Rejecting all offers - Idiotic?

[Lorelai_Gilmore]

Hi all, I would really appreciate any advice you might have. My situation is complicated - to anyone who takes the time to read this, you rock.

 

I applied to 4 PhD schools and so far I've been accepted to 3, and am pretty sure I'll be accepted to the 4th as well. However, my application period was extremely rushed (for many personal reasons that I won't bore you with) and I feel like I didn't choose the best programs to apply to. Since the deadlines have past I've been discovering other programs that would be a much better fit. The one program that I could justify attending has offered me acceptance without funding, which is just unfortunate. They will only *really* accept me if I win the external scholarship that I applied for, and that's a super long shot.

 

I'm very close to rejecting my offers and reapplying next year. I know that this defeats the purpose of my back-up schools...but I really don't want to settle for them. I would actually enjoy a year off to avoid burn out, read all the untouched books on my shelf, spend quality time with family, try to publish something, etc. I should have realized that earlier, but I didn't, and I have to accept that and do the best thing I can with the current situation. I am in the middle of a condensed one year MA program that will end this August, which I began right out of undergrad. Rejecting this cycle's offers would have the added benefit of me having time to apply to more external scholarships, and of having a much stronger CV (more conferences, a completed MA, MA grades that are surprisingly higher than my already high BA grades, etc). I would reapply to better fits, and to the one program that is currently offering me an unfunded acceptance (this particular institution funds the top applicants and offers unfunded acceptances to the next-best applicants, so the goal would be to become a top applicant).

 

I have three questions:

 

1) Will my references - who already know I have several acceptances - frown upon this/be annoyed that I basically made them write letters for nothing? Would it be appropriate to ask them AGAIN next fall to be references?

 

2) Is it frowned upon to reject an unfunded offer and then reapply to the same institution hoping for a funded offer the next year (this institution funds the top applicants and offers unfunded acceptances to the next-best applicants)?

 

3) Is this in general a stupid idea? Should I just take a funded offer to a mediocre school and save myself the trouble?

Edited February 10, 2015 by Lorelai_Gilmore

[fuzzylogician]

My thoughts:

 

1. I think they shouldn't be annoyed if you explain yourself exactly like you did here. Your reasoning seems very sound. The only thing is to make sure that you're making appropriate choices next time around, because you don't want to do this twice. Some of your LOR writers might even discuss the reasons why you're applying a second time, so you want to make sure they can present your choices in a positive light (and also that they think of them that way, of course!). 

 

2. This should not be a problem. I would strongly advise anyone applying to grad school against taking an unfunded offer, I am not alone in holding this view. Schools realize that accepting unfunded offers is problematic for many students. Again, you may want to address your previous application head on in your SOP and outline all the ways in which your application is better this cycle than the previous one. 

 

3. If you already know that your offers are not from places that would be good for you, then my personal view is that there is no point in getting started in such a program. One year is not that long in the scheme of things, and I think it's totally worth it to reapply to better fitting schools. Sounds like you already have a plan for improving your application and for choosing good schools for your interests, so I'd say go for it. The process is always easier the second time around, especially when you're not doing it at the same time as trying to finish your degree. Of course, there are no guarantees so you take the risk of not succeeding next year, but again I don't think it makes much sense to attend a program that you already know won't train you in the way that you want to be trained. Grad school is hard enough even when everything works just as it should. You want to do your best to maximize your chances of success, and an important factor in that is choosing the right school. I say go for it, take the risk. Sounds like it'll pay off. 

[sickofthecold]

I totally agree with the above poster, and I would add that if you approach this in a very open and honest way with your recommenders — preferably in person — they may turn out to be a great source of advice on programs you should look into for the next cycle, grants you can apply for, etc. It sounds to me like you fast-tracked yourself unnecessarily and just simply didn't have the time to do the absurd amount of prep and research that it takes to choose "best fit" programs. You were basically doing two jobs (I can't imagine applying in the middle of a condensed masters'). But cut yourself a break! You're doing an awesome job finishing your MA and there is absolutely nothing wrong with not going straight to a PhD program 3 months later.

Also, most likely your recommenders will not drastically rewrite their letters for you; at most they'll update them or tweak them before the next application cycle. I wouldn't be shy about asking them to re-submit them (or submit them to a greater number of schools). They're used to doing this kind of stuff; it's part of the job, and while it's a minor hassle, I'm sure they also find it flattering

 

I would, however, look for part-time or freelance work or something you can put on your resume during your gap year. Even if it's just "self-employed" or "tutor" or something. I'm told that unexplained periods of unemployment can be a red flag.

 

It's scary but you're thinking straight. Good luck!!

[Lorelai_Gilmore]

Thanks for the responses, fuzzylogician and sickofthecold. I'm relieved that my logic makes sense to others - hopefully it will to my references, too. I guess I'm still leaning toward the year off. Such a shame that I sunk all that time with the apps, but it's best to cut my losses now I suppose.

 

 

edit - sickofthecold, you're absolutely right that applying to schools while doing the MA was like having two jobs. It was INSANELY overwhelming and I would not recommend it to anyone, ever.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Lorelai_Gilmore

[MidwesternAloha]

Do what's best for you. Take time off. Your professors will not be annoyed, they of all people should understand the importance of taking a break. Many of mine encouraged it, thus, I've been out of undergrad 3 years before considering going back to school. They will also use their previous letters as a rubric for the next one, updating it is way easier than writing them a first time. I always wonder why a student would choose to go to a grad program that's not fully funded, so, on that factor alone, I'd be hesitant to accept any of those offers. You don't want to start somewhere and hate it or resent it and quit. Nothing wrong with trying again in a year.

[MidwesternAloha]

Oh and another note - I was in your shoes my last year of school. While I wasn't in a Master's program, I was graduating early, taking too many courses, working full time after school and on the weekend, sacrificing sleep, health and recovering from cancer. I hastily applied to a bunch of professional programs (I wanted to be a physician assistant) and was rejected or didn't complete supplemental apps for the schools who did respond to my interest. I told my professors sorry, and in the time off, I realized I'm more interested in a career in research

They supported the move and were happy to write letters again.

[breaks0]

In a situation like yours where you have alternatives and viable backup plans, putting aside you might be happier going somewhere else, esp after a year off, agreed w/others, do it if that feels best or makes most logical sense for you.

 

I wish I had that choice, I got into 1 of 8 last year w/o ffunding, declined it, but had no backup plan and this year kind of feels wasted and the torture of waiting on decisions again is as bad as it was last year, day after day, week after week it just drags on till you hopefully get an offer. I didn't handle the process well this time either, albeit better than I did last year, the app process I mean. So any offer I get b/c no backup plan I have to take it, I'm also older which probably makes my situation diff than yours or most other people. But do what's right for you, if you have an  alternative, don't rush anything, better to make the right longterm decision.

[Lorelai_Gilmore]

Thanks for the additional comments! I appreciate all the solidarity. I actually feel less guilty now