Have to decide where to go before I receive decisions...

[nibbie]

Broadly speaking, I’m looking for an intellectually stimulating environment, wide career opportunities, and a community feel. I want to major in International Relations, and possibly recreate a program similar to Oxford’s PPE.

That said, I was just admitted to NYU Gallatin, and have two weeks to make a decision. I know NYU doesn’t really match the last point, but I feel like I could make it work by being proactive and joining several clubs. On their portal, it is explicitly stated that to accept their offer is to reject all other offers.

That puts me in a bind. I’ve applied to and haven’t heard from the following other schools: Haverford, Grinnell, Hamilton, Holy Cross, Wesleyan, and Brown. Quite a few of these would be toss-ups when compared to NYU. I probably won’t know my decisions to =any of these schools in the next two weeks. I scheduled a meeting in three days with the Hamilton advisor that interviewed me a few weeks ago, just to simply ask for her advice in this ubiquitously fortunate yet difficult decision I find myself in.

Quite simply, I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to do. I was hoping that if I got admitted to NYU it would be in a few weeks’ time so I could better weigh my options, but I don’t have that option. Does anyone have any recommendations for how I approach this conversation with my Hamilton interviewer (Hamilton is one of my top choices), and beyond that how I can make the most educated decision in this dilemma?

[merc81]

Based on your uncertainty, it wouldn’t seem wise to commit to NYU before hearing all of your decisions. In your circumstances, it would seem fair to request an extension from NYU.

[nibbie]

@merc81

Based on your uncertainty, it wouldn’t seem wise to commit to NYU before hearing all of your decisions. In your circumstances, it would seem fair to request an extension from NYU.

Totally agree, and this is something I intend to ask. From what I’ve heard from the NYU Transfer thread, they’re not exactly flexible because transfer admissions are on a rolling basis. There is very little specification on any NYU websites of the consequence for placing a deposit and then enrolling elsewhere. Some students have speculated that there are no consequences, while others speculate that it could nullify all admissions… for good reason, I’m hesitant to ask any further about this subject with NYU.

The reason I’m reaching out to Hamilton first is that it is the only school that I’ve interviewed at so far, so there’s some sense of familiarity that might benefit me. I’m hoping that I come across as being genuine in my interest at Hamilton and want to carefully weigh my options, as opposed to trying to rush an admissions decision. I’m going to use the outcomes of that conversation to pursue contacting the other colleges, but the main issue there is Brown. Brown is likely my top choice, and my admission to NYU gives me more confidence in my chances of getting in. At best, I’d say it’s 30%. I can’t see Brown giving me an extension, but at the same time, I don’t think I’m willing to make such a hasty gamble.

[NJdad07090]

Ok I assume your a transfer so that is messing up some things. It seems every other school on your list is not in a city, you sure you want to be in NYC? Also what school are you at now and why do you want to transfer.

[nibbie]

@NJdad07090

Ok I assume your a transfer so that is messing up some things. It seems every other school on your list is not in a city, you sure you want to be in NYC? Also what school are you at now and why do you want to transfer.

I think rural LACs and city universities both have their pros and cons, and for my interests NYC has a wide variety of options. I haven’t been able to visit, which further complicates things, I haven’t been to NYC in like a decade.

As to your other questions, here’s my old thread which covers all of them:
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/2172515-chance-me-hamilton-brown-nyu-gallatin-wesleyan-vanderbilt-gwu.html#latest

[austinmshauri]

I was just admitted to NYU Gallatin, and have two weeks to make a decision…On their portal, it is explicitly stated that to accept their offer is to reject all other offers.

Why do you have to reject other offers if you deposit at NYU? It’s not binding early decision is it? If not, you can deposit there without turning down your other schools. The only rule is that you can’t deposit at more than one school at a time. If you get accepted to a school you like better cancel your acceptance at NYU and accept the 2nd school’s offer. You’ll lose your deposit, but you’ll still get the school you want.

