I've received an offer from school A, but I'm waitlisted at school B, which is my first choice. Is it appropriate to send a message to my POI at school B (who told me I could contact her anytime to check on my status) to let her know that I've received an offer, but I'm waiting to hear definitively from school B before I answer school A? Is that tactless or okay?
informing professors of other offers
- Thread starter kbean
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2009
- Messages
- 647
- Reaction score
- 3
That's perfectly fine. There is already a thread out about this, so search it if you need more help.
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2010
- Messages
- 64
- Reaction score
- 1
It's fine. I was in the exact same situation. Professors will understand, and in my experience, have been happy to see that you are honest with them.
If you still feel uncomfortable, you can talk about finances. Say that you're waiting to hear back from other schools because, although you really want to go to School A, you need to know what all the financial packages will be like to make the best decision for you.
If you still feel uncomfortable, you can talk about finances. Say that you're waiting to hear back from other schools because, although you really want to go to School A, you need to know what all the financial packages will be like to make the best decision for you.
Do you know which thread that is? I thought I remembered it being discussed recently, but I couldn't find it.
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 22,382
- Reaction score
- 4,329
It may be in the Questions and Etc. thread for interviewing. If not, there should be a related thread on the first couple of pages of this forum.
Why do you think it would be a good idea to tell school B, with whom you are wait listed, that you have another offer in hand? It could be a good or a bad thing to do; but either way, i would stay silent.
1. You are waitlisted! They don't have to offer you anything, ya know? I see it like this. If I see you, someone who has an offer, and another person who is identical in every way who doesnt, I will offer my admission to the one without the offer. People do that all the time. Also, it looks bad on stats if you offer admission to 25 people and only 7 accept your admission. Understand?
2. I suppose it could create a small amount of competition, but I doubt that. I could only see mentioning this to other professors if you already have an offer AND you are trying to get better packages from each institution.
I dunno... I would just stay silent... but thats me... Any other ideas guys?
1. You are waitlisted! They don't have to offer you anything, ya know? I see it like this. If I see you, someone who has an offer, and another person who is identical in every way who doesnt, I will offer my admission to the one without the offer. People do that all the time. Also, it looks bad on stats if you offer admission to 25 people and only 7 accept your admission. Understand?
2. I suppose it could create a small amount of competition, but I doubt that. I could only see mentioning this to other professors if you already have an offer AND you are trying to get better packages from each institution.
I dunno... I would just stay silent... but thats me... Any other ideas guys?
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 46
- Reaction score
- 4
First, congratulations on your offer !! I would encourage you to let School B know your situation. There are a couple of advantages to communicating with them:
1. You will likely get more detail about your likelihood of admission (where you are ranked, what is going on with the person holding the offer, etc.)
2. It emphasizes that you are a sought-after candidate (which they already know, but a reminder never hurts)
3. If you say something like, "I have an offer from X great school, but I am so interested in attending School B that I will wait," it shows them that you hold them & their program in high esteem, and that you would be likely to accept if they gave you an offer.
I did this with a couple schools and didn't get any negative reactions. However, I understand that everyone has different preferences.
1. You will likely get more detail about your likelihood of admission (where you are ranked, what is going on with the person holding the offer, etc.)
2. It emphasizes that you are a sought-after candidate (which they already know, but a reminder never hurts)
3. If you say something like, "I have an offer from X great school, but I am so interested in attending School B that I will wait," it shows them that you hold them & their program in high esteem, and that you would be likely to accept if they gave you an offer.
I did this with a couple schools and didn't get any negative reactions. However, I understand that everyone has different preferences.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2009
- Messages
- 87
- Reaction score
- 2
I actually did this as well. I was thisclose to accepting somewhere else, but thought "what if School B gives me an offer in a few weeks? I want to be able to have the choice." At that point, I liked both schools pretty much the same.
I contacted my POI at School B and let him know that I had another offer, but if I had any chance at School B, I would like to wait on accepting the other. I made sure to compliment the program too. My POI responded quickly and was totally fine with my question. The professors know we're waiting on a lot too.
The good news - he ended up offering me a spot that day! I wasn't waitlisted, so this is a little different. I would have asked the same question if I HAD been waitlisted though. I would say 'go for it!'
I contacted my POI at School B and let him know that I had another offer, but if I had any chance at School B, I would like to wait on accepting the other. I made sure to compliment the program too. My POI responded quickly and was totally fine with my question. The professors know we're waiting on a lot too.
The good news - he ended up offering me a spot that day! I wasn't waitlisted, so this is a little different. I would have asked the same question if I HAD been waitlisted though. I would say 'go for it!'
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2010
- Messages
- 24
- Reaction score
- 0
Well, if you've been told that you're waitlisted, that means that they've offered positions to other people and that they're waiting to hear about their decisions. Other than possibly being able to tell you where you are on the list (which might be really helpful if you don't already know), there's probably not a whole lot they can do with the information that you have other offers... it doesn't change the fact that they haven't heard from the people to which they've already extended offers.
Thought maybe I'd update everyone...
I did contact the professor from school B to tell her I had another offer but that she was my top choice. Unfortunately, all of the spots at that school had just been filled.
So, bad news for me, but I think it was okay to email her. She was very nice about it.
I did contact the professor from school B to tell her I had another offer but that she was my top choice. Unfortunately, all of the spots at that school had just been filled.
So, bad news for me, but I think it was okay to email her. She was very nice about it.
Similar threads
