Counter-offers!

[phildude]

How do you deal with new offers? Do you want to update other programs? If so, how do you tactfully ask if they can make a counter-offer?

 

My guess is that I should tell my other offers, but I don't know how to tell them with the hope that they make a counter-offer.

[Duns Eith]

By "new" offers, do you mean, they changed their initial offer? Or just that you were recently accepted at comparable school with better funding/amenities?

[phildude]

By "new" offers, do you mean, they changed their initial offer?

Exactly.

[ianfaircloud]

If you're offered something better elsewhere, contact the department with the lower offer. Simply tell them that you have a financially-better offer from school X. Give them details, so that they know the competition. The details also suggest that you're not being dishonest about offers. I would write something to this effect:

 

"Dear [contact],

 

I want to drop a note about the funding/workload offer that came with my admission offer.  I love the department, and I think it's [a very strong fit / the best fit] for me, in terms of my philosophical interests and ambitions.  However, I also have financial obligations and [insert any particular reason that you especially need assistance: e.g. other grad debt, children or spouse, etc.].

 

[Other school's name] has also extended an offer to me, and their offer is better on the financial/workload side of things.  Their offer is [insert specifics of offer].  This factor has made my decision difficult.  For this reason, I wonder whether there is flexibility in the funding/working offer that your department has extended to me.

 

Thanks for your consideration. I hope we are able to work something out.

 

Yours truly,

 

[Your name here]"

[phildude]

If you're offered something better elsewhere, contact the department with the lower offer. Simply tell them that you have a financially-better offer from school X. Give them details, so that they know the competition. The details also suggest that you're not being dishonest about offers. I would write something to this effect:

 

"Dear [contact],

 

I want to drop a note about the funding/workload offer that came with my admission offer.  I love the department, and I think it's [a very strong fit / the best fit] for me, in terms of my philosophical interests and ambitions.  However, I also have financial obligations and [insert any particular reason that you especially need assistance: e.g. other grad debt, children or spouse, etc.].

 

[Other school's name] has also extended an offer to me, and their offer is better on the financial/workload side of things.  Their offer is [insert specifics of offer].  This factor has made my decision difficult.  For this reason, I wonder whether there is flexibility in the funding/working offer that your department has extended to me.

 

Thanks for your consideration. I hope we are able to work something out.

 

Yours truly,

 

[Your name here]"

ianfaircloud:

Thanks for what can basically be a template. I think it hits all the things I was trying to hit.

 

Bolded I have questions though:

1) What level of detail? I am trying to find a balance of communicating the level of competition to be met, meanwhile not just showing my cards.

2) I am kinda surprised that I would say what my obligations are.

 

Overall, though, I think I can or will adapt what you've said. You've been a great help.

[phildude]

2) I am kinda surprised that I would say what my obligations are.

Actually, to clarify. I am not sure what obligations I have that would justify mentioning them. I simply like the program and their offerings better than the one with more funding.

[isostheneia]

Actually, to clarify. I am not sure what obligations I have that would justify mentioning them. I simply like the program and their offerings better than the one with more funding.

 

One example: "I love your program, and it's an excellent fit for my interests. However, it's on the other side of the country from my family, so visiting them would be much more costly than at some of the other programs I'm considering. Accordingly, if there's any flexibility with the stipend at your program, a larger stipend would make it easier for me to accept your offer of admission."

[ianfaircloud]

ianfaircloud:

Thanks for what can basically be a template. I think it hits all the things I was trying to hit.

 

Bolded I have questions though:

1) What level of detail? I am trying to find a balance of communicating the level of competition to be met, meanwhile not just showing my cards.

2) I am kinda surprised that I would say what my obligations are.

 

Overall, though, I think I can or will adapt what you've said. You've been a great help.

 

1) I wouldn't be too worried about revealing the details. I would reveal only the information that would probably be helpful to your contact. I do think I would mention the name of the other school. I think you don't want to come off like someone who's playing (manipulating) the system to seek disproportionate advantage. Presumably if you're asking for extra, you're doing it because you do have some real concerns about taking a weaker offer.

