How is declining admissions and then reapplying perceived?

Graduate School
1

<p>What kind of impression do I give if I refuse all my acceptances? I am quite sure I am stronger candidate a year from now (mainly due to more publications), so I was thinking (quite theoretically for the moment) about the possibility of trying again next year if I don't get into any of my top choices. However, it is a possibility that I get into some subtop program this year, and have to decide whether to accept it or try again the next year.</p>

<p>In case I decide to reject an acceptance, how would that affect my chances of getting admitted to the same place the next year? (assuming the program or my interests don't change) Is there a possibility that the program will think something along the lines of "This guy didn't accept us the last year, so why would he do so this year? Let's offer his spot to somebody other, instead."?</p>

<p>Thanks again in advance. This site is extremely helpful!</p>

2

<p>I don’t get your reasoning. Why would you apply to a school if you intend not to accept the offer from that school?</p>

<p>Simply apply only to schools that you’d go to this year. If this does not work out, apply to all schools you’re interested in next year…</p>

3

<p>That’s a good point. However, consider the following situation. If I got close to being accepted to my top choice (waitlist, for example), I might want to try again later. If I, instead, got straight rejections from everywhere but one program I would perhaps accept it and not try the others the next year (because there was no evidence I was even close to getting in).</p>

<p>My basic problem is that I’m very unsure about my level of competitiveness, and thus I might need one round of reality checks to see where I lie.</p>

4

<p>Waitlists are uncommon in graduate school admissions. Some programs will accept their top candidates, and if too many of those decline their offers, the programs then accept some more. The more competitive/prestigious the program, the less likely this second wave of acceptances will happen. Unless your field interviews applicants – and you were invited and later rejected – you’ll never know how close you got. And if you were interviewed and later rejected, the chances of being invited again the next year are slim. </p>

<p>If you declined a program once, it’s unlikely that you’ll be given a second chance. Graduate admissions are handled by a committee of faculty members within the department. If they remember you, then they won’t want to use one of their valuable acceptance slots for someone who already turned them down. </p>

<p>You should apply ONLY to programs that you would attend if accepted. If that means applying only to three programs, knowing that you might have to reapply to more programs next year, then so be it. But don’t waste your money and time applying to programs you won’t attend anyway.</p>

5

<p>It is a serious pain to apply again (and again) because the applications are so time consuming.</p>

<p>Apply to your favorite programs if you are not A) that desperate to go right away and B) don’t mind getting rejected. If you are indeed desperate to go, YOU WILL apply to a range of schools and accept any offers. If you choose to decline an offer or more, dont plan on reapplying.</p>

<p>If you apply to very competitive programs and get rejected everywhere, you have nothing to lose by applying to a bit less competitive and get some acceptances in case you still don’t get in again.</p>

6

<p>It is a serious pain to apply again (and again) because the applications are so time consuming.</p>

<p>Apply to your favorite programs if you are not A) that desperate to go right away and B) don’t mind getting rejected. If you are indeed desperate to go, YOU WILL apply to a range of schools and accept any offers. If you choose to decline an offer or more, dont plan on reapplying.</p>

<p>If you apply to very competitive programs and get rejected everywhere, you have nothing to lose by applying to a bit less competitive and get some acceptances in case you still don’t get in again.</p>

7

<p>As the old saying goes…a bird in hand is worth two in the bush!</p>

<p>Apply, hopefully get accepted, attend the top school/best fit that you get into and be happy you got into a grad program.</p>

8

<p>Chiming with everyone else. If you get accepted to your second-choice program, and it’s a good fit for you all around and you’d be happy there, go. That’s the point of applying to many programs. If there’s only one program in the country that you’d be happy at only apply to that program with the knowledge that the odds are against you.</p>