Council of Grad Schools & April 15th Deadline!

[nari27]

Got an admissions letter from a school and they asked that I respond to the offer by April 2nd or they would give the funding to someone else. I should have known about this but didn't. There is a council of grad schools that has a resolution regarding graduate scholars, fellows, trainees and assistantships that states that once a school in this council offers you financial support, the student is under no obligation to respond until April 15th. I freaked out and emailed someone I know in admissions at another school who let me know that as a member of the council....they couldn't actually do that to me. Plus they are supposed to let you know about the resolution and give you a link to it. So if you've recieved an offer with a deadline other than April 15th, check and see if your grad school is on the Council of Grad schools. It may save you from unnecessary freaking out!

Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants :

"Acceptance of an offer of financial support *(such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties. "

"Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and sub- sequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an insti- tution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer. "

[shavasana]

Just a word of warning: that resolution is not binding and there is no penalty for them not following it. (They definitely should, but not all do.)

Just keep that in mind and best of luck!