Extended offers adding onto original offer

[Deadmeat]

Hey everyone,

 

Anyone have past experience with getting an initial offer then having that offer increase or lengthen in the amount of time prior to accepting admission?

 

I recently got a fully funded 1 year TA position. Was invited to an event with about 15 other prospective Ph.D.'s who were there "top picks" for admission. During the event they said our TA offer was the bare min, and in the next week would be sending out extended offers. 

 

Is this typical? The offer I got was solid, good stipend and support. Multi-year offer seems nice to have, but they said as a Ph.D. student in the program you are pretty much guaranteed an RA and adviser by the end of the 1st semester. I'm not complaining but just curious... I purposely didn't sign my offer letter, but indicated that I'm very interested in doing so. I figured they would be more convinced to boost my offer since I indicated I had a multiyear fellowship offer from another university. Though who knows, I'm fairly new to this game!

[guttata]

More funding is always better. Funding from your advisor is never guaranteed the whole way through. Miss one grant cycle and you could be SOL. I never understand the programs where you join without an advisor, it seems like an insane blind leap of faith on both parties (you and the dept).

[tarrman]

As you said, you and 15 other students were the "top picks" for the department, and it's more likely than not than not that the school is admitting more than just those who visited. Supplemental funding usually comes in the form of a fellowship and is given to top students to further convince them to attend their school (because everyone loves money, right?), because it's likely they also received admission to other great schools. It's almost like a bidding war. Not all schools do this, though. I was given a 4-year supplemental fellowship at UT Austin, but Princeton's financial package is identical for all incoming students (At least in EE. I haven't seen anything yet to indicate otherwise, so correct me if I'm wrong).

[Deadmeat]

They emailed me today. They are extending it to 3 years (from 1), with a supplemental fellowship in the 1st year. While most students there have full funding throughout the program, it's nice to know I'll have a cushion should things go haywire with my PI's grants.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Deadmeat