multiple decision issue - help please

[mallow]

Hello everyone,

I've received some really helpful responses to my previous postings and would so appreciate some feedback on the following situation:

I was admitted to a top university for a PhD in Communications (the university is top; the program is not one of the highest ranked nationally). They offer three years of funding. They won't allow me to defer the admission; I would need to re-apply.

I've been taking some courses in International Affairs at a school that I like where I have an 80% scholarship to do an Master of Science (it would take me another year to finish this degree). I also applied to some other PhD programs that I have yet to hear from (two abroad and one in the US). The first school I was accepted to has the usual April 15th deadline.

I'm trying to figure out a couple of things to start with:

- Whether to ask the place I was admitted for an extension on the decision so I can find out from the others I applied to

- Whether it makes sense to leave the MS program to do the PhD. I already have two Master's degrees, and the MS would be a career-changing degree.

Some basic info: the two schools (MS and PhD) are in a consortium, so theoretically I could take classes at the school I'm at now if in the PhD program. I'm 40 years old, with extensive professional experience in college-level teaching and journalism.

Thanks!