Applying while deferred?

[GradSchoolProspective]

So I have a fairly straightforward question that would not be appropriate to ask an admissions office and would like to get some input on. I am currently deferred from an IR program (will be matriculating this Fall), but have been considering whether or not I would want to apply for Fletcher's late deadline. I had originally discounted Fletcher because I had no interest being in the greater Boston area, but have recently started seriously re-considering my assessment of the program. My only concern is if this would get me into serious trouble with my current program. I sent in my deposit last year and attested that I had not deferred or accepted a place at another school, which is all true. Nothing on their website or any of the forms I completed for them specified anything about applying to other programs while in deferment. I am aware that this is most likely not advisable, but at the same time, if I would be happier at a different program, I don't want to wait to realize that after I've sunk serious tuition payment into my current program.

[MJA87]

So I have a fairly straightforward question that would not be appropriate to ask an admissions office and would like to get some input on. I am currently deferred from an IR program (will be matriculating this Fall), but have been considering whether or not I would want to apply for Fletcher's late deadline. I had originally discounted Fletcher because I had no interest being in the greater Boston area, but have recently started seriously re-considering my assessment of the program. My only concern is if this would get me into serious trouble with my current program. I sent in my deposit last year and attested that I had not deferred or accepted a place at another school, which is all true. Nothing on their website or any of the forms I completed for them specified anything about applying to other programs while in deferment. I am aware that this is most likely not advisable, but at the same time, if I would be happier at a different program, I don't want to wait to realize that after I've sunk serious tuition payment into my current program.

 

My advice would be to do what is best for you. If you truly want to go to Fletcher, apply to Fletcher.

 

I'm sure the first school wont be thrilled, but I don't think you should potentially handicap your ability to pursue your goals because you feel some sort of loyalty to them. If you're considering Fletcher, I'm sure there are plenty of schools that would be happy to take your money. You're investing years of your life and potentially a lot of money; unless you entered into some kind of binding contract with the first school, you owe it to yourself to go where you want to go the most. 

[GradSchoolProspective]

Thanks  so much for your input! Definitely very helpful. I've gone over everything I signed when I sent in my deposit and nothing specific indicates it's binding. It only refers to if I had already accepted a spot at another school, or accepted a deferment for another school and that I plan to attend Fall 2016. So there is nothing specifically prohibiting me from applying to Fletcher, but it does concern because even if I'd be following the formal letter of the agreement, it doesn't really seem in keeping with the spirit of it. I guess my biggest concern is that these schools are probably in communication with one another in some way or another, and I don't want to run afoul of any rules that would jeopardize my current standing at the school I'm deferred from. Thoughts?

[TakeruK]

Thanks  so much for your input! Definitely very helpful. I've gone over everything I signed when I sent in my deposit and nothing specific indicates it's binding. It only refers to if I had already accepted a spot at another school, or accepted a deferment for another school and that I plan to attend Fall 2016. So there is nothing specifically prohibiting me from applying to Fletcher, but it does concern because even if I'd be following the formal letter of the agreement, it doesn't really seem in keeping with the spirit of it. I guess my biggest concern is that these schools are probably in communication with one another in some way or another, and I don't want to run afoul of any rules that would jeopardize my current standing at the school I'm deferred from. Thoughts?

 

I don't know the norms in your field, since it is a professional field while I am in an academic field. But to me, when you accept a school's offer and defer it, you have still accepted a school's offer. This means, when you apply to other schools, I think it would be unethical if you do not disclose to Fletcher that you have already accepted an offer from your current program. Also, when you have accepted and deferred an offer, you are making a commitment to attend that school and that you are no longer seeking other offers.

 

That is, I would consider applying while deferred to be the same situation as applying to a new graduate program while in the first year of a current graduate program. It's not good to quit programs like that, but sometimes you need to do what's best for you and your career. It's rare but not completely abnormal for a student to start a program, find that they don't fit well, and apply to a new one. Usually new schools will be wary of someone that did this, but the applicant can justify this by citing lack of fit or changing career goals. It would be tough to justify this when you have not yet started your first program.

 

But perhaps the norms are different in your field! (Not judging, just letting you know my thoughts).

[GradSchoolProspective]

I don't know the norms in your field, since it is a professional field while I am in an academic field. But to me, when you accept a school's offer and defer it, you have still accepted a school's offer. This means, when you apply to other schools, I think it would be unethical if you do not disclose to Fletcher that you have already accepted an offer from your current program. Also, when you have accepted and deferred an offer, you are making a commitment to attend that school and that you are no longer seeking other offers.

