Should I still interview at other schools?

[gliter250]

Today, I was accepted into my top choice program! I love the faculty, the school, and the surrounding city! However, I was invited to interview at another university and bought a train/bus ticket (9 hour trip - $80) just two days ago. This university isn't my preferred choice and is in a difficult location to reach in relation to the surrounding cities. This would make future travel (to the research lab and home) difficult.

Essentially, is it worth it to visit the latter university when I know that I will accept the offer from the first one? It seems like a waste of money and time spent applying if I don't visit, but it might be rude to go knowing I will accept another offer.

Also, what are the chances that the second university will know if I accept the offer from the former prior to the interview weekend? They are in the same state and someone at my first choice indicated that they knew I was asked to interview at the other university...was a bit awkward.

[rising_star]

If you're going to accept your top choice's offer before even visiting the other university, then why would you even still go on the visit? Your reasoning here doesn't make sense. If there's even a small chance that you'd go to the second university, then yes, you should follow through on the visit.

[TakeruK]

I agree with @rising_star, if you are sure about the first school to the point where you are ready to accept the first school's offer before visiting the second, then please do so and cancel your visit to the second school. It will just waste everyone's time and money! Hopefully, you will be able to get reimbursed for any cancellation costs on your train/bus ticket, or that you are able to get a refund on that (or credit towards a future trip). 

It's common that these things happen in academia. Sometimes departments will arrange for an entire recruitment visit to convince a faculty candidate to take the offer, only to have the candidate inform them a week before that they took an offer elsewhere. Lots of work and stuff cancelled but it would still be preferable to cancel than to make everyone go through the trouble of hosting you for no reason.

[gliter250]

Both of your advice is soumd. I was worried because I was advised not to turn down other schools down until I receive an official letter of acceptance in the mail. I figured i should tell my top choice that i plan to attend so they hold my place but ill also inform the other school that im no longer interested. Thanks! 

[gliter250]

8 hours ago, rising_star said:

If you're going to accept your top choice's offer before even visiting the other university, then why would you even still go on the visit? Your reasoning here doesn't make sense. If there's even a small chance that you'd go to the second university, then yes, you should follow through on the visit.

Hi! I realize that I wasn't entirely clear earlier and came off a bit rude in not considering the other school. I applied to the second school because I would like to work with my POI, but certain reasons make it a less favorable option. 

Another user posted a similar question (phrased better) about prematurely rejecting other universities when I haven't received an official letter of admission in the mail. I was concerned about the first university rescinding their offer because of funding or some unforseen problem. You advised the other user to continue interviewing in case a problem does arise. Would you still say the same or do you still believe it's wasting time to visit the second university? 

[rising_star]

8 hours ago, gliter250 said:

Another user posted a similar question (phrased better) about prematurely rejecting other universities when I haven't received an official letter of admission in the mail. I was concerned about the first university rescinding their offer because of funding or some unforseen problem. You advised the other user to continue interviewing in case a problem does arise. Would you still say the same or do you still believe it's wasting time to visit the second university? 

The circumstances are different. You've said that you don't want to go to the other school, which to me sounded like you are saying that you wouldn't go there even if it were your only option. If that isn't the case, then yes, you should still visit. But, if you already have your admission and funding offer, then there's no sense in wasting people's time by visiting the second university.

[psycgrad37]

I would say that before you burn any bridges consider all of the potential problems that could arise from your "first option" school. As long as you have received an official offer, you have discussed funding with your POI and program director, as well as talked to the current grad students thoroughly about what the program/POI/environment is like then it's okay not to go to the other school's interview. The way I see it, you have already bought the tickets, why not just go and check it out?

[TakeruK]

16 hours ago, gliter250 said:

Both of your advice is soumd. I was worried because I was advised not to turn down other schools down until I receive an official letter of acceptance in the mail. I figured i should tell my top choice that i plan to attend so they hold my place but ill also inform the other school that im no longer interested. Thanks! 

Do you have any official letter of acceptance? It doesn't have to be the one in the mail, but something that is coming from the Graduate School with a stipend amount etc. (my current schools sends a PDF letter right away and a snail mail one that's exactly the same comes a few weeks later). But if you only have notice from a faculty member in the first school, I would not turn down other offers yet, at this point!

1 hour ago, psycgrad37 said:

 The way I see it, you have already bought the tickets, why not just go and check it out?

I don't think this is good advice. If there is zero chance of attending, the right thing to do is get the tickets refunded (sometimes the school will still reimburse for the tickets). It will cost everyone a lot more time and money to follow through with the tickets. Especially in this case, the tickets are only $80---the actual cost of the visit is a lot more (plus all of the working hours needed to pay the staff to do the work related to the visit).

[gliter250]

I applied to the second school because I'm interested in working with two specific faculty members. I do not love the location of this university, which is why I asked whether it was worth it to visit after hearing from my top choice.

Regarding the offer of admission, the director of the program made the offer, but the offer was not accompanied by a stipend amount or any financial information. The director also used the conditional (i.e. "your file is currently being processed...an official letter should arrive...we would need to hear from you by April"), which concerned me. Once I accepted, the director switched to the definitive (i.e., "we are very excited that you will be joining us"), but there was no financial clarification. I was informed that the letter will arrive anywhere in the next 1 to 3 weeks. The interview at the second school falls within this timeline, but I want to be considerate of their time if I am in fact financially secure at my top choice.

[TakeruK]

2 hours ago, gliter250 said:

I applied to the second school because I'm interested in working with two specific faculty members. I do not love the location of this university, which is why I asked whether it was worth it to visit after hearing from my top choice.

Regarding the offer of admission, the director of the program made the offer, but the offer was not accompanied by a stipend amount or any financial information. The director also used the conditional (i.e. "your file is currently being processed...an official letter should arrive...we would need to hear from you by April"), which concerned me. Once I accepted, the director switched to the definitive (i.e., "we are very excited that you will be joining us"), but there was no financial clarification. I was informed that the letter will arrive anywhere in the next 1 to 3 weeks. The interview at the second school falls within this timeline, but I want to be considerate of their time if I am in fact financially secure at my top choice.

To me, this is not yet financially secure. I would wait until I get an official letter with a dollar amount and everything else that you want promised to you (e.g. years of guaranteed funding, guaranteed housing if that's what you want, health insurance, benefits etc.) Until you get this, I would say that you are not yet committed to that top choice and I would recommend that you still visit and consider other options until you secure your top choice in this way.

[psycgrad37]

@TakeruK I meant considering if the things I had mentioned were not clear (official offer, financial information made available, etc.) THEN gliter250 should attend since he/she has already purchased the ticket. 

 

@gliter250 I would ask for the financial information so that you can decide whether or not it's worth it to attend the other interview. You could find a polite way of asking what the stipend etc. will entail and make a decision on whether or not to attend the other interview based on that. 

[EdNeuroGrl]

The major reason that you might consider going to the interview is that when you meet the people in the lab/department/school you may really like the second over the first. There may be some things that you visiting will perhaps provide useful information. However if you are decided and have the offer in hand then you should save everyone some time and money by politely turning down the interview at the second school.