Housing

[completeurprofile]

I have competing offers, and I told departments that I'm going to their open houses. However, I am certain of which offer I want to accept. As this place is in a place with expensive living costs, I want to live in graduate housing, specifically, in an apartment style rather than dormitory style space. The housing application deadline is at the same time as the deadline to accept the offer of admission. I'm willing to commit to this school, but I've already told other schools that I'm going to their open houses, booked plane tickets, etc. I don't want to go back on that, but I want to accept my offer so I can hand in my housing application earlier. 

Questions I have are: does handing in the housing application earlier affect my chances of getting the housing building I want? Will it be okay to submit it closer to the deadline, as in, will my chances get no worse than if I submit it earlier? Should I accept my offer of admission to this school of choice to hand in the housing thing earlier and cancel attending the open houses of the other schools? Is it unethical to accept an offer from one school but go to the open houses of others? 

[brush]

At my university grad housing was basically a first come first server basis, so it would be important to get your housing application in soon. Of course you can call housing directly and they should be able to answer this question for you.

I think it would be unethical to go to the open houses of schools you know you aren't attending if they are funding your visit. If it's a self-funded visit than I think its much less objectionable, though it will probably lead to some awkward situations. Declining offers sooner than later also helps everyone in the application process.

Try to refund your airline tickets. You can usually at least get credit for future flights.

[Establishment]

If you've already accepted one school, then yes, I think it's unethical.

I don't think you need to be 50/50 between two departments in order to justify going to both open houses. Even if you're 90/10 between two departments, all that matters is that you have an open mind, and are open to being turned off by the department you're 90% for, and open to be turned on by the department you're 10% for. But again, if you're 100% for one department, particularly if you've already accepted them, it does seem unethical to visit the other place on their dime.

[philosophe]

1 hour ago, completeurprofile said:

I have competing offers, and I told departments that I'm going to their open houses. However, I am certain of which offer I want to accept. As this place is in a place with expensive living costs, I want to live in graduate housing, specifically, in an apartment style rather than dormitory style space. The housing application deadline is at the same time as the deadline to accept the offer of admission. I'm willing to commit to this school, but I've already told other schools that I'm going to their open houses, booked plane tickets, etc. I don't want to go back on that, but I want to accept my offer so I can hand in my housing application earlier. 

Questions I have are: does handing in the housing application earlier affect my chances of getting the housing building I want? Will it be okay to submit it closer to the deadline, as in, will my chances get no worse than if I submit it earlier? Should I accept my offer of admission to this school of choice to hand in the housing thing earlier and cancel attending the open houses of the other schools? Is it unethical to accept an offer from one school but go to the open houses of others? 

In my opinion, if you are *certain* you're going to accept that offer, you should absolutely cancel on attending the other visiting days. Don't waste their time and money, and give them an opportunity to invite people on the wait list instead. That way you can hand in the housing form earlier. It makes sense for you and it makes sense in terms of respecting the other schools who are competing for you. 

[Siegfried42]

Though I understand your dilemma, I want to agree with what has been said about visits - don't go if you're already certain you will not accept the offer. In response to your other question, though: this depends somewhat on the kind of housing you're looking for (studio apt., family housing, etc.) and the school you are planning on attending. It is always better to hand in a housing application earlier rather than later - this will give you an edge over all the applications that will be submitted directly before April 15th. This matters even more at schools/in buildings where you must compete with undergraduates as well as graduates. Additionally, if you're really eager to get in to one particular housing building, I recommend choosing a relatively early "move-in date:" I've been told that this, too, gives your chances a boost because the vast majority of students are looking to move in during August. 

[SamStone]

I just want to chime in on your final question: "Is it unethical to accept an offer from one school but go to the open houses of others?"

Is the idea that you have definitively accepted an offer, but still go to open houses of the other schools? If so, I am curious why you might attend open houses of other departments, and to why your question pertains to ethics: are you going because—despite having accepted an offer that you were excited—you're still curious if you made the wrong choice? Or, are you going because you are just curious about how other departments handle things in general...maybe just to get a better sense of the academic scene? Or, is it just because you would like to travel? 

Even if it is yes to any of these, I'm not really sure what you'd be doing wrong on an ethical level. Sure, I hope people aren't going to visit the programs I am WL for when they know they won't accept, therefore prolonging my anxiety...but I don't really feel like that person would be doing something specifically unethical. I mean, isn't it well within your limits as an admit to a program to enjoy the benefits you receive from being accepted? Maybe I'm just missing it, but what is unethical here? 

Nevertheless, while I don't think it unethical, I'm curious why someone would really want to take the time to visit a department that they have no intention of accepting an offer from. It seems to me that such a desire would point to something interesting...but not necessarily to ethics.

[completeurprofile]

Well, I already booked my plane tickets, so that's a hassle. I think if I were to accept the offer from the school I'm thinking of, I would cancel. I just want to know if it makes a difference when I hand in my housing forms. If it doesn't, I don't see the harm in visiting other departments just in case I change my mind, because that 1% uncertainty could grow once I'm in the new environment.

[maxhgns]

16 hours ago, completeurprofile said:

Well, I already booked my plane tickets, so that's a hassle. I think if I were to accept the offer from the school I'm thinking of, I would cancel. I just want to know if it makes a difference when I hand in my housing forms. If it doesn't, I don't see the harm in visiting other departments just in case I change my mind, because that 1% uncertainty could grow once I'm in the new environment.

Phone or email the housing people, they're the only ones who know the answer. This forum can't answer your question because housing policies differ from university to university.