How binding is your decision after April 15?

[Sintarator]

I need to hear back from two more schools, but they are taking FOREVER to release their decisions. These two schools are crucial to my decision-making process because they're my cheapest options and may come with scholarships (I applied to master's programs, so cost will be a factor), and it doesn't seem like they'll be releasing my decision anytime soon. I was just wondering if I'm allowed to change my answer if I emailed "yes" to a school, and the April 15 deadline has passed.

[GabrielleParam]

I am wondering the same thing as someone who has been waitlisted at 3 schools and accepted to only 1. Can I accept their offer and change my decision later if I come off of one of the waitlists? I know it's not best form, but is it possible? My only acceptance isn't my first choice and I would really love to go to one of the other schools.

[TakeruK]

Unless you signed some sort of contract, there is nothing binding about anything about admissions. No one will force you to go to a particular school. Think of it this way: If after one month of school, you decide you hate it, you can always just quit. So, there's no real difference between quitting a school in a few weeks (before it begins) vs. quitting in say, November.

So, yes, of course you are allowed to change your mind. However, it is bad practice to lie about your intentions. Also, if the schools are part of the CGS April 15 convention, the school that took you off their waitlist might want to see that your previous school "released" you before they allow you to accept their offer. But I won't get into this unless the schools are actually part of the convention. (Note: this is just a formal agreement, but there is nothing binding about the agreement).

If you have an offer from a school (let's call it School A) and you are waitlisted at another school that you would prefer more (let's call this School B), then what you should do is to wait until School B releases its decision before accepting School A's offer. If School A gives you a deadline of April 15, then there's no rush to get back to them with a decision right now...it's still 3 weeks away. It might be a good idea to get in touch with School B and find out about their decision timeline.

If School A has a much shorter deadline (let's say it's tomorrow) and they refuse your request to extend the deadline because you are waiting on School B, then I would advise you to accept School A's offer for now and renege on it if you get into School B. If School A is setting a non-April 15 deadline, then they are not part of the April 15 convention so there aren't any agreements in place. 

In the meantime, if you hold additional offers from schools that are less interesting to you than School A or B, then you should decline them all now. You don't have to wait until you have your final decision before you start declining less interesting offers so that the waitlist can move. Similarly, if you are still waiting to hear back from some school that are less interesting to you than A or B, then you should also withdraw your applications now---their decision no longer matters to you (of course, if you are still considering some possibility that you might attend, then don't withdraw).

[Sintarator]

Thank you so much for your help. The problem is, the schools I've been accepted to are ALL part of CGS, and I don't want to have anything against my future applications to these schools should I decide to pursue a PhD. So what do I do with a school whose decisions come out later? Is it possible to ask them to expedite the process somehow? Because it seems like if I do end up rescinding a CGS school's offer in favor of one of the other two schools, then CGS punishes me for going back on my acceptance, I feel like I'd be punished for something I can't control.

[TakeruK]

10 minutes ago, Sintarator said:

Thank you so much for your help. The problem is, the schools I've been accepted to are ALL part of CGS, and I don't want to have anything against my future applications to these schools should I decide to pursue a PhD. So what do I do with a school whose decisions come out later? Is it possible to ask them to expedite the process somehow? Because it seems like if I do end up rescinding a CGS school's offer in favor of one of the other two schools, then CGS punishes me for going back on my acceptance, I feel like I'd be punished for something I can't control.

As far as I know, the CGS does not punish students. That resolution is an agreement between the graduate programs. It does not involve you so you should be okay. The CGS cannot unilaterally decide that you are bound to these rules etc. 

However, you are right that you need to consider the future when you apply to PhD programs. In the School A/School B example, if you accept School A now and then find out School B makes you an offer and renege on your commitment to School A, what could happen is that School A will remember that you did this when it's time to apply to PhD programs. So, this could hurt you when you apply to programs at School A in the future. But, it's not like there is some CGS-wide "blacklist" of students who change their mind. You will also see many posts on these forums of schools on the CGS agreement that do not even follow it themselves. The CGS has no actual power to do anything about schools that don't follow the agreement or students that change their mind (also again, the CGS resolution applies to schools, not students).

