Made up my mind...time to accept?

[alison]

So, I've made up my mind. I visited a program last weekend, loved the area, loved the program, felt welcomed, really liked my potential adviser and her research, and spoke to current and former grad students who pretty much sold me on everything. It just feels like the right fit, and I'm so happy and 99% ready to accept the offer.

The only thing that's holding me back is that I do not have my funding in detail yet. However, I do know that all students in this department get a stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance for 5 years. It says this on the website, my prospective adviser told me that's how they roll, and the current students all mentioned it (they pay fees, but that's it). In my acceptance letter from the grad school, funding is not mentioned anywhere. In the letter from the department, it says how much the stipend was for last years' first-year students w/insurance, that the amount of the assistantship would increase as I progressed, and that I'd be working with 2-3 faculty members in my assistantship. I feel like I can infer that I'm going to get a similar funding offer, since they only admit as many students as they can fund fully like that. I'd be totally happy with what last years' students got $$$wise, and it's the best offer I've gotten.

I'm writing the thank-you notes for my visit and would love to put that I've accepted the offer. Does it seem premature to want to accept right away? I'm just a bit nervous that I don't have it on paper, clearly spelled out with dollar signs and everything. Would it be wiser to wait? I've been doing so well mentally through the applications process and it seems like now that I'm almost done, I can't think straight !

[clx]

If that's what's occupying your mind right now, accept it by all means. If you want to be extra careful, just give them a call before you do so, it never hurts. But either way, as long as it's a generally well-funded department I don't see how they're gonna just withdraw funding on you, if that's the norm.

[ItsBrainScience]

allison! WOOHOO!! CONGRATS!!! getting into any psychology PhD. program is hard you freaking rock ! if you are sold on the program you should accept. Where did you interview?

[Joel418]

Congratulations! I am in a similar situation, and was in a similar situation for my Master's. HOWEVER, I did learn an important lesson in this situation before my Master's the hard way. The program was telling me that I was in, and that they were going to get me money. So I tipped my hand and told them that I was coming, and poof! The funding never arrived, and I ended up having to fund a big portion of my degree with federal loans

So do not make a final commitment until you have the financial details IN WRITING, just for your own protection

Best of luck!

[clx]

Regarding post above:

1. PhD programs can be different from Master's, where self-funding is the norm instead of the exception.

2. Since he's much closer to hard sciences, funding tend to be more consistent...

[Aceflyer]

Call them and ask just to be safe. I wouldn't be that worried though considering that they fund everyone. But especially with the current state of the economy, it doesn't hurt to make sure before taking the plunge. Best of luck in your graduate studies!

[Dreams]

I'm writing the thank-you notes for my visit and would love to put that I've accepted the offer. Does it seem premature to want to accept right away? I'm just a bit nervous that I don't have it on paper, clearly spelled out with dollar signs and everything. Would it be wiser to wait? I've been doing so well mentally through the applications process and it seems like now that I'm almost done, I can't think straight !

Congrats on the offer. I echo some of the other sentiments here in that you should follow up with the department on when award letters will be sent out. Let them know you are very excited and look forward to attending in the fall. I would also wait until I have the official letter in hand before sending the official confirmation of acceptance since the details represent a contract. Never sign the line before having seen the contract and ensuring it is to your liking.

[ejuliast]

I would also wait until I have the official letter in hand before sending the official confirmation of acceptance since the details represent a contract. Never sign the line before having seen the contract and ensuring it is to your liking.

I agree with this - I would wait until the funding offer is in writing before signing on the dotted line. Congrats!!

[blue]

I agree with this - I would wait until the funding offer is in writing before signing on the dotted line. Congrats!!

I also agree with this. Sounds like it will be fine but since there is enough time for funding info to arrive before April 15, I wouldn't rush. Funding is important and they can't blame you for waiting to accept until you have that info.

[rising_star]

Regarding post above:

1. PhD programs can be different from Master's, where self-funding is the norm instead of the exception.

2. Since he's much closer to hard sciences, funding tend to be more consistent...

Re #1: This is field dependent. In some disciplines, funded master's ARE the norm.

Re #2: What do you mean by "more consistent"? At both graduate schools I've been at, funding in the sciences has varied by program, whether you have a MS, and how much the PI wrote into the grant.

alison, I would wait until you have the funding offer in hand to accept.

[alison]

Thanks for your advice, everyone!

I slept on it and decided to wait until I get funding info to accept formally, but will tell my prospective adviser that I'm even more excited about their offer and ask when I can expect the final funding information. I know her other grad student has accepted, and I feel reasonably safe that I'll get the offer, but it's so hard to sign on the dotted line with a big question mark. I feel safer now that others also think it's reasonable to wait it out. Not knowing my money situation for sure also cuts into my obsessive apartment-hunting and move planning, which is where I'm channeling all of the waiting anxiety now that it's done. Going from the Pacific NW to New England is going to be rather daunting.

ItsBrainScience, I interviewed with the Social dept. at University of New Hampshire. It's a smaller department, but the research matches are perfect and it's got all of the little pieces that I know work for me.