<p>Hello there! I have been accepted by the University of Washington’s Electrical Engineering Department. However, the professors want to meet me before they offer me a TA or RA position. And they are having a prospective graduate student visit day on March 5th-7th 2009. Since the professors are looking forward to meeting me, they said that they would most probably cover most of the expenses.</p>
<p>But the problem is I am still waiting to hear from another 4 schools including my dream engineering schools which also have their prospective graduate student visit between March 4th-8th. If offered admission from one of these schools, I’ll definitely have to go to that school. However, I do not want to miss my opportunity to sceure a RA/TA position from Univ of Washington which is my backup school. What do I do now?</p>
<p>Well, you make a decision. Who are we to make it for you?</p>
<p>The visit probably is not binding, especially since you cannot be expected to make a decision without the financial information. There is no harm in going especially since in your current situation you are seriously considering the school. They probably expect that you applied to/are waiting on other schools.</p>
<p>Accept the offer to visit UW - it is crucial to your chances of arranging funding if you do go there. To hedge against your “dream school” admission, explain that you have another commitment at that time and ask to skip out on one end of the visit. The only really vital part is meeting the prof’s, and you can do those meetings in a single day or less.</p>
<p>If you get into your dream school, you have already left an opening (the skipped end of the UW visit) to attend their weekend as well. If there is still a conflict, you will need to decide, but I would go with the dream school.</p>
<p>Thank you so much backflip and cosmicfish. I greatly apprecite it!!!</p>