spiral

Thanks for the advice guys--I feel more confident emailing back now!

sorry if this is a repeat question, but i couldn't find anything in my forum searches... i got an acceptance email from Minnesota HSTM (phd) right before Christmas (strange timing!), saying that I was accepted and that they weren't doing funding decisions til mid January (that i would hear then). They want me to come visit and offered travel expenses. obviously I have to respond somehow, and soon, since i didn't even get the email until today (not checking email over the holiday). I'm just not sure what the format/protocol is (this is my first program response of any sort, first application cycle). i'm not sure what I should be writing back to the program coordinator's email..... --'i'm very excited about the program and am looking forward to hearing your funding decision'? --'i'd love to visit, how about this specific date'? --????? The real issue is that I applied to 9 other programs, 5-6 of which I would still consider carefully if i had the good fortune to get an offer from any of them. As far as I know, a lot of these programs don't start offering/interviewing until February. So there is no way I'd be in a position to formally accept anytime soon. I guess I'm not sure how to correctly "hold" offers through March/April, especially starting now---this Minnesota thing is so early (shocked!) its really throwing me for a loop. any suggestions or suggestions of blogs/sites explaining what kind of email I should write/how i should approach expressing interest/visiting without accepting for ages? i just don't want to do say the wrong thing or come off obnoxious.... thanks in advance, denizens of the interwebs!