Application Withdrawl

[whitemud]

Etiquette question:

I applied to CMU, and . . . they suck. I got an e-mail on Friday asking me for my TOEFL scores (which they do not need) and my transcript (which I sent before). Judging by what I've heard from other schools so far, I will not be going to CMU - I have no desire to pay the small amount to have my transcript sent there. How do I extract myself from the admissions process without offending them?

I desire to send an e-mail saying "suck it," but I doubt that would go over well.

[The Dude]

You might send them a thin envelope enclosing a terse letter. In that, you might explain that you regret to inform them that you are no longer able to consider graduate work at their institution...

[crossedfingers]

You might send them a thin envelope enclosing a terse letter. In that, you might explain that you regret to inform them that you are no longer able to consider graduate work at their institution...

ha! I would so do that!

but only if you really NEVER wanna go to CMU.

[Minnesotan]

I desire to send an e-mail saying "suck it," but I doubt that would go over well.

"Would you care to suck it?" is the appropriate phrasing, according to Miss Manners' Guide to Thumbing One's Nose at Grad Programs.

[excel]

haha. On a more serious note...

I recently withdrew my application from a program. I e-mailed the director of admissions, and basically wrote that I have decided to accept one of the offers that I have already received, so I dont want the other applicants to face unnnecessary competition from me. The director politely congratulated me on my offers, and thanked me for letting him know. So, I think it would be fine for you to withdraw your application if you do it politely. The committee may even appreciate your letting them know early that you do not intend to enroll there.

[natasha_fawn]

I'm thinking of withdrawing an application too. My boyfriend just got rejected from a school, and I've got better (PhD program) offers elsewhere. The only way I'd seriously consider the school now is if they somehow accepted me into a PhD program instead of the master's I applied to. excel, I like the way you put your letter (accepted elsewhere, don't want to be competition for others), I might steal the idea if you don't mind.

[excel]

...sure

[anewtypedude]

You can use this template

Dear CMU:

I regret to convey you that I have decided to withdraw my application to CMU.

I have carefully reviewed your application requirements, quality of faculty members, campus safety ratings, USNEWS ranking, campus male/female ratio, and your predisposition to be a pain in the ass. Since the number of schools I applied to far exceeds the number of schools I can realistically consider, I can only deal with those schools with the least amount of redtapes. Sometimes even outstanding schools whose research match closely with my own may not be considered.

I appreciate your interest in my application, and I regret that my decision could not have been favorable. I wish you the very best in your pursuit for graduate students.

[bobwhoops]

CMU charged me the application fee twice I've tried to contact them and they won't answer. I might have to just charge it back on my credit card.

[whitemud]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up sending them something short/to-the-point:

I would like to withdraw my graduate application from CMU. I have received acceptance notifications from other schools that I have ranked above CMU for my own research interests.

[christina_bme]

You can use this template

Dear CMU:

I regret to convey you that I have decided to withdraw my application to CMU.

I have carefully reviewed your application requirements, quality of faculty members, campus safety ratings, USNEWS ranking, campus male/female ratio, and your predisposition to be a pain in the ass. Since the number of schools I applied to far exceeds the number of schools I can realistically consider, I can only deal with those schools with the least amount of redtapes. Sometimes even outstanding schools whose research match closely with my own may not be considered.

I appreciate your interest in my application, and I regret that my decision could not have been favorable. I wish you the very best in your pursuit for graduate students.

This letter is made of win. I wish I had the guts to send this to one of my schools that's really pissed me off...but I don't want to burn any bridges, blah blah.