Polite/Professional way to decline an offer?

[Julianne]

Tried searching the forum before posting this thread, but the search function doesn't seem to be working at the moment - I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate post 🙂 So, here's my question:

For those of you who have been accepted to multiple schools, how did you go about declining the offer(s) of the school(s) that you chose not to attend? Is there a protocol for this type of situation? Is a formal letter preferred over a phone call or email? I would like to respond in the appropriate manner (i.e. something other than just neglecting to send in the required deposit) ... any suggestions?

Thanks!

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[lakers]

Just tell them that you got accepted some where else. Sometimes they might you which school you'll be attending also. I don't know whether it's for their surveys or not. But you're nice enough to be honest with them. Besides, if the school participates in pharmcas, then they would know which schools you got accepted to. So don't worry, the sooner you let them know you won't be attending their school, the better it is for them and also the students who are on the waitlist. How do you like waiting for the school's final decision? Nobody likes that. So think about it this way, the sooner you reject them meaning the sooner the next candidate will get in instead of having to wait another few days/weeks.

Tried searching the forum before posting this thread, but the search function doesn't seem to be working at the moment - I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate post 🙂 So, here's my question:

For those of you who have been accepted to multiple schools, how did you go about declining the offer(s) of the school(s) that you chose not to attend? Is there a protocol for this type of situation? Is a formal letter preferred over a phone call or email? I would like to respond in the appropriate manner (i.e. something other than just neglecting to send in the required deposit) ... any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[imprecious]

Besides, if the school participates in pharmcas, then they would know which schools you got accepted to.

How does that work? Will there be a posting online for the schools to look at? Will we get to see this list also?

 

[blizz]

Tried searching the forum before posting this thread, but the search function doesn't seem to be working at the moment - I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate post 🙂 So, here's my question:

For those of you who have been accepted to multiple schools, how did you go about declining the offer(s) of the school(s) that you chose not to attend? Is there a protocol for this type of situation? Is a formal letter preferred over a phone call or email? I would like to respond in the appropriate manner (i.e. something other than just neglecting to send in the required deposit) ... any suggestions?

Thanks!

Most schools, at least the ones I applied to, give you a form included in your admissions letter that has two options (accept or decline admission offer) and you mark which response you choose, and you send that back to the school.

If they don't have that form, just wrote a formal letter (I had to because the school said they only accepted written responses) or email. You may want to search online for examples of turning down offers if you don't know how to word them correctly.

 

[ding]

What about people like me then? I already accepted the offer, now I need to decline it... Other students suggested me to email, I think that's the fastest way.

 

[thaliagoo]

Here is my something I wrote for rejecting an interview:

Dear Ms. XXX,

Thank you for your interest in my application to XXX’s School of Pharmacy. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration in my review. I am writing to let you know that I have received an acceptance from my top choice school and will confirm that acceptance. I understand that you have a highly competitive pool of applicants at XXX and I would like to give my interview spot to another candidate.

Thank you again for your consideration.

Kind Regards,
XXX

And this one is for withdrawing my application after I had already accepted:

Dear Ms. XXX,

I accepted an offer from X1 on March 15 but I now wish to withdraw my application. X2 has offered me admission and I have decided to confirm my acceptance. X1 was always a top choice for me, but my family is from the XXX area and X2 would be much more convenient for me distance-wise. That was the only factor holding me back from going to X1.

I want to let you know that I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration in my review during the application process. I feel honored to have been accepted at the pharmacy program at X1. I understand that you have a highly competitive pool of applicants at X1 and I would like to give my spot to another candidate.

Thank you again for your consideration.

Kind Regards,
XXX

 

[flor]

hmmm that's a nice template but I actually called the school because I like to hear a comfirmation from them. Then I asked for my refund!

 

[thaliagoo]

hmmm that's a nice template but I actually called the school because I like to hear a comfirmation from them. Then I asked for my refund!

Hhehe, thanks... did u actually get your refund cuz I was afraid to ask. Both the schools replied to my emails so I did get a confirmation from them.

 

[Julianne]

Thanks for all of the helpful replies -

I did not get a form to fill out and return (with convenient check boxes) for PBA so I suppose I'll go the letter route and follow-up with a phone call after about a week or so. Things worked out well on the deposit front because I ended up getting an acceptance to my first choice and sending that deposit prior to this acceptance letter arriving. Honestly though - If I have any more "fees" associated with this whole process, I'm gonna have to take out a second job just to pay 'em 🙂

 

[feather33]

even if you got a form with the little check boxes to fill out, would you still write a personal letter declining the acceptance? I can't decide what to do? 😕

 

[hillwilliam]

How does that work? Will there be a posting online for the schools to look at? Will we get to see this list also?

Here is the explanation from the PharmCAS website:

SHARING OF ADMISSION DECISIONS

Beginning on June 1, 2011, PharmCAS institutions will receive reports regarding the number of offers of admission made and number of offers of admission accepted for those applicants the college or school shares with another PharmCAS institution. Your designated PharmCAS institutions will know how many offers of admission you have received and how many offers of admission you have accepted at other PharmCAS institutions. PharmCAS institutions will not know how many applications you have submitted. They will also not know whether you were denied admission to another pharmacy school or be informed of any other admission actions made by other PharmCAS institutions, except offers of admission made or accepted.

http://www.pharmcas.org/applicants/esubmit.htm

 

[UBCmicrobi]

In my case, 2 schools contacted me by phone, both after I had been accepted into my top choice (and accepted that offer). It was really informal, I just told them I had already been accepted to school XYZ, so I would not be accepting their offer of admission.

Edit: whoa old thread.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I let them rot.

 

[feather33]

haha...yeah this was a pretty old thread but i figured i should just post on it instead of starting a new one...

I feel like I should write a letter though and tell them I really liked their school...i just don't want to go there...lol...i won't lie...I kinda felt like they didn't even want me there for the interview...

 

[Electrode]

Perfect thread. Just the question that has been bugging me for a while now.

But sending letter? Really? Nah...that's too much. I think I'll do it via email...and phone is not an option either.

 

[mangoo]

If you are simply declining a school after you had been accepted, I think that an email is more than enough. Just send a quick note thanking them for taking the time to look over your application and offer you a spot in the class 20XX - all of that formal stuff. But if you had already accepted and would like to decline, I think that a phone call would be the best approach. That way you can get verbal confirmation that the message was received and talk over any other issues that could arise from this situation.