 

That is, I would consider applying while deferred to be the same situation as applying to a new graduate program while in the first year of a current graduate program. It's not good to quit programs like that, but sometimes you need to do what's best for you and your career. It's rare but not completely abnormal for a student to start a program, find that they don't fit well, and apply to a new one. Usually new schools will be wary of someone that did this, but the applicant can justify this by citing lack of fit or changing career goals. It would be tough to justify this when you have not yet started your first program.

 

But perhaps the norms are different in your field! (Not judging, just letting you know my thoughts).

 

No offense taken at all. Your concerns perfectly echo my own. I don't defend my current train of thought or potentially looking into another program as ethical whatsoever. Trying to ascertain what the consequences would be is not the same thing as me feeling good about making this decision. I recognize it's a serious one, and not one that I'm considering lightly. You bring up that sometimes people realize a program isn't a good fit after beginning it. That is the exact situation I am trying to avoid. The program I am currently deferred from is a good one, but I am not sure it would be the best fit for my career goals, whereas a more flexible program, such as Fletcher, might be better suited for me gaining a specific skill set I'm looking for. I don't want to be in a position of being at the middle of my first year, realizing that I am not getting what I need out of a (admittedly expensive) program. Unfortunately I completely overlooked the program the first time I was applying (which is 100% my fault), so I didn't have the opportunity to consider if it would be a better fit. The timing is awful, I know, but I think it's something I need to consider before I dedicate a large amount of money and years of my life to a professional program.

 

Thanks so much for your input. Hearing additional view points is always helpful.

[TakeruK]

You definitely don't want to be in a position where you are paying for a program and you don't like it! As I said above, my thoughts are coming from a research field (where they pay me to be here, not the other way around). I think if you are not getting any financial support at all from the school, then your responsibility to them is much less. That is, if you are a paying student, instead of a colleague that the department is paying to work with them, then I don't think there is anything bad with what you are doing at all. I mean, the current program probably won't agree and will probably be unhappy (probably the worst case is that you can never get admitted to this school again) but that's a better consequence than paying for a school you don't want to be in.

[GradSchoolProspective]

You definitely don't want to be in a position where you are paying for a program and you don't like it! As I said above, my thoughts are coming from a research field (where they pay me to be here, not the other way around). I think if you are not getting any financial support at all from the school, then your responsibility to them is much less. That is, if you are a paying student, instead of a colleague that the department is paying to work with them, then I don't think there is anything bad with what you are doing at all. I mean, the current program probably won't agree and will probably be unhappy (probably the worst case is that you can never get admitted to this school again) but that's a better consequence than paying for a school you don't want to be in.

 

In my defense, I have received zero aid from the program I am currently deferred from. Additionally, were I to apply and get accepted anywhere else (which I haven't done. I'm purely contemplating the idea), I would not pull a double-deposit stunt. I would of course forfeit my deferral deposit and inform the school I no longer planned to attend before accepting any other offer. That being said, it does make me nervous, because I remember from undergrad, it was really hammered into my head that if you accept or defer a position, you go, and to do anything else is unethical (which is totally true). It just makes me nervous, because even though I haven't seen anything specifically prohibiting it, the worst-case scenario is of course, that both schools somehow find out (I don't know if schools communicate with one another over things like this, for example), are affronted by the situation and both pull offers, especially considering that if there were really explicit rules concerning this sort of thing, it would make it much easier to know how to handle this situation. So it definitely requires some careful consideration and introspection about where I want to be and what would be best. Thanks so much for your input!

Edited February 5, 2015 by GradSchoolProspective

[MJA87]

You definitely don't want to be in a position where you are paying for a program and you don't like it! As I said above, my thoughts are coming from a research field (where they pay me to be here, not the other way around). I think if you are not getting any financial support at all from the school, then your responsibility to them is much less. That is, if you are a paying student, instead of a colleague that the department is paying to work with them, then I don't think there is anything bad with what you are doing at all. I mean, the current program probably won't agree and will probably be unhappy (probably the worst case is that you can never get admitted to this school again) but that's a better consequence than paying for a school you don't want to be in.

 

I think this gets at the heart of the issue. If it were an academic field and the department was paying for you to attend while you did your research I might feel differently, but as it stands, I'm assuming the opposite is true. If my assumption is correct and you'll be expected to pay tens of thousands of dollars (and likely be indebted for years), you should absolutely go where you want.

 

This might not be entirely analogous, but if you come to an agreement with a dealership on the price of a car and tell them you'll bring a check in tomorrow, but find a much better deal on the way home, I wouldn't expect you to honor the verbal agreement at the cost of thousands of dollars to yourself. I'd expect you'd call the dealership and apologize profusely and tell them the deal is off. The first university is going to be just fine, they have many more applicants than spots and have plenty of people lined up willing to pay sticker for admission to their program.