I am about to send in a second acceptance, but at the same time I will be sending in a rejection to a school I previously accepted. Its better to decide sooner than later, and yes, I feel somewhat guilty for accepting an offer that I'm now going to reject, but it was virtually impossible for me to avoid this scenario due to the fact that I had only received 2 notifications (out of 5) by the time I had to decide on one of the schools, and at that point absolutely nothing was said about financial aid from any school. If I were you, I would make a decision as soon as possible, but don't rush things...you will know what school is right for you. The other thing to think about is the fact that some school send acceptance letters to wait listed students almost up until the day classes start, so by making a decision you may open up a spot for another student.

For people like me on the waitlist I see this as a total jerk move on your part. I do not know you so I do not want to assume this, but you should decide on one school and tell the other as soon as possible. Also don't plan on having any professional relationship later on with the school you accept and then reject.

i'm with joe ... make up your damn mind and free up those other slots so the schools and the waitlisted applicants can get on with their lives

my god ... talk about ego-centric and self-absorbed

it's one thing when you're in a bind and waiting for a decisions from other schools (and some schools demand a reply really early on). it's completely different when you're just being all indecisive on your own. i can completely appreciate joe architect's frustration.

while i also can understand the frustration, you also have to understand that people need to make the right decision for them and if they need more time, they need more time. after all they earned it, not to say that joe architect didn't, but the right decision needs to be made for the student making it, if that decision helps out other students, great, but if it doesn't, it doesn't.

after going 0-8 in previous years, if its meant to be, its meant to be....besides, there is something really satisfying about getting in on your own terms, so improve your application and blow them away next time....it'll feel better.

MArch06 would you accept two offers? I would hope not! You got into more than one school this year. Did you accept two offers or did you THINK before doing this, and pick the ONE you wanted to go to the most. If more than one person is doing this it is not only unprofessional, but makes it difficult as you put it to "get in on your own terms"

i did accept two offers, but not because im indecisive and im not taking a spot from anyone.

UCLA offered me AP the day BEFORE they wanted their decision, so i said yes, even though i had said yes to berkeley, which is where i intend to go. but since UCLA waited so long to tell me this info i felt i needed more time. not only that but i wasn't taking someone's spot because i wasn't going to be admitted into the incoming class anyway.

now believe me, i feel for you, i was waitlisted twice among my 0-8, but those students who are admitted need to do what they need to do, if it takes them longer, so what? they got in, they earned it. i would never want to make a hasty decision because i felt that kind of pressure.
i wish you luck though

MArch06 would you accept two offers? I would hope not! I know you got into more than one school this year. My guess is you had to THINK and pick ONE school. The problem I have with this issue is that it's not only unprofessional, but if other people are doing this it makes it that much harder to, as you put it "get in on your own terms" Fuck feeling better the next time by the way... if you get in your in and thats good enough for me... did it occur to you that one of the many factors you were 0-8 is because people were doing the same dam thing to you.

MArch06... oh how soon we forget about being on the waitlist. I wish you the best of luck and admire you perseverance, but you have to at least see my point of view whether you agree with it or not.

J... what are you smoking, and can I have some please!!!!!!

but i was OK with that. if people who actually legitimately got in cost me a spot, oh well, it wasn't meant to be. its a big decision, im not selfish enough to say to someone, hurry up and decided, i want to get in too. personally i would rather up my portfolio and make myself a better candidate, so the next time i get in and i don't have to worry about the wait-list.
don't take this the wrong way, you clearly want to go to school now and i feel for you, just try and look at it from the other side, sure things are great you're into school, but that doesn't make it any easier. there are lots of factors involved that you could never understand, its a lot more involved than picking a program. there is money, moving, jobs, etc to consider as well.

good luck to you

Wow its so great to have people give me such great advice on how to live my life...

i have to ask something. since MArch06 has given his acceptances to two schools, he might have to reject one school later on, right?

so, it does'nt make much of a difference, does it? because, either way his decline, though a little late will automatically give another guy from the waitlist a chance won't it?

