whitdraw an acceptance?

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octavian
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:51 pm

whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by octavian » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:03 pm

Hi,

I accepted an offer from an University and signed for it, thinking that if I haven't heard from the others by now, it means the rejection letters are on their way. But surprise! I got an offer on March 31st and another one today! Is there a problem if I withdraw my initial acceptance by April 15th? Am I in someway bound to it?

Tahnks,

Octavian

marten
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:21 am

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by marten » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:19 pm

Others are probably more informed on this then I am, but admissionprof has pointed to this agreement before, perhaps it will help answer your question:

http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/CGS ... ch2008.pdf

Marten

octavian
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:51 pm

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by octavian » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:34 pm

thks Marten, I had heard about it, but never saw the exact text... so what if I can't decide by April 15th? can they withdraw their offers?:)

marten
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:21 am

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by marten » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:45 pm

I don't know, but I don't think that you can count on any offers after April 15.

I'm sort of in a similar situation, I'm leaving for the Dominican Republic tomorrow, and won't be back until April 12. I'm planning on accepting the offer from Lehigh, but I would really like to know the decisions from Temple and Drexel. At this point, I think it is unlikely that I'll get into either of those 2 schools, and Lehigh is definitely a top choice for me, so it just makes sense. I was hoping to be able to visit the schools, but there just isn't time at this point. I was expecting to have plenty of time to visit schools, and consider my options before having to decide, but unfortunately it didn't work out that way. Pre-planning and advance research on the schools is definitely the way to go here...

Marten

admissionprof
Posts: 369
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:50 pm

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by admissionprof » Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:13 pm

Hi. The rules are clear. Any acceptance of an offer that you make before April 15th can be withdrawn any time before April 15th. Once April 15th has come and gone, however, you can only withdraw your acceptance with written permission from the institution (in practice, such permission is usually given--who wants a student that doesn't want to come?). However, it is very bad form to withdraw the acceptance that late, since often some people on the waitlist have already been rejected based on your acceptance. It's bad form, but what can they do.

All offers of admission are assumed to expire on April 15th, so definitely do not assume that you can simply answer them later. Extensions can sometimes be given in rare circumstances, but you need to ask earlier. Exactly what time of day on the 15th is unclear, but that's getting overly picky.

octavian
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:51 pm

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by octavian » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:09 pm

lol...my University isn't in that list! now what?:)

marten
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:21 am

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by marten » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:11 pm

Eeessshh, then things look as clear as mud! Did the University say anything in their acceptance letter?

octavian
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:51 pm

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by octavian » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:20 pm

not really, I mean the usual stuff...

marten
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:21 am

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by marten » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:44 pm

Well, then it seems to me that if there is another University that you'd really rather go to, you're not bound to your acceptance of the offer in any technically legal way. It was an agreement, though, and may be bad form to change as it would be to cancel any other sort of agreement. However, grad school is a long period of time, and a very important decision, so if you've got a good reason to back out and take one of the other offers, then perhaps that is worth it. One of those judgment calls. Can you get advice from advisers or anyone else? Did you submit your acceptance in writing, or just email?

octavian
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:51 pm

Re: whitdraw an acceptance?

Post by octavian » Fri Apr 04, 2008 6:55 am

It was in writing, I'm an international student and I needed the I-20 form. It seemed very nice at first, but I started having doubts when I began talking to alumni, they said it helped them boost their CV, by having publications or attending conferences, but not getting their dream job...then again, there were others that afterwards went to Harvard for their post-doc... what I especially like about the other University, is that they allow you to choose an advisor from other departments (I am into biological physics and would be very tempted by research in one of the departments of the School of Medicine)



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