Multiple offers? how you guys decide?

[total]

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hi guys,

the forum is extremely helpful... ...I'm glad I found this place.

i'm wondering what if you guys received multiple offers... how you would decide? especially 1 offer is from your dream school??


..ironically, what if you have more interviews to go in the next month???

 

[Cigolon]

the general rule is that you should only hold one offer at a time. if you get a second, pick between the two and let one of them go. it lets other people get on with getting an offer and helps you make the choice.

although if you get a offer from your 'dream school' i dont see why you have any questions....

 

[PsycOut]

hi guys,

the forum is extremely helpful... ...I'm glad I found this place.

i'm wondering what if you guys received multiple offers... how you would decide? especially 1 offer is from your dream school??


..ironically, what if you have more interviews to go in the next month???

in reality, you probably need to weigh a number of factors.

However, as you put it, if you have a "dream school" (and you really are committed to that being THE school for you), well, when you get an offer from said dream school, you accept! that simple. cancel the other interviews and relax.

for those who are more cautious and who have preferred options and less preferred options (maybe a slam-dunk dream school isn't so obvious), well, you interview at the other programs (keeping in mind that you MIGHT be persuaded to go to one of those over the others). AND you go into those interviews much more relaxed knowing you have an offer(s) in hand. then, as you go, you starting ranking the programs.

ultimately, i don't think it makes sense (why spend the TIME and MONEY) to interview at other schools if you have the offer from your top choice (dream program) in hand.

would i go to ANY of my programs (probably, or else i wouldn't have applied). however, i do have clear preferences; and if i got an offer from one of those and then an interview offer elsewhere, i'd decline the interview knowing that i'm not going to be persuaded to live in the tundra, even if the people are really nice.

that's my opinion 🙂

 

[deleted176373]

hi guys,

the forum is extremely helpful... ...I'm glad I found this place.

i'm wondering what if you guys received multiple offers... how you would decide? especially 1 offer is from your dream school??


..ironically, what if you have more interviews to go in the next month???

I had multiple programs to chose from, and it would have been tough, but my number 1 program simply was an opportunity I couldn't walk away from. By choosing my number 1 program, I had to give up A LOT, including location, freedom, and other details that made it harder in some ways. In the long run, I made the best choice though and went to my dream program.

Mark

 

[deadmau5]

Ask questions if you have them - find out more about the ones you have been invited to.

You'll know when you have the right one, weigh out the options.

I think you should keep 2-3 offers alive and decline the rest if you should have this many. Then decide between your best two or three.

 

[JockNerd]

First, DON'T decline ANY offers or withdraw ANY applications until you have something IN WRITING from the place that made the offer you want.

I had my choices tiered off; 13 applications, 4 tiers. When I had a firm offer from tier 1, in writing, I declined/withdrew/told the places that already rejected me that they can buzz off for all lower choices. When I something *in writing* from my first pick I withdrew/declined everything else as early as I could. You want to balance freeing up spots you know you won't take up with your own self-interest and self-preservation (so, again, assume nothing till it's all IN WRITING).

As for picking, I chose based on (a) fit and (b) how much money they could give me.

 

[Wildcat06]

Last year I accidentally held two offers for quite a while, and one was from my top choice program. I felt like I didn't really know how I felt until I had an offer in-hand and could really picture myself at the school. But part of this was because I did a REALLY good job of not getting my heart set on any school during interviews and because I was lucky enough to get offers at my top three programs. I would say you can hold 2 offers but I think holding 3 would be excessive. And don't cancel any interviews unless you are CERTAIN (because of funding or some other tangible factor) that you won't take an offer from that school. My opinions and rankings changed a LOT during interviews.

 

[deleted176373]

Last year I accidentally held two offers for quite a while, and one was from my top choice program. I felt like I didn't really know how I felt until I had an offer in-hand and could really picture myself at the school. But part of this was because I did a REALLY good job of not getting my heart set on any school during interviews and because I was lucky enough to get offers at my top three programs. I would say you can hold 2 offers but I think holding 3 would be excessive. And don't cancel any interviews unless you are CERTAIN (because of funding or some other tangible factor) that you won't take an offer from that school. My opinions and rankings changed a LOT during interviews.

I have to echo that as well.

