Visiting schools you are likely to decline?

[jpfry]

Searched the forums but couldn't find anything on this topic.  I was accepted back in very early February to a school at the edge of the top 50 PGR rankings, and, being too early in the game and not having any other acceptances, I decided it would be prudent to go ahead and say I would visit in early March.  Fast forward to now--I've been offered admission at two top 20 PGR schools and will be declining admission to the school I've already said I would visit.  However, the trouble is that this school has already paid for a non-refundable flight.

 

What do you guys think? Should I decline the visit and not waste their resources?  Should the flight just be a sunk cost? Honestly I would like to visit, see the school, and talk to some professors whose work I'm interested in, though I feel bad doing this under the assumption that I will decline.

 

Thanks!

Edited February 25, 2014 by jpfry

[TheVineyard]

Sunken cost fallacy. It is actually a bigger waste of their resources for you to visit, considering the non-refundable flight.

[ianfaircloud]

Searched the forums but couldn't find anything on this topic.  I was accepted back in very early February to a school at the edge of the top 50 PGR rankings, and, being too early in the game and not having any other acceptances, I decided it would be prudent to go ahead and say I would visit in early March.  Fast forward to now--I've been offered admission at two top 20 PGR schools and will be declining admission to the school I've already said I would visit.  However, the trouble is that this school has already paid for a non-refundable flight.

 

What do you guys think? Should I decline the visit and not waste their resources?  Should the flight just be a sunk cost? Honestly I would like to visit, see the school, and talk to some professors whose work I'm interested in, though I feel bad doing this under the assumption that I will decline.

 

Thanks!

 

Agree with Vineyard. Don't go. They assume the risk when they pay for you to visit. Don't feel bad. Tell them that there's honestly no way you will take their offer, given the others on the table. 

[Gnothi_Seauton]

Indeed.  Unless you are genuinely open to being convinced otherwise, don't go on a visit.  I think that principle generalizes.  Only go on a visit if you are genuinely open to being convinced to accept a school's offer.  Otherwise, you are holding up a place for someone on a waitlist and wasting the school's money.  

[TakeruK]

Agree with everyone else--since you are pretty much certain to decline this school, then don't visit. (If you are still not sure, then go ahead and visit though).

Also, "non-refundable" flight cost doesn't mean the school will lose all of their money. If it's a $200 cancellation fee and your flight was $400, then the school can still reclaim $200 of flight credit for use on someone else. If you attend anyways, the school pays the entire $400 plus all the other costs associated with your visit!

[jpfry]

Thanks everyone; the voice of reason speaks. I'm convinced by what's been said. 

[Ryura]

For what it's worth, if you really would like to visit and meet with professors, why not email them and tell them your situation? It's possible that they'll encourage you to visit anyway.

[jpfry]

For what it's worth, if you really would like to visit and meet with professors, why not email them and tell them your situation? It's possible that they'll encourage you to visit anyway.

 

Yeah I think this is a good suggestion.  I'm mainly interested in what the DGS thought about my writing sample (as he's published in the same very narrow area), but a conversation about this can happen over email, and I don't necessarily have to visit the school to get some feedback.