Not all offers in yet, but asked to commit

[sshopeful]

I have run into a terrible (and maybe terribly lucky?) predicament in which an institution has requested an early response to their offer (mid-March). I have three offers thus far, all funded. However, the only institution that has offered a very clearly detailed package is also the one requesting a response. I am still waiting to hear from two schools, and the institution with the great (and very detailed) financial package is aware that I will not be hearing from at least one school until after the mid-March deadline. I met with the adviser and she was pretty explicit about purposely setting the early deadline to require me to "commit" early, knowing that another school I am considering (and haven't yet heard from) will be releasing decisions sometime after mid-March. The POI at the other school is doing several long-term research projects with my would-be adviser at the early deadline school.

 

I requested an extension, but they weren't very willing to budge. The language used isn't worth quoting, but they basically indicated that it was where I belonged. Now, I am going on a post-admissions trip and get back on the same day that this other school wants a decision.

 

Is there anything I can do to ensure that I have all of my offers on the table before making a decision? I had an interview with another school (a great school), and I am waiting to hear how that went. I do not have all of the information necessary to make an informed decision, and I really need to consider finances (above everything else) before making a commitment. 

 

I like all of my offers, and I also was pretty happy with all of the schools I applied to, but at the end of the day, I want to be able to compare my offers before I make a decision. Is there anything I can do about this situation? 

 

All schools are on the CGS list, but the CGS list (as I understand it) is for fellowship decisions, not for admissions offers. 

Edited March 7, 2013 by sshopeful

[woosah]

If your school is on this list http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_Resolution.pdf, they can't compel you to make a decision before April 15th. If they are on the list and still pressuring you to commit early, you are within your rights to accept and back out before April 15th if you receive a better offer. If they are not on the list, I think you should express your continued interest in the program, but insist that they give you enough time to make an informed decision. Who have you communicated with? Perhaps there is someone above them you could talk to? I'm actually really annoyed for you, it is unreasonable of them to expect you to make a binding decision of this magnitude without all of the relevant information.

[Physwimic]

I wasn't entirely able to keep all of the schools straight, but have you considered trying to pressure the schools that haven't made their decision yet?  You can try to get them to give you more information as quickly as possible.

[sshopeful]

I contacted the associate of admissions at the early deadline school to request an extension, detailing that I haven't received all of the fellowship or admission offers yet. I also told them that I am still waiting to hear from two schools. She spoke with her boss, who told her there   was "nothing they could do" for me, and that they were "sure it was the offer that made the most sense." I contacted the two schools I haven't heard from, and all I could get out of them was, "You will hear soon." 

 

All of my schools are CGS schools, by the way. 

 

I don't want to lose money by committing to a school too early, and I'm starting to think that's what will happen. 

[spacezeppelin]

I have nothing really useful to say. Honestly though, that's sorta a very bad situation to be put into. Are you really sure that you want to go there? To me, it seems kind of rude to be told that they are "sure their offer is the best for you." Thats essentially like saying "you cant do better". Even if you chose NOT to take it that way, they are telling you how you should live your own life. It just doesn’t make any sense. They have NO IDEA if their offer is the best place for you.

 

For heaven sake, no one can know that but you.If your parents were on the adcom they STILL couldn’t know that. I don’t understand how they could possibly know you well enough to be able to make that statement without feeling very foolish. I dunno, if I were you I would think on that a little bit.

 

I have three offers right now and am struggling to make a decision. One more is still on the way. One school I was admitted to had a March 15th deadline. I called to talk about it and the director just snorted and told me not to worry about it. He said I should take the time to make a good decision for me. I just think its very unfair that they dont give you the same curtsey. Its still awfully early for all that pressure.

 

Maybe if you are pretty sure you will go there you can just accept it then withdraw. They honestly are asking for that kind of treatment if they pressure people to accept so early

[misskira]

I think it's shady that they PURPOSELLY set the deadline ahead of a competitors notification date. That would make me feel uneasy about the program in the first place. Why aren't they confident in their ability to matriculate students on their own merits? Other than that, I don't really have any real advice. Good luck making a decision!

[zabius]

I think it's shady that they PURPOSELLY set the deadline ahead of a competitors notification date. That would make me feel uneasy about the program in the first place. 

 

I agree. It seems downright unethical for them to set this early deadline specifically to try to force you into a decision before you hear from other schools. Do you know if they have given all of the other accepted students a similar early deadline? Or are they doing this to you in particular because they know that you might get an offer from the other school later in the month? In either case, I'd be wary of this program. If they're pressuring you so hard to commit to their offer now, you need to consider what else they might try to pressure you into once you're a student there. It sounds like a potentially bad environment to me.

 

How would you rank the programs that you've applied to? Are the schools that you have yet to hear from above the early deadline school on your list? If they're not, there's probably not much to worry about here. But if those other schools *are* high on your list, I can see why you might be hesitant to make a decision. This is the next 5 or so years of your life... it's not a decision to make lightly, and definitely not one to make without having all of the info first.

 

I agree with spacezeppelin... in a worst-case scenario, you could commit to this early deadline school for now and then withdraw if you get a better offer later. That could burn some bridges at this school, but honestly they don't seem to be all that into admissions ethics anyway. Personally, I would keep waiting on the other schools until the day before the early school's deadline, and commit (if needed) only at the last minute.

[Epidoc13]

Sorry to hear about your problem and I hope you will get it sorted. One question: what CGS would make a difference for school applications?