Asking for a faster decision

[gabgab]

Hello all and thanks in advance for your help.

I recently applied to UChicago's MAPH program (cash cow I know but they have a late secondary deadline and I needed more options) and they aren't notifying until after April 30th. In the email confirming my admission they state to contact the graduate department if I need an earlier admissions decision.

My question is: would it reflect poorly/affect my chances for admission if I ask for an expedited decision? I have to notify another school of my intention to enroll by April 15th so an early decision would definitely be ideal.

I'd love to hear your opinions on this!

[rising_star]

If they say that you can ask, then you should. I would be polite in the email and let them know that you have another offer in hand which you need to make a decision on by April 15.

[TakeruK]

In addition to what rising star said, you don't have much to lose by asking. If you don't ask before April 15, then you will probably not hear anything and have to choose the other school. If you do ask and they reject you for asking, then you're not any worse off than not asking. But you might ask and get a quicker decision that allows you to have the choice of the two

[gabgab]

Thank you for your responses, they are much appreciated!

I emailed them and they replied that they would not be able to give me an earlier admissions date. Strange since the email explicitly stated that applicants could email if decisions in April/May did not work for them.

[TakeruK]

45 minutes ago, gabgab said:

Thank you for your responses, they are much appreciated!

I emailed them and they replied that they would not be able to give me an earlier admissions date. Strange since the email explicitly stated that applicants could email if decisions in April/May did not work for them.

That's too bad. The email said that you could send them an email if April/May didn't work for you but it didn't promise an earlier decision. It sounds like they might be able to provide an earlier decision if they thought they would accept you for sure, no matter what the rest of whatever their process is pans out. At least, that could be one interpretation of what that earlier email meant.