Cue panic attack!

[amanda lauren]

I've applied to 4 MSW programs for the fall semester; I've heard back from 2 schools so far and was accepted to both. Unfortunately, my top choice school will not have our admissions decisions ready until May 1st, while students need to either accept/decline offers from the other schools by mid-March...aka now. I don't want to decline all offers in hopes that I'll get into my top choice, because if I don't get in then I'll have no grad schools to attend, so I accepted one offer and declined the other. I had hoped that I would hear back from the top choice soon enough that I could withdraw this acceptance without any major difficulties - however, the school whose offer I accepted has now sent me several emails, and I need to register for fall classes in 2 weeks and must set up an interview this week to discuss my fall field placement options. I feel like I'm trapped right now...I absolutely have to do these things to keep my spot in the school's program, but it's only my second choice and I won't know for another month and a half whether or not I got into my top choice. I feel like if I set up these appointments I'm sort of locked-in to the school's program, and if I do get into my top choice it will be a tedious process to withdraw from the school that I've currently accepted. However, I absolutely love my top choice school and I don't want to give up on it. I guess I just wanted to find out if anyone else has been in a similar situation, and if so, what did you do?

[beefandbroccoli]

Call them. I was in the same situation with University of Hawaii and Columbia University. Obviously my top choice was Columbia but Hawaii wanted an answer. I called Columbia and explained the situation asking if there was any way that they could review my application asap. They reviewed it the next week and sent me an email to say that I was accepted! I was so close to just giving up on Columbia and accepting my fate but I am so happy that I called.

Edited March 17, 2011 by beefandbroccoli

[amanda lauren]

Thank you so much - I wasn't sure if I would be out of line calling them or not. I had called a few weeks ago (I wasn't sure when they were going to be sending out decision letters and I called to check, which is when they told me that letters would be sent out by May 1st), and I didn't want to come across as one of those neurotic pests who keeps nagging the school, you know? I'll try giving them a call to explain the situation. Thank you for your advice!!!

[adinutzyc]

It's odd. April 15th is the standard deadline to accept a decision. So the schools should have waited by April 15, while the other school should have given their decisions out by then. Really odd...

And no, I do not have all my decisions yet, but I am fairly certain that the top schools I haven't gotten back from have rejected me. Anyway, even if they will accept me, I am probably going to decline...