Accept Offer and Decline Later

[jaajfn]

Hi, I am new to grad cafe as I just found it and am so glad I did!

Sorry if i am asking an obvious question but I've been accepted to two programs whose deadlines are in a few days. I am waiting to hear back from 3 more schools, one of them being my top choice. Also, two of the programs stated applicants won't hear back until late April or May. What is normal grad school etiquette...? Is it okay to accept one of these schools as a backup and then decline later?

[Nels Nelson]

I am in the same boat. I have Heard back from 2, waiting to hear back from 2 (1 of them is top choice), grad programs in Environmental Engineering. I emailed the schools I have been accepted to and explained I am still waiting and asked for an extension, they both gave me an extra week - hopefully that is enough. Otherwise yea you totally can accept and pull out, if it is a PhD program with a specific professor you may tarnish a bridge by doing that but I hear it happens ALL THE TIME. The one thing to check on is the deposit, if there is one, I know my #2 school has a deposit ($100) that I will lose if I accept and pull  out.

Any other advice ?  So very much wanting to learn more about this too.

[Sparkybob]

Are the offers funded? 

[Nels Nelson]

9 hours ago, Sparkybob said:

Are the offers funded? 

My number 2 choice is partially funded (about half of tuition is covered by scholarships), however I checked and they (Carnegie Mellon) are not part of the Council of Graduate Schools so I don't think I will need a written release (though I am making an educated guess on this) if I withdraw.

 

Apologies if you were only asking the original poster

Edited April 11, 2018 by Nels Nelson
wanted to ad something

[Warelin]

9 minutes ago, Nels Nelson said:

My number 2 choice is partially funded (about half of tuition is covered by scholarships), however I checked and they (Carnegie Mellon) are not part of the Council of Graduate Schools so I don't think I will need a written release (though I am making an educated guess on this) if I withdraw.

 

Apologies if you were only asking the original poster

Carnegie Mellon is a member institution. http://cgsnet.org/institutional-members (Listed as Carnegie-Mellon University)

 

[Nels Nelson]

10 minutes ago, Warelin said:

Carnegie Mellon is a member institution. http://cgsnet.org/institutional-members (Listed as Carnegie-Mellon University)

 

Oh wow thanks! I saw a PDF http://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_RevisedApril2018.pdf and Carnegie Mellon was not on there. So does that mean I will need a release if I accept and withdraw? And that I might have to pay for a whole semester if I withdraw? 

[Warelin]

8 minutes ago, Nels Nelson said:

Oh wow thanks! I saw a PDF http://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_RevisedApril2018.pdf and Carnegie Mellon was not on there. So does that mean I will need a release if I accept and withdraw? And that I might have to pay for a whole semester if I withdraw? 

That's interesting. The differences between the two lists is a difference of about 120+ plus universities.

You'll likely need a release if you accept and withdraw. If you don't accept, there's a chance that you're funding will expire after April 15th. Chances are that you won't need to pay for a semester if you withdraw. I've never heard of a university not giving a student written permission to withdraw after April 15th.  Depending on the school, it may or may not burn bridges.

[S-Kyo]

Hi,

I already had a funded offer. (school A)

Today I receive another offer from a school (school B.) but I am still in a waitlist for funding. They told me that they cannot give more information about funding package before April 15th. 

School A said that they can give extra time if I need but their official scholarship letter states the deadline for accepting offer is April 15th. Should I rely on the official scholarship letter or a staff/professor’s mail?

I want to go to school B but I also do not want to risk my funded offer(School A).

What if I accept School A because of the April 15th rule, then decline School A if I receive funding from School B?