How to tell new grad school that I'm going to drop out of current grad school?

[robhat]

Hello folks!

I'm an international student who's applying for a PhD degree for Fall 2014 (this is my second application cycle). In my applications, I have said that I have not dropped/been suspended from any school till now (which is true).

But, in spring 2014, I will be joining a certain school for one semester and wait to get admitted to any of the schools I applied for fall or get a job. Any which ways, I'm dropping out of that school either way after the spring semester. 

Now, most of you think it's not necessary to join that school in the first place, which is very true. But, this school kind of took my doctoral funding away at the last minute courtesy which I did not enroll and deferred my admission and came back to my country. I dont have the money but paying tuition for the first semester is the only way I can come to US in spring (when I can start looking for employment as a fall back option in case the PhD applications don't work out). This school is not going to fund me or any other PhD student. They have told us that. So I have to drop out no matter what. Either a PhD admit/job/no money to pay for second semester so drop out.

So my question is, when I meet faculty for these schools I'm applying to in Jan/Feb, how do I communicate that I will be dropping out of this xyzee school because of funding issues? I'm inclined to tell them, but should I? Would that go negative against my application? I mean getting ditched about funding at the last minute kind of sucks - I left my job/work visa/money for grad school and then they kind of screwed me royally. 
Any ways, how do I tell them is the question.

Any help will be highly appreciated!

Best
Ro 

Edited November 28, 2013 by robhat

[St Andrews Lynx]

I'm not convinced that it is a good idea to enroll in that university for one semester just to drop out, especially if you have to pay tuition for the dubious privilege of doing so. It sounds like the only reason you're planning to enroll is so that you can come to the USA to find another job/educational opportunity elswhere. At best that comes across as unethical, at worst it sounds like a visa nightmare waiting to happen! 

 

What will happen if you come to the USA on an F1 visa to attend one university, but then drop out of that school and re-apply to another? You'll almost certainly need to apply for a 2nd F1 visa...but I'd be surprised if the consequences of dropping out of one university didn't affect your chances of getting a new F1 visa. 

 

Telling faculty what you're doing sounds like a terrible idea. Their immediate reaction will probably be: if this international student does this to University X...what is to stop them doing the same thing to us? They want to accept grad students who will finish their doctoral program, not ones who abuse their student visa privileges.

 

In a similar vein, although it sounds easy to "(Temporarily) Go to the USA, apply for jobs there, get employment": again it might be more difficult than you realise. Again, you'll have to switch visas. The main condition of F1/J1 type visas is that you are expected to head back to your home country after they finish. Employers might also be reluctant to take you on if they catch wind of why you are currently in the States (using an F1 visa & university admission offer to fish for work). 

 

If you want to come to the USA to meet potential faculty, I think a tourist visa would be a preferable option on so many levels.

[robhat]

I have a valid visa. I completed a Masters degree from US from an Ivy. And when I went to this xyzee school for a PhD, since my current visa was on my Masters degree school, this new school just transferred my SEVIS record - that simple, barely takes fifteen minutes. And that's what will happen if I drop out and switch to another school, just a transfer of SEVIS account and a new I-20 shall be generated. No need to take the visa interview. I checked. And I double checked.  

 

The new school to which I'm applying happens to be my alma mater. I love that school - infinitely! I have got positive responses from the faculty but considering the funding scenario and I being an international student, nothing can be certain.
I have been in the US for a couple of years so the only problem I'm guessing I will have it finding a job within two months and getting the company to file a work visa in time. Nothing else. I'm not new to this system which is why I have an opinion.

Edited November 28, 2013 by robhat