sandwichlover

IR and methods!

email from member of adcom, don't think i've received an official update on the application portal

Hi all, first-time poster, medium-time lurker. I'd like to ask about etiquette regarding waitlists. I just found out I was waitlisted by Harvard, and I'm debating whether to accept my spot or not. Generally, would it be seen as unprofessional or distasteful if one accepts a spot on a waitlist, is extended an actual offer by the school, and then ends up turning it down anyway for another program? Harvard would certainly be one of my top choices but if I ended up opting for another school I don't want to start off my career by burning bridges or leaving a bad taste in a number of scholars' mouths. (On my way down here I saw the warning that given the current financial and political climate, getting off a waitlist is a very big "if," so I understand there's a good chance this scenario will not come to fruition.)