How to turn down an admission offer already accepted

[randomseeker453]

You need to physically go to the school, meet the people you are working with, and then decided if it is the greatest thing ever. I made that same mistake. The school I went to I thought was in a good area, I was told funding won't be a concern, they had plenty of classes to take. When I got there I found that I didn't fit in at all. I ended up leaving the program and acquiring additional student loan debt to pay for my room and board. Don't underestimate thinking carefully about this decision. You might go to this school thinking it is highly ranked and all that, but find out the environment is toxic.

What if the difference in the ranking of the two universities is on the order of a couple hundred?

I am an international student. I can't physically go to the universities and confirm.

 

[randomseeker453]

But the circumstances are avoidable. Do you think lying is a good way out? You should keep in mind that the physics community is small, and you should not think School X will not learn of your interactions with School Y.

Should I then not use the words unavoidable circumstances but rather just be straight to the point and let them know that I can't attend their program because I got an offer more in line with my research interests?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Well, there were no terms - at least the first graduate program did not point out any terms.

Of course there were. Do you not have something that says "You start on this day, your stipend is this much, we expect you to finish undergrad, we need a decision on this date" and so on? You say you sent a deposit. Why? Presumably there was something that said to.

 

[randomseeker453]

Oh, yes. I've read the terms. It says, among other things, that my offer had to be accepted or declined in three weeks and that admission deposit had to be paid.

 

[f95toli]

But the circumstances are avoidable. Do you think lying is a good way out? You should keep in mind that the physics community is small, and you should not think School X will not learn of your interactions with School Y.

To be fair, part of the problem here is that the two two schools do not send out their offers at roughly the same time. This situation will presumably arise a LOT for a student enrolling in the second school if they are sending out offers much later than their "competitors".

I have been in the same situation myself, but from a supervisors point of view; I've had students reject offers because they had already accepted offers from someone else and I have also had potential students leave quite late in the process because they got a better offer somewhere else. I've never blamed the students for this; they should do what is best for them (my main problem is that one of the programs through which I can get students is set up so that everything happens 2-3 months later than most other programs in the UK; if a student "waits" for us and then does NOT get an offer he/she will be out of options)

 

[atyy]

Check the terms and consult with your present advisor, and both schools that you are considering, but be straightforward with them and don't say something misleading like "unavoidable circumstances".

 

[Vanadium 50]

To be fair, part of the problem here is that the two two schools do not send out their offers at roughly the same time

Which is why tha majority of schools in the US have adopted a common date of April 15.

 

[f95toli]

Which is why tha majority of schools in the US have adopted a common date of April 15.

Indeed. But since the OP is in Canada where this is apparently not the case, it follows that both schools should be used to situations like this. It certainly happens in the UK and I can't imagine anyone blaming the students for looking out for themselves.

 

[randomseeker453]

I notified via email. There was no reply.

 

[OrangeDog]

You didn't do any of the things we recommended did you?

 

[randomseeker453]

I did all the things you recommended. I checked the terms and I used your template and Vanadium 50's advice to customise that template and then I sent it.

 

[micromass]

Yes, this was probably the best thing you could have done if you really wanted to go to the other school. Let's hope it has minimal repercussions.

 

[randomseeker453]

Yes, this was probably the best thing you could have done if you really wanted to go to the other school. Let's hope it has minimal repercussions.

Ok. I just hope nothing happens to me at the port of entry to the country.

 

[OrangeDog]

Yes but you didn't call or email anyone. Those were the important parts of the advice. Oh well, what's done is done. Good luck.

 

[mathwonk]

just put it as plainly and honestly as possible. do not feel any obligation to accept an offer you do not prefer. just express appreciation for the offer but say you have received unexpectedly another offer that seems better suited to yiour goals. and stop there.

but be sure you really are choosing the better place for you, not just the place that has higher ratings.

 

[randomseeker453]

I asked permission from my first graduate school to release me (I told them that my new graduate school does not participate in the april 15 resolution).

The reply was that they would let me go on one condition - that I tell them the name of the new graduate program.

Is it risky to divulge the name of the new graduate program?

 

[marcusl]

Seems like a small price for getting what you want.