M.Arch. starting dates aren't to far off for those of us doing the 3+ programs. Mine actually starts in 3 weeks. So for some of us/schools, it is coming down to the wire. Although, I am not on any waiting list, I do feel it is necessary to make a decision asap.

as is it great to see you tell others how to live theres.

Life aint fair, deal with it.

im far from telling you how to live your life. i was bitter like you once, you'll soon learn it gets you nowhere. i learned that worrying about things that are out of my control wasn't healthy. when i finally channeled all that energy into things i could control i got into the schools i wanted.

that's my experience, take it as advice if you want, but im no evangelist.

and asauer- as i said im not taking anyone's spot at UCLA because i received advanced placement.

good luck to all

I was refering to the comment made by j.

oh. when you said MArch, i thought you were referring to me, i see now you meant the program. my mistake

oops, maybe I should explain my position so you guys don't think I'm totally self-centered and indecisive. I was originally going to accept only at Penn, because I got a full scholarship there, but after I sent in my acceptance I got offered AP at Berkeley and found out I could be a TA which would actually make Berkeley a better deal financially. But Berkeley's AP is only for certain classes and not the whole first year, so the two schools are really neck and neck in my eyes now. Anyway, joe and anyone else on the waitlists at these schools, don't worry, I'll still be rejecting one of these soon!

As someone who was waitlisted twice this year, I don't think there is anything wrong with accepting two offers. Obviously, you should let the reject school know asap, but you've earned the right to make the best decision you can make. if you accept an offer and then deside not to attend, it does NOT mean that a spot will open up in the program for a waitlistee. it depends on a school's target size for the entering class and how many students have accepted their offers.

then again, if you've accepted more that 2 offers of admissions you need some serious help:)

reveillette, why would you accept an offer before hearing back from all of your schools? Was there some sort of deadline you had to accept by, and if this is the case then it would make sense. Actually this is one of the problems I do not like about the whole process. Why can't these schools have the same deadlines? I know they have the same deadlines in psychology grad programs.

joe, I did hear from Berkeley, but with absolutely no details. By the time I had to tell Penn (and Columbia, which I decided not to attend), Berkeley had only sent me an e-mail telling me I had been accepted. I didn't find out about financial aid, AP, and being a TA until that had passed. I asked for an extension from Berkeley to decide, but I didn't think to ask for an extension from Penn. I agree though, they really don't give you enough time, especially considering those of us on the west coast who had to visit east coast schools and allow time for the USPS!

on another note, like M.arch, I went 0-3 when I applied two years ago, so I know what the frustration of having to wait another year is like.

lastly, both of my programs start in the fall, so do you all think if I decide by mid-next week that's okay?

reveillette, did you get sent that info from berkeley or did you solicit it? and if so, who did you talk to, sara mccarthy or someone in the university's graduate admin?

MArch, I had to solicit it. When I visited, I convinced Sara to ask Prof. Renee Chow re-review my transcript and portfolio to get some classes waived, and since I was a TA for several classes in undergrad she said I shouldn't have a problem getting a placement to cover tuition + stipend. As for financial aid, she said that everyone is being offered the maximum stafford loan, which is 18.5K. Still haven't gotten my official package.

hmmmm.
well i had to 'find' my financial pacakage, im not even sure i could do it again. but within that email from the graduate division they gave you a link to complete your intent to register, well once i did that i found another link, which led me to another link and i got that $18.5 as well as a few thousand in pell grants.
love the school, but they are very disorganized.

which option are you going for, how does that work with the MLA?

i accepted offers from more than two schools, and honestly from what i've heard, most of the time people don't even get accepted from the waitlist because they usually send a very high number of acceptance letters anyway. don't take this as truth, but what i've heard from first year students (at one of the aforementioned schools), nobody there this year was ever on a waitlist... meaning all of the current students were accepted in the first round. i don't know if this is applicable to every school, but it's something that does happen.

i agree with MArch06... if it's meant to be it's meant to be.

nice about face, j.

[url=http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=P36299_0_42_0_C]