I really need help!!

[Sere]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here but I have a pretty important question; well, it's important to me at least and maybe a few others. I have been accepted to York University (Toronto) for my Ph.D in Computer Science; however, I have found out I am on the wait list for the University of Toronto (my top choice for the field of research I'm in - bioinformatics). York needs a response to their offer by March 26th (this friday).

I was wondering if I could accept York's offer for now and wait to see what happens with U of T. If I accept to York, will I automatically be rejected from U of T (does it show in a database somewhere)? Will I be able to then later (April 15th is the deadline for U of T), if I get an offer from U of T accept to them and reject York's?

I just really need to know because York doesn't really have the facilities U of T does, but I'd rather know that I will at least be going somewhere if I don't get into U of T. On the same token, I would hate to accept to York, find out I got into U of T, and not be able to switch my decision.

If anyone has any answers or advice...Please, I'm dying here!!

Thank you!

[joro]

Can you ask them for an extension?

[BKMD]

I would simply ask the coordinator at York if you can have an extension and that you are still waiting to hear from other schools that may take up till April 15. You don't have to word it to suggest that you would prefer the other school; just say you need to wait to make an informed decision. I'm sure they know that some offers may not have been made yet, and it's only a matter of 2 extra weeks, so I don't see why they would decline your request. (In the worst case, they'll say no, and then you can re-think this.)

There are a few other threads in this forum about asking for decision extensions.

[rae.tt]

I am actually on a waitlist too. Here is what the professor there told me.

"If you have an offer on the table from another university, you can ask for a couple of days extension."

If that school isn't willing to give you the extension, I guess you will have to make your decision by Friday then. Nevertheless, accepting one offer doesn't automatically mean that the other school would know it. However, you will have to sign some paperwork (or electronically), so it might be hard to get out, if you later find out that you also get the offer from the other school.

Good luck!!

[Sere]

Thanks for all the replies! I did email the program director to ask for an extension, but I haven't heard back from him yet. This decision is really weighing on me because it sort of determines my future and what I'm going to be doing for at least the next 5 years or so.

I hope he gets back to me soon so that I can rest a bit easier about this.