<p>I got into the #1 school on my list, so should I withdraw my applications from all of the other schools I've applied to? Or is there a benefit in waiting for a decision from them?</p>
<p>It seems like a waste to just withdraw them after all the time and money I spent, but it also wouldn't be fair to the people whose spot I'd be taking up. What do you think?</p>
<p>I declined a few of interviews already after receiving from my top choices. If your heart or gut feeling is set on your dream school, I guess it’s better to say yes or no earlier than going through interview process and handling ‘exit strategy’. Who knows we might happen to go to those schools for post-doc. That’s one person’s opinion though.</p>
<p>If you’re completely set on a school and have a guaranteed funding package, it would be courteous to let other programs know that you’ve made a decision.</p>
<p>With budgets being what they are these days, though, I might leave one backup on the table just in case you get caught in some unexpected last-minute cutback.</p>
<p>I received my first acceptance (with funding details) in early January, from the program that I will most likely end up attending. I asked several professors on how to proceed: one thought that I should withdraw most of my outstanding applications; one said that I should just wait and see; one said that either course of action is acceptable and that it’s really up to me.</p>
<p>I ended up withdrawing my applications from my “safety” schools, but I still have seven active applications. That’s partly because I wanted to have a backup option in case something goes wrong with my first choice and partly because I am curious to see how it all plays out.</p>
<p>I had a clear pre-interview top choice, interviewed there, and loved it. Then a week later I interviewed at another program, realized it was a better fit, and ended up going there. However, once I’d interviewed at all the schools, I made up my mind quickly and declined the rest of my acceptances. It is very courteous to be quick about declining offers once you’ve made up your mind, but that doesn’t mean you should decline before you’ve given each program a fair chance to make their case to you.</p>
<p>If you are already 100% sure that’s where you want to go, then it is good practice to withdraw the rest of your applications. But if you haven’t gotten a chance to visit the other schools you are seriously considering, then I would wait it out (but withdraw from the ones you absolutely know you would not choose).</p>