Holding out for your A-list picks...

[TonyB]

Essentially, I plan to go for my MFA in Creative Writing this coming fall - I'll be applying to schools in December and January. My top-tier picks include wish listers like Cornell, University of Michigan, UW Madison, and so on - they're prestigious, offer large annual stipends, plenty of teaching experience, and in some cases, automatic one or two-year teaching fellowships after graduation.

 

I also have my "B-list" schools like Syracuse or Virginia Tech, which offer somewhat smaller stipends, are in more remote/inhospitable areas (but still within a day's drive of my current section of the country), and so on. And then I have the C-listers - small programs out in the boonies like Oregon State, Boise State, etc. These guys are on the opposite side of the country, often in remote/rural areas, and offer small (10k a year or less) stipends which may or may not be livable in those locales.

 

Now ultimately, I'd be happy to attend any of these schools, and if, say, Oregon State was the only school that offered me a spot, I'd happily accept. But what if I get an early admission from OSU or Boise, say, and I'm tempted to hold out in case Michigan or Cornell offers me a spot? What's the etiquette in a situation like that? It seems like it would be awfully insulting to offer someone admission to what is still, at the end of the day, a very selective program, only to hear that you're not their first choice.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Edited October 21, 2013 by TonyB

[IRToni]

Most grad schools in the US adhere to the April 15 rule, i.e. they won't require you to make a decision before that. Most regular admissions should be over by then, so you should know where you got in. It gets kind of sticky if you're waitlisted, but I would say, cross that bridge when it comes to it.

[gellert]

You have to make a decision by April 15, but it's my understanding that if you're waitlisted and get off the waitlist/accepted by your top school after april 15, most places are pretty understanding if you have to withdraw your declaration of matriculation.

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

If your earliest ones are in January, you're probably hear back by February/March and you'll need to decide by April, like everyone else has said. December/January is pretty standard for deadlines. Some of my schools aren't until March because they're professional master's programs. But most PhD programs I've heard of are between December 1 and January 15. You'll have time to choose the best one for you. 

[TonyB79]

Thanks, everyone!

[TakeruK]

Just a reminder that the April 15th rule is only an agreed-upon convention for offers of funding, not admission. For most programs, funding and admission go hand in hand, but this is not always true. Also, it's a non-binding formal agreement between the schools that signed that Charter, so while most schools will follow this convention, there is nothing stopping them from doing otherwise.

 

I'm not saying that the OP's schools won't follow it, but it's important to remember that while the majority of programs will follow this convention, it's not universal.

[TonyB]

Good point. Thanks!