interview or withdraw?

[roarie]

Hey folks,

[Edit. Sorry for the typo on the heading. I hastily wrote it, and it should have said "Interview OR Withdraw"]

I have a bit of a dilemma and would love to hear any opinions on the matter. So, I applied to six Ph.D programs. For clarity sake, let's say A, B, C, D, E, and F.

A,B,C, and D were schools that I really wanted to attend if accepted. So far, I have received one acceptance and am on the wait-list for another (and was told by a faculty that I am in a very good position on that wait-list).

E and F were schools (for mostly reasons of fit) that I figured that if they were my only acceptances, I would visit first and then make a decision as to accept or to go into a terminal MA program and try next year with A,B,C, and D.

Or simply put, A,B,C,D > E, F

Now, School E has contacted me for an interview. What would be the best (for me) and the most polite thing to do?

1) Is it better that I do the interview as I do any other interview, as I might find myself really liking the program after visiting? (I find the chances of this, however, very unlikely).

2) Is it more polite to simply decline the interview and withdraw my application and spare everyone involved the hassle?

3) Or should I do the interview for formality sake, but do mention that I've been accepted elsewhere?

Edited February 12, 2011 by roarie

[sorashinobi]

Hey folks,

[Edit. Sorry for the typo on the heading. I hastily wrote it, and it should have said "Interview OR Withdraw"]

I have a bit of a dilemma and would love to hear any opinions on the matter. So, I applied to six Ph.D programs. For clarity sake, let's say A, B, C, D, E, and F.

A,B,C, and D were schools that I really wanted to attend if accepted. So far, I have received one acceptance and am on the wait-list for another (and was told by a faculty that I am in a very good position on that wait-list).

E and F were schools (for mostly reasons of fit) that I figured that if they were my only acceptances, I would visit first and then make a decision as to accept or to go into a terminal MA program and try next year with A,B,C, and D.

Or simply put, A,B,C,D > E, F

Now, School E has contacted me for an interview. What would be the best (for me) and the most polite thing to do?

1) Is it better that I do the interview as I do any other interview, as I might find myself really liking the program after visiting? (I find the chances of this, however, very unlikely).

2) Is it more polite to simply decline the interview and withdraw my application and spare everyone involved the hassle?

3) Or should I do the interview for formality sake, but do mention that I've been accepted elsewhere?

My personal opinion would be to go interview anyways, and don't offer up the information that you have been accepted elsewhere unless explicitly asked. It's always good to keep options open and it might be helpful when negotiating funding with your first choice to be able to say you have an offer elsewhere.

[neuropsychosocial]

I think it depends a bit on your field, whether you have to pay to attend the interview, and your rationale for choosing A/B/C/D over E. I was in a similar situation this year: School A paid for me to attend their interview and offer me admission+funding before I bought my plane ticket to interview at E. School E did not offer any financial support for attending the interview; it was a *very* expensive ticket and I would have had to take two days off from work. School A was a much better fit, has better post-graduate placement rates, offered significantly more funding and resources, has a much stronger reputation, and - the final straw for me - is more convenient for my family (major metropolitan area where my husband grew up versus rural rural rural midwest). I had been told to visit as many places as possible, because what looks good on paper is not always good in person, but the difference in opportunities between A and E was significant enough, and the impact on my husband so high, that I knew I would never choose E over A. I didn't want to spend the money to attend the interview at school E, and withdrawing my application from E allowed my POI to interview another candidate who might actually accept her offer, whereas I knew that I wouldn't.

It might be worth figuring out the opportunity costs of attending the interview and the benefits, and see if one clearly outweighs the other. Good luck!

[roarie]

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Neuropsychosocial, I think my situation is very similar to the one you described. School A, the one I've been accepted to, is offering me a very generous offer, one that I don't think School E could possibly match. School A, in addition to being a better fit, also does have better faculty, greater resources, better placement records, and prestige (and is, incidentally, much closer to home as well). But instead of having to pay for my interview, the interview would simply be over the phone, so it would have really no costs for me other than time.

I guess what it comes down to is what would be the most polite way to address the situation? While I do think it'd be best if he does interview another candidate who wants to potentially attend there, I don't also want to come off as insulting the program there. It would not hurt me to do the interview, but I feel it wouldn't be sincere and he could afford to use the time much more productively.

