How to ask for an extension?

[akyl]

Hi everyone,

I've been accepted to my second choice school with full funding, but their deadline for me to accept my offer is March 20! I'm still waiting to hear from my first choice, so I was wondering how I should go about asking them for an deadline extension?

And how long should I ask them to extend it to? Or will they give me a choice?

Someone please help! I'm freaking out here =(

[karakchai]

someone please answer this, i'm wondering the exact same thing

[akyl]

Oh and I need to add that if I don't accept by the 20th, I'll lose my funding

So I guess even if I get an extension, I will lose my funding, so it's probably better for me to just accept the offer?

But what if my first choice school accepts me after? Can I still back out if I've accepted the offer?

ahhhh this is killing me

[RockStar]

I asked for an extension and got one. Just ask.

Tell them you are excited about their program but need more planning/processing time before making the decision. It helps if you throw out a date for the new extended deadline. Any idea when you might hear from the other school?

Also, I would use some language about the April 15th deadline without calling them out directly. Like maybe say "I understand that my responding to the offer ahead of the April 15th deadline would help on both ends to proceed with planning; however, I would like to ask for additional time to..."

[akyl]

But for the conditions it states "This offer of financial support is conditional on your firm acceptance of it before Tuesday March 20, 2012."

So that means even if I got an extension, I would lose my funding if I decide to accept after the 20th right?

The other school I'm waiting on has started giving out offers on the 16th.

Would it be bad if I accepted the offer on the 20th, and if my first choice school accepts me, I withdraw my acceptance?

[Babar_Suleman]

I got into my dream school/program without funding (except for an assistantship that only knocks off $8000 off the $70000 tuition for the 2 years). And I'm supposed to accept or decline by March 30. I am still waiting for two schools at which I have a good chance of getting better funding. But those two schools aren't as highly rated as my dream one.

This is all so confusing and overwhelming. But what I'm doing is emailing my POI asking for possibly more funding. If they respond in the negative, I will ask for an extension. If they decline that request as well, I'd probably accept even if I don't hear from the other two schools by then. ARGH.

[akyl]

Hi everyone, so I called and asked for an extension and they gave 1 more week!!! And I'll still get the funding if I accept by then! =)

Thanks everyone for your advice!

[RockStar]

Hi everyone, so I called and asked for an extension and they gave 1 more week!!! And I'll still get the funding if I accept by then! =)

Thanks everyone for your advice!

Congrats!