Council of Graduate Schools – The April 15 rule of acceptance
April 11, 2010 by app2usadvisor
Filed under Applications
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If you received an admission offer with funding, you are likely to receive this document with the offer. Even if you did not get it, read it. The document states, “Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer…”
It is important to understand this resolution, your rights, and what is right and what is wrong.Here is what this means in simple language. If you received more than one offer with funding, think which one is the best, and keep on thinking till April 10th. Dont wait till the last minute, so do the needful soon after that. On April 11th, make up your mind. On April 12th, go ahead and accept the best offer. On April 13th, be sure to decline the other offers. If you receive a better offer [either from a better ranked university, or better funding], contact the university whose offer you have accepted, with your new offer and a brief reason why you consider the new offer better for you. Request them that you be allowed to take up the new offer. If possible, copy both universities in your emails. Once the universities releases you, accept the new offer.
Frequently asked questions:
Q. Can I accept two offers?
A. No, and there is no need to accept more than one offer.
Q. Will I be under any legal complications if I decide to reject a previously accepted offer?
A. No. Make sure you are honest with both Universities in question.
Q. What is a written release?
A. Permission on email or a letterhead to allow you to join another university.
Q. Should I wait till April 15th?
A. No, try to finalize and accept the best offer by April 12th.
It is already April 11th, please be sure to convey your acceptance tomorrow.
Thank you!!
Cannot be more clear cut than this.