Impact of Quitting 2nd Masters Program after PhD Admittance

[thwrexntr]

A bit of background: American student of a certain European language/culture, have spent 4+ years living in said country X, teaching English and studying. Got my first Master's degree from an Ivy-League American university's program here in X.

 

Currently enrolled in a second master's program in the university system of X. Important to note that this master's program I am currenly in WAS listed on my CV for all of the applications, while it wasn't entered into the actual applications for some (due to a lack of an English language transcript from my first semester).

 

So far have received word from two Ivy League PhD programs I've applied to. #1 fits my particular research interests quite well, and has offered me admittance and a fellowship less than 3 weeks after I submitted my application.

 

I also recently received an email requesting a Skype interview for #2 about two weeks after the application deadline.

 

I've applied to four other schools, and given the fact that #2 is probably the best school for the field in the country, and #1 is quite strong in its own right, I expect a few other acceptances (at least two other schools, one Ivy, one not, are really fantastic matches for me - while my alma mater from my first master's is probably going to be an acceptance as well.)

All in all, I've got one definite yes, one interview, and 3 other strong possibilites.

That being said, because of a sequence of very unfortunate events, the rush of the phd application season, and various other factors, I've found myself dangerously and hilariously behind on my work for my second master's program and uncertain about whether I'll be able to realistically stay in Europe beyond a couple more months. I've managed to defer important meetings with my advisor until after the application season was over, but now am still very very behind in my research and coursework.

 

I'm strongly tempted, because of my admittance to at least one of my top choices, to simply not finish my second master's and take the time before this fall simply working through the suggested reading lists for my area and pursuing my own reading and research into areas which will be germane to my work in my doctoral program.

My question being: what, if any, serious consequences might this have in terms of my phd program in the coming fall?

Edited January 26, 2015 by thwrexntr

[agrizz]

Surely, nothing can be stated outright due to idiosyncrasies of the programs of interest and your current situation, but I'm of the opinion that it will mean absolutely nothing.  

 

The only thing "not completing a masters" would impact is the program's initial impression of you. This would lead to a need for you to explain the situation, but not necessarily an outright rejection, and certainly not a rescinded offer.  Now that you've gotten your apps in and have even gotten an acceptance, you've really got little to worry about. You were considered and accepted because of your history, not because you would have had two masters degrees.  Furthermore, once you're accepted and matriculate, nobody is going to care about your past.  You may, however, find a need to explain things a bit further after grad school, but by then, you should have a PhD in the bag and few that care about anything else.  

[thwrexntr]

Thanks. I guess I was overthinking how important this one bit of my admissions profile was. I was afraid they're be some nightmarish moment when I arrive on campus in the fall and they ask for the official versions of all my transcripts and when I failed to supply Master's #2, as I didn't finish it, they decided to kick me out of the program and bar me from any further studies for life.

 

If anything, now that I think of it, quitting my second master's would probably hurt me most in terms of working with professors from my 2nd master's university/country in the future, post- or during-Phd. My current advisor is pretty amazing and quite important in his sub-section of the field. Dropping out would mean potentially souring our relationship/my reputation with him and his colleagues and that would be a bummer, at the very least.

[rising_star]

When you think about it in terms of your relationship and reputation with important people, maybe it makes sense to reconsider your plans to quit the 2nd master's. I would definitely talk to your advisor about everything and get their advice. If you end up deciding to drop the 2nd master's, I would let programs know because it does constitute a change to your application, though it's unlikely they'll care very much.