lollipop Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Hi all, So I have gotten offers from 3 PhD programs (all in the similar range). Problem is I am waitlisted on all 3 for funding, and they said they will not know about funding until summer. I have asked for extension to reply and will likely not get it. My question is, is it possible to accept 2 (and even 3) offers, then see if I can get funding from any of them? I do not have a preference, but will not be able to afford it without funding anyway. That means if none of these schools offer funding, I will have to re-apply next year. What are your advice considering this dilemma? Will schools revoke my admission if I accept more than one offer? Will I get into serious trouble? Any thoughts are appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm_member Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Unfunded offers can be made and declined at any time. I believe you would be free to do as you suggest and then decline the other two offers in the event one offers funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
startz Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Do not accept multiple offers. Accepting an offer means that you intend to go. Changing your mind later is one thing-announcing that you intend to go when you don't is something different. If you get caught, you will seriously hurt your reputation, and economics is a small world. Accept one offer and stay on the waiting list for the others, although you should realize that your odds for funding at the others will probably be lower than if you had accepted. You may want to tell the other schools that you would like to remain on their list for funding. If you later receive funding from a different school, you should ask the school where you are accepted for a release. The school will almost always grant a release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm_member Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Do not accept multiple offers. Accepting an offer means that you intend to go. Changing your mind later is one thing-announcing that you intend to go when you don't is something different. If you get caught, you will seriously hurt your reputation, and economics is a small world. Accept one offer and stay on the waiting list for the others, although you should realize that your odds for funding at the others will probably be lower than if you had accepted. You may want to tell the other schools that you would like to remain on their list for funding. If you later receive funding from a different school, you should ask the school where you are accepted for a release. The school will almost always grant a release. I don't believe the individual has the option to do as you say. The schools want answers now but want to give funding information later. If it is possible to simply wait, then of course wait. If you have to say yes or no to an unfunded offer, then say yes and hope funding comes. The CGS resolutions apply only to funded offers of admission - unfunded offers do not need letters to get a release, and do not constitute a binding contract. A school cannot hold it against you if you accept an unfunded offer but then cannot attend. The cost of unfunded attendance is huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollipop Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 Thank you. I seem to get 2 different responses: so if there is no aid involved, I technically should not get into legal trouble, but it will hurt me in the future nonetheless. Should I worry about this too much? Again, I don't think I can extend the deadline to commit until summer - when I will have more info regarding funding. ps one school gives me a tuition fellowship, no extra stipend or TA. Does this one seem better if I accept it and await more funding for the summer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm_member Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Thank you. I seem to get 2 different responses: so if there is no aid involved, I technically should not get into legal trouble, but it will hurt me in the future nonetheless. Should I worry about this too much? Again, I don't think I can extend the deadline to commit until summer - when I will have more info regarding funding. ps one school gives me a tuition fellowship, no extra stipend or TA. Does this one seem better if I accept it and await more funding for the summer? If one school gives a tuition fellowship then you cannot accept it and others. Accepting that offer is identical to accepting a funded offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
startz Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 As a practical matter, you aren't going to get into "legal trouble" with any of this. No one cares enough to pursue a legal case. Further, as tm_member points out, the Council of Graduate School rules pertain only to funded offers. (And, as tm_member points out, a tuition fellowship is a form of financial aid.) The issue with accepting multiple unfunded offers is that it's going to be regarded as dishonest if it's discovered whether it breaks an official rule or not. This just isn't a good way to start a career in economics. By the way, you should let the competing schools know about your tuition fellowship. That often leads to the other schools coughing up extra money. Finally, pay attention to the deadline for responding to whichever is your first choice school. You may lose the fellowship if you do not respond in a timely way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollipop Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 Thank you for all of your input. I have asked for an extension. I have also contacted other schools about the tuition fellowship. However, I think they will give me extra funding and remove me from the wait list ONLY IF they get a "yes" from me. If that is the case, then an extension will simply not help. It looks like a judgment call now. Putting all together, it looks like I should take the offer with tuition fellowship and hope for more funding, because I have a higher chance obtaining additional funding from there as opposed to other schools, where I have absolutely no funding now. Am I correct on this? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm_member Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Thank you for all of your input. I have asked for an extension. I have also contacted other schools about the tuition fellowship. However, I think they will give me extra funding and remove me from the wait list ONLY IF they get a "yes" from me. If that is the case, then an extension will simply not help. It looks like a judgment call now. Putting all together, it looks like I should take the offer with tuition fellowship and hope for more funding, because I have a higher chance obtaining additional funding from there as opposed to other schools, where I have absolutely no funding now. Am I correct on this? Thanks Taking that offer and then declining if more funding does not come through will be viewed way worse than any strategy you have mentioned so far. Taking the offer would preclude you from accepting any others as it is funded and constitutes a contract. Essentially, your decision in that case is final and you are expected to show up in August no matter what else happens. If you simply can't go without a tuition and stipend package, you should actually accept the offers without any funding as you are free to change your mind on those at any time. That gives you more flexibility and two chances to get funding. I would then tell the school that offered the tuition fellowship that you will be happy to attend if full funding were to become available but you cannot accept an offer that is tuition-only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBZ Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Thank you for all of your input. I have asked for an extension. I have also contacted other schools about the tuition fellowship. However, I think they will give me extra funding and remove me from the wait list ONLY IF they get a "yes" from me. If that is the case, then an extension will simply not help. It looks like a judgment call now. Putting all together, it looks like I should take the offer with tuition fellowship and hope for more funding, because I have a higher chance obtaining additional funding from there as opposed to other schools, where I have absolutely no funding now. Am I correct on this? Thanks For the school with tuition fellowship, is there a high chance of getting a stipend (e.g. TA/RA) from the 2nd year onwards? If so, then you might think about whether you can afford the 1st year without a stipend (while hoping for more funding to come through all the same). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollipop Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Update: so I extended my deadline to respond to 4/25. All I got from the dept is "funding might or might not become available, we can't make promises." NBZ is right that if I can get TA in my 2nd year, I will try to make it work the 1st (I can not fund myself for all 5 years though - not sure if that ever even happens!) However the "might or might not" doesn't sound reassuring. sigh, should I just take a year off and polish my math before reapplying? Sorry to sound to discouraged. Oh the joy of waitlists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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