That said, professors at different schools might talk to each other and these networks might be stronger in your field than in mine. Technically, your application information is confidential so professors should not be telling other schools about your decisions, but that's not going to stop some people. So, it's best to stay above board as much as possible.

So, for your situation, since all the schools are CGS schools, they should all have April 15 deadlines. This means you should not make a decision on School A yet, since you have until April 15. I think that yes, you should talk to school B, the one that waitlisted you, and ask whether or not they expect to have a decision ready before April 15. If it's true**, then tell them that you are most interested in their program and that you have another offer with an April 15 deadline so if they plan to tell you about waitlist decisions after April 15, you would appreciate it if they would let you know so that you can ask for an extension. Check back with School B on April 10 or so.

If School B says that they will get back to you before April 15, then you just have to wait. If School B says they will likely not move anyone off the waitlist before April 15, then you will have to ask if School A is willing to extend their deadline for you. If they say no now, ask again on April 10. If they still refuse to do so, then you have to make a decision. If I was in this position, I would choose to accept School A's offer at the last minute (well, not literally the last minute, but at the end of the day) on April 15. If School B makes me an offer on April 20 or something, I would probably renege on School A and take the School B offer. But this means that I am willing to risk a burnt bridge with School A in the future instead of gambling that School B will take me off their waitlist (since if they don't, then I don't have any offers). I think School A has to understand that they are also taking a risk that their candidate might renege if their candidate has asked for an extension and they refused. But if they choose to hold it against me, then so be it.

 

(** Note: If this is not true, then you should just accept School A's offer!)

[Sintarator]

That's what I was afraid of. And I meant that all the schools that have accepted me are CGS schools (actually one of the two schools I'm still waiting on is, as well, but their department head told me I'd hear back by May 1). That means one of the schools I'm still waiting on is NOT a CGS school.

It's not a matter of being waitlisted; it's a matter of making an admission decision (i.e. my application is and will be under review) anytime between now and May 1 for School B. 

I spoke to both schools, and all they told me was that School B1 will send admission decisions anytime between April 1 and May 1, and School B2 will send admission decisions at May 1. 

[TakeruK]

Yikes, that is indeed a stressful and frustrating situation

I guess both B1 and B2 know that you have another offer with a deadline of April 15 right? If not, then my answer to your earlier question of "should I ask them to expedite my application", is yes, especially for B2. 

Sorry if I keep asking the same Q, but did you ask School A (the CGS school that already accepted you) for an extension beyond April 15? It seems like if you ask for May 3 or something, that will give you at least a day or so after School B2 releases their decision in order to decide between A or B1/B2. Like I said above, if School A says no now, you could consider asking again closer to the deadline because maybe by then, they would have received enough decisions from candidates that they wouldn't care if you said yes or no so they won't mind waiting until May. 

Otherwise, you have the tough choice of a sure thing that's not your top choice vs. a chance at your top choice. It's up to you if you want to take the risk of potentially burning a bridge at School A. Or, perhaps School A won't promise you a spot after April 15, but they might say that you might still have one even if you accept in May as long as the spot is still available. So you could ask School A what happens if you can't decide by April 15---does the offer expire or is it simply that the spot is no longer a sure thing?

If it helps to know, this is a common problem in both academic and non-academic workplaces. It's really tough to make decisions when you have deadlines that don't line up, but we'll have to make these decisions.

[Sintarator]

Okay I'll try asking for an expedition and, failing that, an extension.

[Rabbitwitch]

Hi guys, I’m dealing with a similar problem in terms of school A and B where I need to make a decision for A by April 15th but B can’t let me know until after/does seem unlikely this year. I’m wondering if being upfront about preferring B over A will make them rescind my offer and if reneging is still possible/how bad it is in terms of bridge burning. Any advice would be helpful, thank you!