Declining offer after Arp 15 in favor of an European school making late decisions?

[petergreat]

I have an offer from a US grad school, which I need to reply by Apr 15. However, I've also applied for an European grad school, which I prefer, but will only give me the decision in June. Would it be acceptable for me to accept the US offer first, and decline it afterwards should I receive an offer from the European school?

[JustChill]

Once you formally accept an offer, especially for a PhD, you will have to sign a legal contract. Releasing you from that contract later on is completely up to that university, and is usually considered pretty hard to do. Most people also argue against doing this because it burns bridges and creates a bad impression.

[Rachel C]

I am in this same boat- I wasn't sure which graduate programs I even had a chance at in the US, since I did not study undergrad in the field I now want to enter. So I applied for 3 European schools. I've come to terms with the fact that once I make a US school decision, I may want to back out of my promise and go abroad. But I'm definitely going to be 100% sure that that is the BEST option before I make it.

My biggest concern with US schools is funding, and if I don't get the funding I need but am offered a full ride to move to Budapest for a 1-year MA program, I have to go with option 2, and I'll tell the US school that funding was the overarching factor when I back out.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Rachel C