 

I guess I would not reveal details in the case in which the alternative offer isn't much better than the one you hope to improve. If the alternative offer is merely an extra $1k, then you might come off as miserly. (To be clear, I'm not suggesting that $1k isn't a lot of money. But I think it could look bad to suggest turning down a "better fit" for $1k. I assume you're not talking about a difference of $1k. If you are, then I would advise against revealing the details of the alternative offer. I might change the approach altogether, in that case.)

 

2) I wouldn't be worried about revealing your obligations, provided those are obligations that are fairly ordinary and understandable ones. (You're not addicted to illegal drugs or something, right? I wouldn't mention that.) In my experience of the philosophy world (and the world of humanities, at least), people are pretty responsive to real needs and real people. You have a child or a dog, and you need a larger apartment. You have a spouse, or you take care of your father.

 

This isn't law school or business school. When I aggressively pursued extra aid from Penn Law, I did use tactics of manipulation, etc., to secure a better offer. But that's the game they played with me, too. I don't like that game, but I've entered that world and have to play by those rules. But philosophy isn't like that, in my view. Philosophy departments want to secure the best funding they can for their students, and they would like to distribute it partly according to need (though can't always do this). When they worry that a student will turn down an offer for financial reasons, they might try to see whether extra money is available for that student.

[phildude]

One example: "I love your program, and it's an excellent fit for my interests. However, it's on the other side of the country from my family, so visiting them would be much more costly than at some of the other programs I'm considering. Accordingly, if there's any flexibility with the stipend at your program, a larger stipend would make it easier for me to accept your offer of admission."

Thanks, but this is actually nearly the reverse. (the program with less funding is closer to home, including in-laws)

 

1) I wouldn't be too worried about revealing the details. I would reveal only the information that would probably be helpful to your contact. I do think I would mention the name of the other school. I think you don't want to come off like someone who's playing (manipulating) the system to seek disproportionate advantage. Presumably if you're asking for extra, you're doing it because you do have some real concerns about taking a weaker offer.

 

I guess I would not reveal details in the case in which the alternative offer isn't much better than the one you hope to improve. If the alternative offer is merely an extra $1k, then you might come off as miserly. (To be clear, I'm not suggesting that $1k isn't a lot of money. But I think it could look bad to suggest turning down a "better fit" for $1k. I assume you're not talking about a difference of $1k. If you are, then I would advise against revealing the details of the alternative offer. I might change the approach altogether, in that case.)

 

2) I wouldn't be worried about revealing your obligations, provided those are obligations that are fairly ordinary and understandable ones. (You're not addicted to illegal drugs or something, right? I wouldn't mention that.) In my experience of the philosophy world (and the world of humanities, at least), people are pretty responsive to real needs and real people. You have a child or a dog, and you need a larger apartment. You have a spouse, or you take care of your father.

 

This isn't law school or business school. When I aggressively pursued extra aid from Penn Law, I did use tactics of manipulation, etc., to secure a better offer. But that's the game they played with me, too. I don't like that game, but I've entered that world and have to play by those rules. But philosophy isn't like that, in my view. Philosophy departments want to secure the best funding they can for their students, and they would like to distribute it partly according to need (though can't always do this). When they worry that a student will turn down an offer for financial reasons, they might try to see whether extra money is available for that student.

Thank you again.

 

I have recently emailed the DGS and I, for the most part, used your basic format. I think you've encouraged me to make the right things known.

 

I might PM you the results of said email!

 

P.S.

No illegal drugs, no. :þ

[Duns Eith]

phildude: I am glad you found some good help! I didn't know what to say.

 

ianfaircloud and isostheneia: I wish we could put something like this in a catalog for future reference. This is so helpful.

 

Also, there is a similar thread posted a little over a month ago:

Edited April 12, 2015 by Turretin