<p>Top choice school does not want to give me any aid and cost is prohibitive. Second choice school (close second) giving me a some amount of aid--enough for me to make it work on my own. </p>
<p>I'm a finalist for several scholarships and grant opps, but the deadlines won't match up, i.e. I will probably know after the acceptance deadline.</p>
<p>Would it be too unethical for me to accept at both and then see how things work out? If I do get the scholarships, I would want to kick myself for turning down top choice school.</p>
<p>I've already been granted extensions to decide from both schools. HELP!</p>
<p>If you have been granted extensions, why do you need to decide now? I'm not sure how (I assume) Master's programs work, but I don't think you're 'allowed' to accept 2 schools at the same time.</p>
<p>Do the extensions not reach the scholarship deadlines either?</p>
<p>I strongly recommend against accepting at both schools. It will hurt you in many more ways, and more lasting ways, than choosing one or the other. </p>
<p>I would recommend contacting someone in your first choice school (exactly who that might be is best left to someone with more knowledge of this process than I have) and telling them exactly what you're telling us: they're definitely your first choice, you would love to choose them but are not financially able, and you're trying to make this work but need to wait until notification on several scholarships, etc.</p>
<p>This does not apply, of course, if you won't hear about these scholarships until after the term begins or some other late date, as I've noticed is a trend with graduate schools. If that is the case, I believe you're simply going to have to decide and live with the consequences of that decision. Personally, I can't imagine why a close second-choice which is financially viable and might become even MORE financially viable if I received scholarships I'd applied for wouldn't suddenly become my first pick.</p>