accepting before official admissions

[Roccoriel]

So, in looking at my letter of admissions, it is an official offer of financial support and my formal admission letter should arrive soon. It does not specifically mention an adviser, but the two professors I was most interest in working with were copied in the email. Several questions:

1. I fully intend to accept this offer. Should I accept the financial offer and then later, when I get it, accept the formal admissions?

2. In question one, I am assuming that if the formally offer me funding, they will absolutely formally offer me admissions. Is this a good assumption or a bad one?

3. Similarly, should I hold off on telling the other school that I am not going there, even after I accept funding at this school? Should I wait until I can officially accept the formal admission?

4. Should I contact everyone copied in the email with my acceptance of financial support at the same time? Just the person who sent it? Should I contact my potential advisers separately? Should I contact them at all or just wait until I see them in the fall? How much contact should I have with them over the summer, if at all?

sorry I've been inundating various boards around here with questions lately...I am clearly losing my mind lol

[dendrogirl]

So, in looking at my letter of admissions, it is an official offer of financial support and my formal admission letter should arrive soon. It does not specifically mention an adviser, but the two professors I was most interest in working with were copied in the email. Several questions:

1. I fully intend to accept this offer. Should I accept the financial offer and then later, when I get it, accept the formal admissions?

2. In question one, I am assuming that if the formally offer me funding, they will absolutely formally offer me admissions. Is this a good assumption or a bad one?

3. Similarly, should I hold off on telling the other school that I am not going there, even after I accept funding at this school? Should I wait until I can officially accept the formal admission?

4. Should I contact everyone copied in the email with my acceptance of financial support at the same time? Just the person who sent it? Should I contact my potential advisers separately? Should I contact them at all or just wait until I see them in the fall? How much contact should I have with them over the summer, if at all?

sorry I've been inundating various boards around here with questions lately...I am clearly losing my mind lol

2. I imagine that they are just in the process of drafting up you're admission letter. If they offered you funding, they will admit you for sure

3. I'd be kind to the other school and tell them as soon as you've accepted the other offer. But, if it would make you feel better, you can just wait until you have the formal acceptance letter: it should only take a few days.

4. I would respond with a "reply all" notifying them of your acceptance of the offer. Then I would contact each prof separately. I would keep in touch over the summer, definitely! Then you'll feel like you already know them in the fall.

Hope that helps!

[Gunner24]

Good assumption, Roccoriel. One follows the other- if you received a funding offer, that likely doesn't just mean you're 100% accepted, but that they REALLY want you!

That said, wait for the official letter...if not just because you can You will probably feel better having been thorough.

Congrats on the offer!

[Roccoriel]

Thank you for the advice: I received the official announcement Sunday and have accepted it.

As for the offer I'm not accepting. They require a notification in writing. Does this mean I snail mail them my decision? I think I prefer the method of the school I'm going to... check yes if you accept and no if you decline. Easy. I guess that even though I have to write a formal letter about my decision, I should still email the person I had most contact with a day or so after I send the letter to thank him for his help and let him know I accepted another offer?