Regarding acceptances

[DoctorB]

I have my first interview coming up in a few weeks. I am afraid that due to the early interview I may be accepted to this school early (what a horrible idea). I am under the assumption that I must make a decision regarding admission to this school within two weeks of the offer. What if I don't recieve an interview to my "top" choice school for a few months? Do I have to make a decision on this school or can I wait a few months to see all of my other options? I have no idea how the acceptance process works so someone fill me in please.

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[Punkn]

I have my first interview coming up in a few weeks. I am afraid that due to the early interview I may be accepted to this school early (what a horrible idea). I am under the assumption that I must make a decision regarding admission to this school within two weeks of the offer. What if I don't recieve an interview to my "top" choice school for a few months? Do I have to make a decision on this school or can I wait a few months to see all of my other options? I have no idea how the acceptance process works so someone fill me in please.

Don't worry! You can hold as many acceptances as you like until May 15. After that, you can only have 1 (but you can remain on waitlists). When a school accepts you, you will have to accept or decline their offer. Some schools require a deposit if you accept it (usually this is refundable if you withdraw by May 15). Hope this helps.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Yep... The lovely deposit. I guess I should consider myself very lucky if I am in that position at multiple schools.

 

[notdeadyet]

This is a very good problem to have, Dr. B. I'm very jealous. Well done...

 

[Dr John Galt]

Don't worry! You can hold as many acceptances as you like until May 15. After that, you can only have 1 (but you can remain on waitlists). When a school accepts you, you will have to accept or decline their offer. Some schools require a deposit if you accept it (usually this is refundable if you withdraw by May 15). Hope this helps.

OK this is what I don't get. Wouldn't it be pretty lame to hold two or three acceptances through May 15 ? Why wouldn't you always make the decision to trade up each time and release your lower ranked school spot so that someone else can have it ? Doesn't this seem logical and decent ?

 

[musiclink213]

OK this is what I don't get. Wouldn't it be pretty lame to hold two or three acceptances through May 15 ? Why wouldn't you always make the decision to trade up each time and release your lower ranked school spot so that someone else can have it ? Doesn't this seem logical and decent ?

Not everyone is so sure what their lower ranked school is. For some people, they need to weigh the pros and cons, lets say going to a state school that's further away from home, or a private school closer to home, or vice versa depending on how far away you want to be. It may also be a matter of the person not being sure which city they would be happier in, so they may want to go and take some more visits to those places before they make up their mind. Not everyone has a set order as to the schools they like. Oftentimes, the schools may be quite comparable, and so it comes down to the location of the school, but it's hard to completely grasp the vibe of teh place if you just fly in for the interview and then fly out that night.

Of course, I would hope that if you get your top choice, you drop all the other ones like flies to give them to the rest of us

 

[Punkn]

OK this is what I don't get. Wouldn't it be pretty lame to hold two or three acceptances through May 15 ? Why wouldn't you always make the decision to trade up each time and release your lower ranked school spot so that someone else can have it ? Doesn't this seem logical and decent ?

Yeah, it is the courteous thing to do to withdraw from a school you know you don't want to attend. As you said, this opens up a spot for someone else.

 

[DrBowtie]

OK this is what I don't get. Wouldn't it be pretty lame to hold two or three acceptances through May 15 ? Why wouldn't you always make the decision to trade up each time and release your lower ranked school spot so that someone else can have it ? Doesn't this seem logical and decent ?

It's all about the $$$

 

[spygal]

I can think of a couple of reasons people hole multiple acceptances: financial aid package and/or waiting for scholarship offers, and second-look weekends. At the same time, I was always told don't hold more than 3 acceptances at once (if only I could be that lucky this year).

 

[TMP-SMX]

My problem is that I may have to wait until late in the spring to know where my girlfriend will be going to pharmacy school. She is applying all over the place, so I'm trying to have options in many different cities.

 

[BaylorGuy]

Usually you have up to 2 weeks to actually accept an acceptance offer...however, you have until May 15 of next year to decide to finalize a single choice for your school.

So basically, you can hold like 7 acceptances until May 15...however, some schools may require a deposit to hold your place or some schools may require you to give your final answer about your acceptances on a date earlier than May 15

 

[DoctorB]

Usually you have up to 2 weeks to actually accept an acceptance offer...however, you have until May 15 of next year to decide to finalize a single choice for your school.

So basically, you can hold like 7 acceptances until May 15...however, some schools may require a deposit to hold your place or some schools may require you to give your final answer about your acceptances on a date earlier than May 15

So let me get this straight... If you get accepted you have two weeks to make a decision. If you accept, you may have to pay a fee to hold your place. Up until May 15th you can withdraw your acceptance from any of those schools you accepted? I thought once you accepted you are legally bound?

 

[geogil]

So let me get this straight... If you get accepted you have two weeks to make a decision. If you accept, you may have to pay a fee to hold your place. Up until May 15th you can withdraw your acceptance from any of those schools you accepted? I thought once you accepted you are legally bound?

Nope, that's why you can sit around with multiple acceptances until may 15. Read the rules in MSAR, that might shed some light on your question.