Meeting the Program Director?

[Queenofnormandy]

A couple weeks ago, I was accepted to my second-choice university with a very generous financial offer (and the offer to increase that, if another university offered me more).  They've really made it clear they want me at their university, and now the director of the program is in my city and has asked if I want to meet up with him to talk about the program.  Today, I got unofficial notification that I'd been accepted to my first choice, but nothing yet about funding, etc.  My problems are that a) I really would rather go to my first-choice school, and while my application for the second-choice school was good, I'm really not confident I'd have anything intelligent to say to the program director.  Should I meet with him?  Help!

[StillWaitingInBoston]

Definitely meet with him. At worst it's a slightly dull meeting. At best, it's new information about your second-choice program, a great fallback if funding or anything is prohibitive with your first choice, or merely a connection with a highly-experienced academic in your field. It can't really go badly, right?

[RomulusAugustulus]

Yes, definitely meet with him! You don't want to get yourself in a situation where you decline to meet with him, then don't get funding at your top choice and need to accept your 2nd choice. That will just make you look foolish. Also, you never know, he could tell you something about the program that makes it more appealing than your top choice. Prepare a few questions ahead of time so you have something to say if the conversation gets slow. 

[Queenofnormandy]

Good advice - thanks!  I definitely suffer from a nasty case of imposter syndrome, so I'm a tiny bit worried I'd make myself look bad by not really having much to say, but I've gone ahead and emailed him to say I'd like to meet.  I'm definitely going to prepare a few questions in advance.