What happens if I dont turn down schools in time?

[rich1234]

Hello all,

I got accepted to about 6 public policy masters programs that I will be turning down in favor of a phd acceptance - the thing is, i am currently traveling europe at the moment and dont have my laptop with me that has all my program logins & the such...basically, what will happen if i cant turn down these programs by the deadline? Do they even care? Would i be able to reapply theoretically in the future? Not that it matters, but no one likes to burn bridges...

Insights sppreciated - sent from my iphone, dont mind the errors.

- Rich

[student12345]

You can just send an email to each department's head of graduate admissions. Explain your situation and let them know you are declining to accept a PhD offer. They should understand, and no bridges will be burnt.

[spacezeppelin]

Yeah, I promise you this problem can be remedied with an internet cafe and a bit of effort. An email to anyone (even its not the ideal person) is better than just blowing them off. There are probably people waiting for spots at all 6 of the schools you are turning down.

[Purplescarves]

Respond to the email responses you have received. You don't need multiple logins for that.

[biogirl2013]

Yep, most definitely get an answer to them! Academia and career circles are sometimes astoundingly small, and you don't want to hurt your reputation in ways that might come back to bite you, later on. Also like someone else mentioned, there are other people waiting for those spots you're turning down-- be considerate and turn down schools as soon as you have decided for sure that you won't attending. If you can log on to this site, you can find an email address for a program coordinator or department chair.