Disclosure in applications

[gradapplicant126]

So last year, I applied to law schools and wasn't sure I wanted to go.  The school that accepted me offered me a deferral to give me time to decide.  The only restriction in that deferral was that I not apply to other law schools.  But I can, without restriction, apply to grad programs in other fields.  The deferral letter I have in hand says specifically that I cannot apply to other law schools.  I confirmed verbally with the law school admissions office that I can apply to programs in other fields.

When I apply to programs in other fields, should I mention that I hold a deferral at the law school?  They don't ask.  There is a section asking optionally whether I have or am applying to other schools, but no one asks if I hold a deferral there.  Is it misleading to leave it out?  Is it better to disclose it?  I figured that disclosing the deferral might dampen my chances in the other field.  Could use some advice on the proper protocol.

[fuzzylogician]

I wouldn't disclose, but you have to ask yourself what you'll do if you get in. I can't imagine anyone will appreciate offering you admissions, only to hear that you already had an offer in hand from a law school and decided to take it; if so, why waste everyone's time? On the other hand, if that's what you end up doing, the bridge you might burn probably isn't one you'll be planning to walk on any time soon. And there are ways of declining where the school will never find out that you already had this offer from last year. It's fully expected that strong applicants will have multiple offers to choose from and will decline some very good opportunities in favor of others. So yeah, I just wouldn't provide information that wasn't asked for, because there is some chance, however small, that it might hurt you. 

This said, the question of whether you should apply to grad school in the first place is one that you should be asking yourself regardless of anything else -- what's the point of applying? Law school and a PhD are two very different career paths, and you should not go down either one if you're not convinced that's what you want. It's hard enough even when you are sure. 

[TakeruK]

When the other programs ask you this on the application form, read what they are asking carefully. Usually they ask if you have an offer from other PhD programs or if you are applying to other PhD programs or some other wording that excludes law school.

As @fuzzylogician pointed out, law school and PhD programs are very different things and very different career paths. The law school doesn't care if you choose non-law school related paths and I would say that most PhD programs should also not care that you have non-PhD options in hand. 

So, to me, I don't see any ethical problems with keeping your law school and your PhD applications completely separate from each other, as long as you don't lie on any direct questions you get in the application forms. I agree with the above advice that you should be sure that you are doing what you want before starting either a PhD or a law degree, and you'll have the time between now and your grad school decision deadlines (April 15?) to work it out

[Sigaba]

53 minutes ago, TakeruK said:

 Usually they ask if you have an offer from other PhD programs or if you are applying to other PhD programs or some other wording that excludes law school.

[...]

So, to me, I don't see any ethical problems with keeping your law school and your PhD applications completely separate from each other, as long as you don't lie on any direct questions you get in the application forms.

IRT wording, if the school to which your applying also has a law school, see if it defines itself as a profession school or a professional degree program. Maybe also look at how the graduate school (not the department to which you're applying) defines itself. If the law school and the graduate school make clear distinctions between their programs, I would think that you're GTG.

If things are not as clear cut, and if you've read the question carefully, and if you've read the fine print where you sign your name (digitally or otherwise), and you're adhering to the letter of the law, so to speak, the guidance provided by @fuzzylogician and @TakeruK is sound.

(FWIW, were I in your shoes, and I couldn't find a definitive answer in the materials available, I'd call the department to which you're applying, get a definitive answer, and then provide the requested information. I would then go on to worrying about something else.)