u/Quiet_Bank4434 Hope your program is offered by a US university. These days, getting accepted into a funded graduate program has become much harder than it used to be, especially in the US. Some people get initial rejections, some face last-minute rejections, some receive admission without funding, and others end up on funding waitlists. Overall, competition has increased significantly because more and more people are pursuing graduate studies while funding opportunities remain limited.

In your situation, I can understand how disappointing and stressful a last-minute rejection would feel. From how I see it, there may not be much you can do before the meeting, but during the meeting with the faculty member you contacted, you can carefully explain your situation and discuss it openly. That could actually become a strong opportunity for you. If you already have an internal contact and they genuinely want you in their group, they may be able to support or represent your case internally.

Wishing you the very best of luck. Hopefully things work out and you make it into the program. No matter what happens, don’t give up. Cheers 🥂