my experience it can take a few days especially at the moment to update, as they’re still handling clearing at UG (lots of exam board still haven’t released marks!) and awaiting confirmation of peoples degree results at PG. Unconditional means you’re in from admission POV. CL might be waiting on an updated list. If you’re unconfirmed have you accepted your offer your side? Hope this helps. I know it’s stressful and hoping you have a fantastic time on your course.

Let me put this simply OP, they actively want you and your money

OP do you think you might have an element of imposter syndrome? Very common issue. If you may maybe look into it, as best to address where you can.

Hope your course goes really well

It doesnt matter if it was in error or not tbh. You have the place now and they wont pull it.
Importantly, even if the offer would be made in error, it doenst mean you are not worthy of a place. Do you know many interviews people mess up? I messed up a few for my PhD before getting a place on the most prestigious PhD Programme in the UK. I am currently employed by the Uni that originally refused to take me on.
Chin up and trust yourself. You can do it!

Haven't read the full thread, though I see you've had confirmation you have a place.

Academia isn't a great place for people's self esteem and work/life balance, even if it's probably less bad at the postgrad level than in post-doc + academic roles.

Finding a counsellor/therapist - either independently or through the university might be worth considering, if you want to carve out some space for you during the week to talk with somebody who is only there for you and what's bothering you.

Is there a Facebook/WhatsApp/other non-uni controlled way of making contact with course mates yet? Being in touch with others in a similar position might help (or might not, if they're hiding their anxieties by trying to appear to be very confident).

I'd recommend finding out what the uni offers by way of study support / mentoring. Find somebody you can safely tell you're worried that the offer was a mistake - try the students' union and see if they can help/they can recommend who to talk to in terms of uni staff - I realise the Course Leader may not be the best person in the first instance. Look for information about 'imposter syndrome' [and the critiques of that as the concept].

Don't discount dyslexia/ADHD/autism/mental health diagnoses as being possibilities for you - I've known people who've managed fine until they reached post grad study before being diagnosed. Not saying any of those is true, but to beware of the possibility.

If interviews are generally hard for you, consider making contact with the uni's careers service early on, to get help re future job/study applications - they may be able to offer mock interviews etc.

Wow! So just because OP had genuine concerns about the security of her place, you're telling her to get counselling and to consider the possibility of an ASD/ADHD/Mental Health diagnosis?!?!?!

WTAF

@OchonAgusOchonOh as sad as it sounds I think that would have been more efficient than the mess we ended up with😆

I’m at Uni and there are often people there that aren’t on module class lists. Good luck for your phd

Blimey! There's 22 on mine!

However, I did terribly at interview, really bad, hardly said a word

I only have an undergraduate degree in a statistical subject, but in my experience university interviews don’t hold much weight. I think you’re almost guaranteed to get a place if you get the grades required. Although could be different for a masters with limited places. If you’ve got an unconditional offer, seems like you’re good to go 😊

An unconditional offer - sounds brilliant!!

Oh dear.

Sounds like I should be getting down on bended knee and giving thanks that my normally utterly incompetent university, which does it's absolute best to push as much work as possible from central admin out to academics and discipline admin, actually managed to get something right for once.

If you had a conditional offer, you must have been told what the condition(s) were. If the offer changed from condotional to unconditional when you got your undergraduate degree then I assume that wa the condition. Not sure when the interview took place -- presumably before the conditional offer was made?

It will absolutely be down to their admin processes! 5 or 6 different people will be working from different versions of a paper list that they should not have printed out as it wasn't finalised. The person who can get the latest details from the system and send them around will be on holiday. At least 2 different admin departments will be locked into a power struggle and hoarding information for nefarious political reasons and none of the IT systems will be linked up correctly. It will be fine.

Girlfriend we cannot control what we cannot control. And the schools system is one of them. However you were interviewed and best of all they took your money. That money thing is usually the clinger over here in the US.

So control what you can - Yourself! You want this, deserve this and you are 100% capable of succeeding in this class. That said stop worrying and kick ass!! YOU’VE GOT THIS!!! We all know - now you just need to own it!!! All the best!!!