I had a solid offer in early January from my number 5 choice, which was odd to begin with, once I had the confirmation in writing that I was accepted at that date. I canceled a large number of interviews or declined interviews so that others could get those slots. I kept all my tier 1 choice interviews, but declined 7 interviews.

I found that as I interviewed, my favorites began to shift... My number 1 program was still number 1, but the others began to shift. My number 5 program was now number 2, my number 2 became number 4, and so forth.

Mark

 

[total]

I have to echo that as well.

I had a solid offer in early January from my number 5 choice, which was odd to begin with, once I had the confirmation in writing that I was accepted at that date. I canceled a large number of interviews or declined interviews so that others could get those slots. I kept all my tier 1 choice interviews, but declined 7 interviews.

I found that as I interviewed, my favorites began to shift... My number 1 program was still number 1, but the others began to shift. My number 5 program was now number 2, my number 2 became number 4, and so forth.

Mark

thanks guys! I got 1 offer from tier 1 school, 1 from tier 2. I guess I will continue to interview until I get my #1:_)

 

[researchgirl]

I found (like wildcat) that my opinions of programs changed quite a bit after my interviews with them. Places I didn't expect to love, I loved, and vice versa. So I would encourage you to go on as many interviews as you can, so long as you feel like you might still give that school a chance! (Granted, sometimes you know a school is less desirable, and in that case you should save your money, time, and the school's time).

Also, I'm pretty sure APA guidelines state that you should only hold 2 offers at any given time, and should turn down the offer you are not most seriously considering ASAP. Meaning, for more than a "reasonable amount of time to decide between them" you should never "hold" more than one offer. Of course, this applies only to firm offers, which come in writing (snail mail or e-mail) and give funding details.

 

[jnine]

Have you heard of offers being rescinded or people going back on their offer after a phone call?

First, DON'T decline ANY offers or withdraw ANY applications until you have something IN WRITING from the place that made the offer you want.

I had my choices tiered off; 13 applications, 4 tiers. When I had a firm offer from tier 1, in writing, I declined/withdrew/told the places that already rejected me that they can buzz off for all lower choices. When I something *in writing* from my first pick I withdrew/declined everything else as early as I could. You want to balance freeing up spots you know you won't take up with your own self-interest and self-preservation (so, again, assume nothing till it's all IN WRITING).

As for picking, I chose based on (a) fit and (b) how much money they could give me.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Have you heard of offers being rescinded or people going back on their offer after a phone call?

Rare...but I have.

 

[researchgirl]

Have you heard of offers being rescinded or people going back on their offer after a phone call?

I think the more common issue arises when an offer is made, and then the funding doesn't come through.

 

[jnine]

I think the more common issue arises when an offer is made, and then the funding doesn't come through.

i hear that. i was very fortunate to recieve a verbal acceptance offer (phone call) from one of my "top tier" schools and would really like to cancel my interviews from schools lower on my list ASAP to smooth the process for everyone else. but without something in writing, i'm hesitant. funding isn't an issue as this program doesn't guarantee funding but points to their long standing record of funding everyone in spite of this policy...

 

[Jezebel09]

i hear that. i was very fortunate to recieve a verbal acceptance offer (phone call) from one of my "top tier" schools and would really like to cancel my interviews from schools lower on my list ASAP to smooth the process for everyone else. but without something in writing, i'm hesitant. funding isn't an issue as this program doesn't guarantee funding but points to their long standing record of funding everyone in spite of this policy...

Don't shoot yourself in the foot. Wait until you get it in writing. Then, you can contact your lower tier schools. . . .

Congrats to you!!!

 

[healthpsy]

i hear that. i was very fortunate to recieve a verbal acceptance offer (phone call) from one of my "top tier" schools and would really like to cancel my interviews from schools lower on my list ASAP to smooth the process for everyone else. but without something in writing, i'm hesitant. funding isn't an issue as this program doesn't guarantee funding but points to their long standing record of funding everyone in spite of this policy...

I'm in the same situation. Hoped I'd be able to cancel a few interviews at lower tier schools, but I was advised against this before I could make any calls. Glad I've kept the others. An interview can really adjust your idea of a school, so in a sense we really don't know what our favorite programs are until we've seen them in person.