[communications13]

Go to the interview if you can and it's not a big financial burden on you.

Academia is a small world. Even if you choose another school this is an oportunity to meet a prof. you respect and make a network contact. That is good for your future endevors and colaborations. We get wrapped up in the student world of accept/reject that we forget that profs and universities do the SAME thing. They are used to getting rejected and accepted too, students chosing different programs over theirs. When you're interviewed they expect they are competing, if they don't think you have other offers, chances are you wouldn't have been offered a spot by them either....the university world thrives on competition.

[cranberry]

Having been in a similar position during undergrad admissions, I can say that I deeply regretted not withdrawing some applications. I applied to A,B,C,D,E,F,G (in order of preference) and got into A,B,C,D,E before any word from G, yet I somewhat selfishly kept my application for consideration even though there was practically 0% chance I would attend (prestige, location, fit). My college counselor at the time assured me that they would not be offended, but then again undergrad admissions is significantly less personal that grad school offers. HOWEVER I will say that even though I was accepted to my top three choices, I ended up attending my fourth choice because of an incredible scholarship offer. But you said that School E probably wouldn't match your School A offer, so there's that. Have you visited School A yet? Before I applied I visited one of my top choices and ended up disliking a POI (personality clash) so I ended up not applying at all.

I am in the opposite position of having heard only from my bottom choices so far (all positive, but still), so I envy your situation ;-)

[neuropsychosocial]

But instead of having to pay for my interview, the interview would simply be over the phone, so it would have really no costs for me other than time.

I guess what it comes down to is what would be the most polite way to address the situation?

A phone interview versus an in-person interview certainly changes the opportunity cost of doing the interview - for both you and the professor. For programs that do in-person interviews, it's really hard to in-person interview someone outside of the designated interview days, but your professor could easily interview additional candidates, depending on when he/she was told that you weren't attending. For me, knowing that there was zero chance that I would attend School E, I just emailed my POI and the graduate secretary and said that I had received an offer of admission with funding from School A, and after considering it, I realized that I was unlikely to accept an offer from School E and it seemed unfair to take an interview slot away from someone who was more likely to attend. I included some praise for the POI and for the program at School E, which was genuine. If there's any chance that you might attend E or get any benefit from it, go for it (networking, information, good practice for future phone interviews (which are common in academia) - but what I hear you saying is that there's no way that you'd go, and you're trying to figure out how to tell School E. As long as you're polite, I can't imagine that it would hurt you professionally in the long-run.

[Rosalee]

I have a similar... issue (I almost wrote problem, but then I thought.. really this is not a problem!).

On Friday I got an amazing offer from my dream school/program (School A) - full funding, stipend, great POI. I am over the moon and definitely going to accept this!

My issue is, I have a previously scheduled phone interview with School B this Monday. Normally, I would just send a polite email cancelling the interview. But, School B is my alma mater (master's degree), I have a really great relationship with them, 3 of my 4 references are professors there, etc. I know they really wanted me to do my PhD there, and I would have been working with my master's advisor, who is really fantastic.

But thing is, as much as I like School B, the program at School B is not really as good a fit with my specific sub-field of interest. To put it this way, they will let me go off and research my sub-field by myself at School B because they like and respect me, while at School A they have a whole track for this sub-field.

I really don't want to offend anyone or upset anyone at School B and just canceling the interview the morning of by email seems a bit disrespectful. I was thinking that maybe I would just tell the interviewer (head of admissions committee) in person on the phone that I will be accepting another offer. Does that sound better or worse than emailing?

Maybe I'm just worrying for no reason.. now that I write this it sounds kind of silly. But I would appreciate your feedback; this time of year makes us all a bit crazy, and I've definitely regained some sanity by reading all your comments and posts over the last couple months (just registered to post this).

[kateow]

Rosalee, if you send the email tonight or early in the day tomorrow, there's little chance they won't read it until Monday morning... It might be nice to give them a heads up.

