Should I accept a waitlist spot at a school I won't end up going to?

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Linalool

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Received an acceptance at my top choice, but I was also just offered a waitlist spot at another school. Would accepting the spot (and potentially later being granted acceptance, etc) be of any benefit to me in negotiating financial aid at my top choice? Or is it a lost cause and should I just decline it? I don't want to be rude and hang on to it when I know I won't attend, but I'm unsure of what weight another potential acceptance would hold in negotiations (I currently do not have any other acceptances).

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Received an acceptance at my top choice, but I was also just offered a waitlist spot at another school. Would accepting the spot (and potentially later being granted acceptance, etc) be of any benefit to me in negotiating financial aid at my top choice? Or is it a lost cause and should I just decline it? I don't want to be rude and hang on to it when I know I won't attend, but I'm unsure of what weight another potential acceptance would hold in negotiations (I currently do not have any other acceptances).
I don't see any way it would.
 
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I see why you think it would, but really it doesn’t work that way. If you don’t intend to go there, do the professional thing and let them know so they can fill their class with another deserving candidate.

Congratulations on being able to choose where you go!
 
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Received an acceptance at my top choice, but I was also just offered a waitlist spot at another school. Would accepting the spot (and potentially later being granted acceptance, etc) be of any benefit to me in negotiating financial aid at my top choice? Or is it a lost cause and should I just decline it? I don't want to be rude and hang on to it when I know I won't attend, but I'm unsure of what weight another potential acceptance would hold in negotiations (I currently do not have any other acceptances).
Just decline it and let someone else be happy.

And congrats on your accept!
:clap::clap::clap::soexcited::soexcited::soexcited::=|:-)::=|:-)::=|:-)::claps::claps::claps::biglove::biglove::biglove::banana::banana::banana::hello::hello::hello::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::highfive::highfive::highfive::love::love::love::woot::woot::woot:
 
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Awesome, thank you guys! I’m not really sure how the negotiating thing works and didn’t want to hold onto it if it’s not worth anything. Thanks again!
 
It’s unlikely that they want you to attend so much that they’ll throw a bunch of money at you if they only waitlist you. You never know, but it doesn’t make much sense.


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Il Destriero
I think he was thinking that if it turned into an eventual acceptance he could convince his first choice place to sweeten the pot
 
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Let's think this all through for a moment. Let's say you get in off the waitlist at this school. It's highly unlikely that they're going to throw money at you to go because you're on their waitlist - otherwise they would have just admitted you outright the first time around. So even if you get in, you're not going to get that money. So what do you go to your top choice school with? Usually with negotiations, it goes something like this - you get nice financial package elsewhere, you go to top choice school and say "Hey, I have an offer for this much at this school but I really want to go to your school. Is there a way you can match it?" And if they want you, they'll at least raise your aid package.

But if you're not getting a lucrative package at the other school, what are you going to your top choice school with?
 
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Let's think this all through for a moment. Let's say you get in off the waitlist at this school. It's highly unlikely that they're going to throw money at you to go because you're on their waitlist - otherwise they would have just admitted you outright the first time around. So even if you get in, you're not going to get that money. So what do you go to your top choice school with? Usually with negotiations, it goes something like this - you get nice financial package elsewhere, you go to top choice school and say "Hey, I have an offer for this much at this school but I really want to go to your school. Is there a way you can match it?" And if they want you, they'll at least raise your aid package.

But if you're not getting a lucrative package at the other school, what are you going to your top choice school with?
A lie I guess. Not recommended.
 
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A lie I guess. Not recommended.

Dangerous advice. The top school asks for award letter from OP's wait-list school. What is she going to do?
 
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This was more a question of if I were to get in later if it would help out much, not intending to lie.
 
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I feel like overall it isn't worth it to accept, top choice is my state school with much lower tuition and is a far better program. So I think that my FA package at top choice will end up being better anyways, I just didn't want to turn it down and regret it later since I am not sure what holds weight and what doesn't. Sounds like the only thing that sways financial aid is if somewhere else offers a better package?
 
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