if applying to both spring and fall and accepting spring, what about fall?

[Tim126]

I am thinking about applying to different graduate programs (maybe in the same or different universities) for admission in spring and in fall next year.

 

If I am accepted into some spring program, start in that program, and later some other fall program accept me, can I leave the spring program and start in the fall program?

 

Thanks!

[beyondaboundary]

Interested to know why you would do that?

[Tim126]

because when the spring result is finalized, the result of fall hasn't come out yet. i don't want to waste the spring admission if there is any, and who knows i may not have fall admission.

 

if the fall result is better than the spring one, can i switch to the fall program?

 

by the way, the spring programs that i will apply to will likely be master programs without financial aid, and the fall ones may or may not have financial aid.

 

Interested to know why you would do that?

Edited September 6, 2013 by Tim126

[juilletmercredi]

Can you?  Yes, of course you could, technically.  There's nothing stopping you from doing that, unless the program has a specific clause about it.

 

Should you?  That's a different question.  I would personally say no.  Academia is a small world, and word may get around that you started somewhere in the spring just to start somewhere while you were still waiting on other programs.  I think you should either apply to programs that all have the same start time, or you should decide whether you would rather begin in the spring at your #2 or #3 choice than wait to hear back from the fall programs for your #1 choice.