Please help me about the acceptance dilemma

[cttabye]

I was very happy when my first and only offer came in my email today, but now I'm really worrying and get stuck in an dilemma. They asked to reply whether accept or withdraw the fellowship asap, "preferably within ten days of receipt of the notification"!!  They also said "cannot guarantee funding will be available after April 15, 2016". The situation is I'm still waiting for other programs' interviews, and have no idea whether I would get other admissions, but this offer is not in my top list (unfortunately is at bottom among my applications). What should I do then... I'm really losing my calm now! Could I just wait for the other applications and reply to this offer sometime before April 15? Would that influence the fellowship thing? Thanks very much!

Edited January 20, 2016 by cttabye
gramma mistake

[MarkMc]

Keep in mind that many will be facing this very issue.  If the offer is good through April 15th you have no worries.  They reason for the end date is that they may look at candidates who will fill your spot if you turn it down.  I would reply to your contact there and advise them that you've received the offer and you're extremely honored and flattered.  Let them know that you're going to sort through the offers you've received (they don't need to know that this is the only one) and that you expect to reach a decision by whatever date you think is reasonable.  Let them know that they are currently high on your list.  Congrats!

[Neist]

Hm. 

First, I'd look to see if the school you're applying to is on this list: http://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_Oct2015.pdf

Read the resolution, as well. If they have agreed to follow it, I'm not sure if they're supposed to do what you say they're asking of you.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Neist
Whoops! Linked the old resolution. Fixed.

[cttabye]

14 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

Keep in mind that many will be facing this very issue.  If the offer is good through April 15th you have no worries.  They reason for the end date is that they may look at candidates who will fill your spot if you turn it down.  I would reply to your contact there and advise them that you've received the offer and you're extremely honored and flattered.  Let them know that you're going to sort through the offers you've received (they don't need to know that this is the only one) and that you expect to reach a decision by whatever date you think is reasonable.  Let them know that they are currently high on your list.  Congrats!

Yep that's exactly what I'm doing right now  Thanks for the detailed advice!

12 minutes ago, Neist said:

Hm. 

First, I'd look to see if the school you're applying to is on this list: http://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_Oct2015.pdf

Read the resolution, as well. If they have agreed to follow it, I'm not sure if they're supposed to do what you say they're asking of you.

Hi Neist,

Yes it's surely on that list. I guess that's the reason the email used "preferably", not "must". Since it's within the list, it would be safe as long as accepting it before April 15th, right?

[lewin]

Just to be clear, you should definitely reply something to the email ASAP even if you don't accept/decline. I would say something like: "Thank you, I'm really excited to receive your offer and have the opportunity to attend your program. I'm still waiting to hear from several other programs and would like to have as much information as possible before making my final decision, but I will keep in touch and let you know as soon as I can."

Next is more of an etiquette situation. I like the rule "Never have more than two pending offers." So if you're in the enviable position to have three offers, take a day or two and decide which one is at the bottom, then decline that one politely. e.g., "I'm honored to receive your offer but have decided to attend another program that seems to have a better fit."    Even better is if you can keep it to one pending offer, i.e., quickly decide which is your favorite and decline any others. Repeat if new offers come in.

The reason you do this is so that programs can go to their wait list. If you decline everything in April then it could screw some other people out of their chance. Not that you owe it to them, or should rush a decision, but it's polite.

Edited January 20, 2016 by lewin

[cttabye]

11 minutes ago, lewin said:

Just to be clear, you should definitely reply something to the email ASAP even if you don't accept/decline. I would say something like: "Thank you, I'm really excited to receive your offer and have the opportunity to attend your program. I'm still waiting to hear from several other programs and would like to have as much information as possible before making my final decision, but I will keep in touch and let you know as soon as I can."

Next is more of an etiquette situation. I like the rule "Never have more than two pending offers." So if you're in the enviable position to have three offers, take a day or two and decide which one is at the bottom, then decline that one politely. e.g., "I'm honored to receive your offer but have decided to attend another program that seems to have a better fit."    Even better is if you can keep it to one pending offer, i.e., quickly decide which is your favorite and decline any others. Repeat if new offers come in.

The reason you do this is so that programs can go to their wait list. If you decline everything in April then it could screw some other people out of their chance. Not that you owe it to them, or should rush a decision, but it's polite.

Thanks for the advice!!!  Of course will not make the decision in the last minute, I might also rely on other fellows' declines as well for other programs lol

Edited January 20, 2016 by cttabye

[Neist]

3 hours ago, cttabye said:

Yes it's surely on that list. I guess that's the reason the email used "preferably", not "must". Since it's within the list, it would be safe as long as accepting it before April 15th, right?

Only if they choose to adhere to their stated commitment to the resolution.

So, maybe?  They are supposed to, at any rate. But they aren't legally obligated to.

[lewin]

21 minutes ago, Neist said:

So, maybe?  They are supposed to, at any rate. But they aren't legally obligated to.

I think I'm going to use this as a tragedy of the commons problem for teaching sometime.

[Neist]

45 minutes ago, lewin said:

I think I'm going to use this as a tragedy of the commons problem for teaching sometime.

Hm? I don't think I follow. Is my interpretation screwy somewhere along the line?

@cttabye I'm not sure which school you're applying to, but if it's a well-known school and a well-known program, I'd bet money that it's highly unlike they would break their commitment to the resolution. Even so, I'd definitely keep in constant contact so they know where you currently stand, as @lewin stated. 

[lewin]

22 hours ago, Neist said:

Hm? I don't think I follow. Is my interpretation screwy somewhere along the line?

Sorry to be clear I didn't mean your response, but the school's behaviour. Any individual school is better off insisting on an early deadline--which some do because they're trying to scoop up good candidates before other schools can--but if too many do this than the whole system collapses.

[rabbitfeet]

On 1/20/2016 at 4:28 PM, cttabye said:

I was very happy when my first and only offer came in my email today, but now I'm really worrying and get stuck in an dilemma. They asked to reply whether accept or withdraw the fellowship asap, "preferably within ten days of receipt of the notification"!!  They also said "cannot guarantee funding will be available after April 15, 2016". The situation is I'm still waiting for other programs' interviews, and have no idea whether I would get other admissions, but this offer is not in my top list (unfortunately is at bottom among my applications). What should I do then... I'm really losing my calm now! Could I just wait for the other applications and reply to this offer sometime before April 15? Would that influence the fellowship thing? Thanks very much!

I am facing a very similar situation here. Any advice would be appreciated from anyone else. 

I was notified a few days ago by my POI from PhD program at school A that the faculty had their official meeting about applicants and that it was decided then (officially, before interview weekend) that I will receive an offer for admission. The research match is almost perfect, but still have not heard anything regarding an interview from school B (and have learned from the threads here that they have not yet even sent interview invitations out). They are both very solid choices and a great fit for me. My POI from school A asked me to let her know when I was sure of my decision (yes or no) because she has other students on a waitlist. I told her how happy I was  about the acceptance etc. and that her program was also my top choice, but I still had another application whose decision i was waiting on (for formality's sake).

How long should I wait before accepting school A's offer? I feel like I should accept as soon as possible because I was accepted so quickly, but I'm worried that school B will send an invitation for and interview (based on a phone interview I've already had with my POI) and I'll miss out on that opportunity altogether. 

[rising_star]

I would visit both schools, if possible, before making your decision, @rabbitfeet. That will help ensure that you know school A is the right one for you. I assume you've already gotten your funding package at each place?