Financial aid and decision time ...

[Dana Elizabeth]

So, keeping in with the trends of some library-school blogs to comment on the slowness of financial aid ... What are your opinions on accepting an offer by the deadline (April 15th usually, though Maryland asked me to reply by March 28th) with the full intention on rescinding the "yes" if you receive a better financial aid package afterward?

None of my schools have given me the aid package yet, and after some asking, I have pretty much found out that I won't hear from anyone until after the 15th (Pittsburgh said they tell people in SUMMER). Some of my friends said it was very bad professional form to accept and then decline. But what else can I do when I can't really make an informed decision?

Thoughts? Does it really "ruin one's professional reputation"? (though if you said no, you aren't going there anyway ...!)

[bottles]

So, keeping in with the trends of some library-school blogs to comment on the slowness of financial aid ... What are your opinions on accepting an offer by the deadline (April 15th usually, though Maryland asked me to reply by March 28th) with the full intention on rescinding the "yes" if you receive a better financial aid package afterward?

None of my schools have given me the aid package yet, and after some asking, I have pretty much found out that I won't hear from anyone until after the 15th (Pittsburgh said they tell people in SUMMER). Some of my friends said it was very bad professional form to accept and then decline. But what else can I do when I can't really make an informed decision?

Thoughts? Does it really "ruin one's professional reputation"? (though if you said no, you aren't going there anyway ...!)

I mean--the only people who will believe with complete conviction that it is very bad professional form are people who don't understand how complicated this process is. In this economy, anyone who can accept an offer of admission without waiting to figure out their finances is a very lucky person indeed. For many of us, the financial aid determines whether or not we can attend that school--I just see no other way for many people to handle this situation.

I don't know if it'll ruin your reputation, and I'm in the same boat. I guess we'll just have to see.

Good luck!

[Daaz]

How would anyone find out?

[Weepsie]

The academic world is a small one. Though I don't think it would have a detrimental effect on your reputation from anyone other than the school you should ocnsider something. There are undoubtedly other people waiting to hear if they've gotten into Universities up and down the country. They don't have the luxury of being able to accept and later decline. By later declining an accepted offer, your place may be offered to someone else who really wants to attend said university but by then have already made plans.

I'm giving myself til mid may to find a job for September to afford UBC (January entry), but if not I'll decline their offer and hope they've adequate time to offer it to someone else.

[sgreen]

You could try asking the school if they would be willing to hold your place later than the date they originally gave to you so that you could hear from schools about financial aid packages.