On the other hand, it might be better to temporarily put aside the fact that you *know* you're accepting school A, and admit the situation (that you have the other offer) in your interview with school B. That way, they know you're thinking seriously about your offers, it presents the possibility that you'll be going somewhere else to them in a tentative way, and it may actually lead them to tell you that it's a better offer and better fit than they can provide, and you should accept it right away!

Edited February 13, 2011 by kateow

[neuropsychosocial]

My issue is, I have a previously scheduled phone interview with School B this Monday. Normally, I would just send a polite email cancelling the interview. But, School B is my alma mater (master's degree), I have a really great relationship with them, 3 of my 4 references are professors there, etc. I know they really wanted me to do my PhD there, and I would have been working with my master's advisor, who is really fantastic.

If I were me, I would go to the interview for School B - given your relationship with the faculty and how highly they seem to think of you. I feel like turning down the interview on Monday morning might be a slap in the face to them, and you might need these professional connections again, for LoRs, for finding a job once you finish at School A, etc. If you interview, continue to impress them, and then let both the DGS and your advisor know, maybe in person if possible, that you've decided to accept School A's offer as much as you love School B, because A has a specialization in your subfield, then I suspect that School B will understand and you will retain your good relationship with them. (Saying something about the wonderful training that you received at School B that allowed you to obtain the offer from School A might also go over nicely.) This is just a gut instinct on my part, though: I'm not sure that I would ever cancel an interview on the same day, unless there was an emergency, because it seems so unprofessional to me. But that's just me: do what seems best for you, but do it politely and try to avoid burning bridges, if possible.

[communications13]

My issue is, I have a previously scheduled phone interview with School B this Monday. Normally, I would just send a polite email cancelling the interview. But, School B is my alma mater (master's degree), I have a really great relationship with them, 3 of my 4 references are professors there, etc. I know they really wanted me to do my PhD there, and I would have been working with my master's advisor, who is really fantastic.

I'd do the interview. Especially since it's your alma mater, keep your options open. You don't know what they might offer you to stay and April 15th is still very far away. If you have close ties with the school, I'd do the interview and keep it in contention.

[roarie]

Thanks for all the advice, guys.

After emailing with my adviser and hearing her agree with most of what you guys said, I think I will be doing the interview with school E. Thanks, and wish me luck!

[roarie]

Just as a follow up, and for future references:

I did do the interview, and I'm very glad that I did. Not only was the professor from school E incredibly nice, but he gave me superb advice on the trajectory of my scholarship and academic career. He also gave very sober opinions on schools A,B,C, and D, and where he felt I could best profit in terms of academic training.

Also, there had been an iffy situation with one of my top choices, and he even volunteered to write on my behalf to that school.

So anyone else in a similar situation, don't be short-sighted, don't be lazy. Do the interview, because maintaining good relations with people in your field is very important.

[newms]

Just as a follow up, and for future references:

I did do the interview, and I'm very glad that I did. Not only was the professor from school E incredibly nice, but he gave me superb advice on the trajectory of my scholarship and academic career. He also gave very sober opinions on schools A,B,C, and D, and where he felt I could best profit in terms of academic training.

Also, there had been an iffy situation with one of my top choices, and he even volunteered to write on my behalf to that school.

So anyone else in a similar situation, don't be short-sighted, don't be lazy. Do the interview, because maintaining good relations with people in your field is very important.

I like this. Did you tell them that you had already been accepted elsewhere? If so, did they know that you were likely to go elsewhere?

[roarie]

I like this. Did you tell them that you had already been accepted elsewhere? If so, did they know that you were likely to go elsewhere?

I told him where I've been accepted to so far when he asked me. Actually, I should add that it never felt like an interview at all. He told me when I should expect to hear about funding, and he moved straight on to talk about what direction I should take my scholarship and what schools were best for me, including his, of course.

From the tone of the conversation, I think he knew that I could afford to go elsewhere, and I think that's why he volunteered to write to School C (an excellent fit, but there had been a glitch in my application). All in all, it sounded like he was excited about my scholarship and wanted me to go a school that would best prepare me for a career.

And! When I told him where I got rejected from, he said, "Don't worry. X rejected me too."

Edited February 17, 2011 by roarie

[nhyn]

he sounds like such a good professor/scholar! i like it. too bad you've got a better offer