Decline an acceptance

<p>A month ago I got an offer of admission and financial support to go to Monash uni where I did my undergrad for my PhD degree. At the time I also applied through some universities in the US and I had no hopes about them since 2 of my professors would not write me the letter of rec, one being my future advisor at Monash and the other one being my final year project's advisor. The first guy's reason was that he decides to fund my PhD course thus he doesn't want me to go any where else. The second guy was badly upset by me when I said I dont want to do the PhD with him.</p>

<p>So I went ahead and accept the offer without the need of hearing back from universities in the US that I applied to because I thought no one would admit my ****ty application. As an internatinal student I even got the graduate visa. A month later, out of nowhere UCSD told me to send them my academic record and they will assess my app based solely on the only LoR which I assume was very very strong. Some days later I was told I got admitted to UCSD with financial aid.</p>

<p>I really really want to go for UCSD. The problem is that I accepted the offer by Monash uni. I even got the visa for my PhD course. All is set except that I wasn't enrolled yet.</p>

<p>So does anybody know if it's still possible to withdraw from Monash? I feel I am too deep into it. I'm gonna go back to Australia in a few days to talk this out. But in the mean time let's shed me some light. Thanks all very much!</p>

<p>Just contact the dept. at Monash and tell them. The faster the better. I don’t know when the semester begins at Monash, but if it’s close to beginning, get on the phone immediately to the director of graduate studies of the department in question.</p>

<p>Although its frowned upon to do this for poor reasons, it actually does happen a fair bit. Applicants do accept better offers especially when they’ve been on waiting lists for their first choice. Do as Prof X recommends ASAP so that someone else at Monash may be able to benefit from your decision to go to UCSD</p>

<p>Thanks mates. I contacted the department by email since I’m currently not in the country. Still waiting for their response. There is a withdrawal form on their website so I guess it’s possible. Problem is how to make the advisor at Monash understand my situation so that he wouldn’t get upset</p>

<p>Waitlisted applicants do this all the time.
I don’t think your Monash profs treated you fairly, so you should not even feel guilty about it.

He will get upset. But didn’t he refuse to give you a LoR? He is not a kind of mentor I’d wish for anyone. This was unfair and unethical of him. He may also refuse to recommend you (or sabotage your rec) when you finish your PhD, so you’d have to stay and work for him…</p>

<p>^ nngmm makes a very good point. You do not want to be stuck with an advisor like that. That is extremely petty of him.</p>

<p>Nngmm does indeed make a terrific point. And it is a factor I had in mind when I first posted, but I didn’t want to “diss” the OP’s advisor. (Although he’s clearly earned the distinction.)</p>

<p>Thanks mates! The department just told me I can do that whenever I want. </p>

<p>Actually my advisor is not that terrible. He actually agreed to write the LoR. But when I thought I had no chances to get into the US, I asked for a fund from him and he gave me one paying my tuition fees. Because of this I think it’s reasonable for him to not write me the LoR.</p>

<p>The final year project’s advisor is the one who’s being unfair and unethical. After I told him that I’d like to go to the US for my doctorate and would like him to write me a letter, he agreed. But out of the 4 universities that I applied through he sent absolutely nothing although I reminded him several times by email and in person as well. It was good however that I still got high distinction (equivalence of A) from him for my final year project.</p>

<p>^ <em>shakes head</em></p>

<p>What a shame…</p>