littlered78

Hi! Thanks for replies. I was unclear: I am a teacher, so even if I tell my job now I'll be working through June. But this is all good advice, I should be on the safe side and wait.

So I am decided on the school I'm going to in the fall, and I've been talking to the professor I'll be working with. Funding is set up, there is a spot for me, everything. The question is, do I tell my current job now, or do I wait (maybe as much as a month) for the official letter from the university? The sooner my job knows, the sooner they can start to look for a replacement, and so I feel like I want to give them as much notice as I can. But I feel nervous! I don't know how set in stone an unofficial offer is. My future advisor assures me that it is all set. But what do you guys think?

It was so strange, I had the feeling all day I was going to hear from Harvard... I had a REALLY great conversation with a professor at my second choice school (who accepted me with full funding!) and 15 minutes later, as I was thinking "that might not be such a bad choice after all," I had the rejection email from Harvard. Now I have to endure the sympathetic looks from all those people who said, "Oh of course you'll get in." Don't worry, people-- Plan B awaits!

Just wondering now-- I had no idea there would be admits so soon! Does this mean if I don't hear from Human Dev. and Education for Ed.D around now then I am probably not in? I was completely unprepared for this. I thought it would be March 15th or something.

Thanks to both of you for your input. I ultimately decided that I don't need to withdraw my application or anything, but I also don't need to tell them that I will definitely accept an offer. I wrote very friendly and enthusiastic emails to both the professor and the head of the department and didn't commit to anything.

Okay, longtime lurker, first time poster-- I have my first dilemma on my hands. I don't know how things work in admissions committees and in departments, so I hope someone can tell me if these profs are dealing appropriately with me, and what my next move might be. I applied for a PhD in Education in the small department in which I already got a Master's, School A, and for an Ed.D in a large university, School B. (The names of the schools are less important than the situation, and I'm a little paranoid about posting-- please forgive the vagueness.) I asked my professor at School A to write me a letter of recommendation for both schools (in other words, she knew I was applying elsewhere). In all honesty I became more excited about School B as I was going through the application-- the department seemed much more exciting and my research interests have changed significantly since getting my Master's, to fit the professors at School B. Well, I got a phone call from the head of the department at School A, asking me, "Why do you want to get a PhD?" He then explained that there is only one funded doctoral student in the department next year and would I be willing to go part time with no funding. I was polite and cordial and asked to think about it. Then I emailed him and said that financially I couldn't go part time. Three days later I got a phone call from my recommending professor, asking me what my thoughts on doctoral work are. I was puzzled, but answered that I'm passionate about it. She told me that the head of the department "wasn't convinced of my enthusiasm" and that I needed to "do something to make it clear to him." I asked her if she meant I should call him? (I felt really uncomfortable with this.) She said, "I don't know, I don't mean kiss his a++, but let him know how much you want this." I said still that I wasn't sure what she meant, and that I didn't know how he got the impression that I wasn't enthusiastic (I had definitely been enthusiastic on the phone!). She said she would ask him more and get back to me. I was mystified. The next time I heard from her it was an email, four days after our call, and it said: "It was great to speak with you on the phone. I think, in sum, that _______ just needs to be assured that you are enthusiastic about accepting the offer (when offered) and that you can be a team player and will be eager to be a part of the ______ community. Otherwise, its very exciting!" So, now, what is she ASKING? Is she asking me to promise that I will accept an offer? I can't promise that when I haven't even heard from School B (might not hear for over a month), and even if I had heard from them, I don't know what the offer IS. Is this kind of thing usual? Are she and the head having doubts about me because they know I applied to another school as well (a very prestigious one)? Are the doubts because I don't want to go part time? More importantly, if I am NOT willing to commit to an offer before I get it, is there a graceful way to say this without burning bridges with a professor who up until now has been really great to me and really great to work with?? Thank you for any ideas. I am really stymied.