Accepting an offer, then backing out....yikes

[Mal83]

Ok so I know it's not the best way to go about things, but what's done is done. The story is that I quickly accepted an offer from George Mason after being waitlisted by my dream school, George Washington way back in mid-March. The letter said that I'll know after May 1st but not later than May 21st. To me, at the time, it felt like a reject and I certainly wasn't going to decline an offer in hopes of getting off the waitlist after other deadlines go by. Well, pretty soon I'm going to know about GW, I've said all along that should I get in then that's where I'm going. But...now I'm getting nervous. What will it be like to extract myself from GM? What about the financial aid package I've already accepted? I'm dreading that initial contact with I guess the program coordinator because I don't know who else to get a hold of. Will they want to know specifics reasons for backing out? I was planning on saying something like "due to a very personal and major change of plans I will longer be able to attend..." something like that. I haven't made a deposit yet and the deadline for accepting/declining at GM is May 15th, but like I said, I accepted weeks ago...

I haven't been accepted to GW and I do not feel good about reneging on GM because I know it's not exactly the right way to go about it, I do regret not waiting longer and asking GM for an extension, but again at the time I just wanted to be in somewhere, but should I get an offer from GW I have to do what I can to get there...Has anyone done this before and actually backed out in order to go to another school?

[emmm]

Wait to see if you actually get off the waitlist before stressing out about this. And if you DO get accepted, go for it! Schools understand waitlists. George Mason may very well have waitlist applicants of its own ...