One day to decide?!

[Between Fields]

I just got admitted with an assistantship offer today (4/14) but the letter says they need to know by 4/15 (tomorrow!!!!). Is this a real thing? Have others experienced this sort of thing? I'm still waiting on other offers and I'm freaking out. It's a good school and a relatively generous offer, but... one day?

[iphi]

It is a real thing, and if you don't accept by April 15 it can be taken away! The legal deadline (for the schools that adhere to the agreement) is tomorrow and they have no obligation to hold the funding for you after that date without you accepting it. My advice is to accept, and then if you really really want to back out later... do.

 

eta: Congrats!!!

Edited April 14, 2014 by iphi

[Between Fields]

I got a few extra days out of them (phew!) but it's still such a short window. 

 

And thanks! I'm still very excited, even if I do feel so very rushed.

[bethany1222]

I just experienced the exact same thing.. received a great funding offer today, but also have a great funding offer from another school. Decision is tomorrow. I am thinking I will accept both and then decline one after I have a chance to visit the campus.. is that bad?

[TheGirlWhoLived]

I personally would strongly advise against accepting both...

[the_sheath]

It would be like Three's Company, but with schools instead of women

[juilletmercredi]

It is a real thing, and if you don't accept by April 15 it can be taken away! The legal deadline (for the schools that adhere to the agreement) is tomorrow and they have no obligation to hold the funding for you after that date without you accepting it. My advice is to accept, and then if you really really want to back out later... do.

 

It's not legal.  It's simply an agreement between a council of schools.  It is true that it can be taken away, but I think what likely happened is they intended to get the offer to you earlier and somehow stalled.  Good thing you asked for an extension; that's what I would advise.

 

I just experienced the exact same thing.. received a great funding offer today, but also have a great funding offer from another school. Decision is tomorrow. I am thinking I will accept both and then decline one after I have a chance to visit the campus.. is that bad?

 

Yes, it is bad.  Accepting both programs is unethical.  Ask School A for an extension.  If they're unwilling, you can accept one and decline it later if you decide the other one is better for you - that one is still in a moral grey area, but less bad than accepting both programs.

[bethany1222]

I understand it is not ideal and I plan on asking school A for an extension. However today is the deadline and if I do not get an extension, it is not possible for me to decline the school later if I decide on a better fit. I received the funding offer yesterday, so it is frustrating (but exciting!) to have less than a day to decide.

[seeingeyeduck]

Do you like the other school? Why not go with the one that didn't notify you last minute?

[bethany1222]

They both notified me last minute. One school notified me a few days earlier, but the other school gave me a later decision deadline.