Deferring, declining and re-applying?

[jgrad]

Hi all! Sorry in advance that my post is so long.

So, I applied to seven PhD programs in computer science for fall 2020. As of now, I've been accepted to two programs and rejected from one. Both schools that accepted me offered me full financial support with similar yearly stipends (one as a multi-year full departmental fellowship, the other as a standard TA appointment plus a smaller departmental scholarship). I'm still waiting on decisions from the other four programs. However, since applying, I've become increasingly unsure of whether starting a PhD this fall is really the right move for me, and have been strongly considering waiting a year and trying to start in fall 2021 instead. Some of the advantages to waiting are personal (mainly the fact that my partner's career is in a very uncertain place right now, and by 2021 we'll have more money, better savings, and a better idea of which cities would be good places to live for both of us). However, there are also some potential professional advantages. I'm currently working in a post-bachelor's research position at a government lab, and with an extra year in this position, I'm confident that I'll be able to get in at least one first-author publication as well as a number of other conference presentations. The extra year would also give me the opportunity to apply for some fellowships I didn't get a chance to apply for the first time (e.g. NSF), including some government-funded ones that the lab I work at can sponsor me for (mainly NPSC).

I'm going to check with all of the programs I've been accepted to and see if they will allow me to defer for a year, but I'm not sure how likely this will be; even if I am granted a deferral for admission, it's possible that they won't allow me to defer the funding offers. In the case that I'm not allowed to defer, I'm wondering if it would be a crazy idea to reject some of these offers and re-apply to the same programs next year. Is that something that people do, or would I be totally shooting myself in the foot? For what it's worth, the schools that have accepted me so far were kind of my "safety" options, and the one that rejected me was my top choice. I understand that rejecting any offer means I have no guarantee of future admission, but I feel like I have a strong chance of being re-admitted to the same programs next year, especially since I will have a better resume with more publications and research experience. It would also give me a chance to re-apply to any top programs that rejected me. On the other hand, rejecting the multi-year full fellowship I was offered might be a stupid decision, and I'm also worried that these schools might hold my previous application against me in future admission cycles. Will schools be less likely to admit me or offer me funding if they know that I was previously accepted and declined the offer? Will they even be aware of the fact that I previously applied? Would it help to contact the department(s) and explain my situation so that they know the reason for my decision, rather than thinking that I'm just flaky or unreliable?

Obviously, I won't make any concrete decisions until all the schools have sent their decisions and I get a chance to talk with each program about the possibility of deferral. I know of other students who have gotten PhD programs to defer admission in order to spend a year or two working in the position that I have now, so I know that it's not out of the question. However, in the case that I don't get any deferrals, I don't want to do anything that will hurt my chance of re-admission in future cycles. It's been hard for me to find information on this topic, so I'm hoping someone here has advice. Thank you!

Edited February 26, 2020 by jgrad

[hopeful2020PhD]

I would be really hesitant about rejecting the offers and applying again next year. Faculty on the admissions committee could remember this, and won't advocate for you as strongly in the admissions process because you already turned down good offers from them. Instead, they will fight to take on other students who will actually come and contribute to their research team. A faculty member on an admissions committee explicitly told me that they aim to only admit students that they are 99% sure will attend if offered admissions-- you would fail that criteria if you turned down their offers. 

I don't know you, but my advice would be to (1) Explain that you and your partner are going through a life transition, and ask for a 1 year deferral (do not mention that they are a "safety" or that you are uncertain about the city), (2) If they say no, consult with your partner and pick a city they think they could find work in, or finally, (3)  If they say no to deferral, pick the program that is the best fit for you, and hope your relationship can survive the move (2 vs. 3 depends on how serious your relationship is).