[happymomof1]

^^^^ Exactly. Treat this like a wait-list situation. If you prefer NYU Gallatin over your current college/university, accept the offer and pay your deposit. If/when you are accepted elsewhere, weigh that specific offer against where you currently are holding a space.

Yes, you might end up making a whole series of non-refundable deposits and then cancelling your enrollment if you keep getting admitted to places you like better and better. That is just part of the deal for transfer admissions.

[nibbie]

@austinmshauri

I was just admitted to NYU Gallatin, and have two weeks to make a decision…On their portal, it is explicitly stated that to accept their offer is to reject all other offers.

Why do you have to reject other offers if you deposit at NYU? It’s not binding early decision is it? If not, you can deposit there without turning down your other schools. The only rule is that you can’t deposit at more than one school at a time. If you get accepted to a school you like better cancel your acceptance at NYU and accept the 2nd school’s offer. You’ll lose your deposit, but you’ll still get the school you want.

No it’s not binding and I can’t see NYU being able to enforce this, but there is still the worry that there is something I’m missing… I don’t know.

@happymomof1

^^^^ Exactly. Treat this like a wait-list situation. If you prefer NYU Gallatin over your current college/university, accept the offer and pay your deposit. If/when you are accepted elsewhere, weigh that specific offer against where you currently are holding a space.

Yes, you might end up making a whole series of non-refundable deposits and then cancelling your enrollment if you keep getting admitted to places you like better and better. That is just part of the deal for transfer admissions.

I’d agree, but NYU is a bit weird in that their admissions are rolling, and they’re the only school I’m aware of that explicitly states that you have to withdraw all other applications which makes me a bit hesitant.

[austinmshauri]

The only rule is that you can’t be enrolled in more than one school at a time. They have no right to tell you that you have to reject other schools, and I’d be hesitant to accept a school that plays games like that with high school kids.

[nibbie]

I think I’ll place the deposit unless within the next two weeks I hear from a school I decide I prefer (which would require quite an elongated introspection process). Either way, I’m elated to have been accepted to NYU.

[nibbie]

Also, I forgot to mention – in my phone call tomorrow I’m going to ask my Hamilton interviewer about the following hypothetical:

A. I place a deposit to x school.
B. I get into Hamilton, and decide I prefer Hamilton over x school.
C. I revoke my attendance to x school, and choose Hamilton.

I’m going to use this hypothetical to ask if there would be any repercussions aside from losing a few hundred dollars via the deposit. If that plays out well, I’m going to contact all the schools I would like to attend on a comparable scale to NYU and ask the same question. That way I know exactly what I’m getting myself into, and can’t be caught off guard my some extraneous situation. Thanks for everyone’s help!

[merc81]

I’m not necessarily discouraging you from your approach, @nibbie, but a Hamilton representative will not have direct access to your communications with NYU. If NYU has “explicitly stated that ‘to accept [our] offer is to reject all other offers,’” then it seems you could be in a quandary that Hamilton, ethically, should not override.

[nibbie]

@merc81

I’m not necessarily discouraging you from that approach, @nibbie, but a Hamilton representative will not have direct access to your communications with NYU. If NYU has “explicitly stated that to accept their offer is to reject all other offers,” then it seems you could be in a quandary that Hamilton, ethically, should not override.

Hmm, I suppose that’s a fair interpretation. My intentions aren’t to create an ethical quandary, but I’ll admit that some of it comes down to me trying to limit my cognitive dissonance in this situation. Obviously my hesitance is also unfair to those who will end up on the wait-list. That said, NYU’s practice could be perceived as a bit machiavellian, but maybe I’m just irritated that I may have to make a decision with such little information available to me (let alone coronavirus’ play in all this). The most charitable way I could interpret this is that the practice is unreasonably limiting to not just myself, but also the other colleges in which I might otherwise have attended. But I’d probably agree that the onus is on me, not NYU. Some colleges may think otherwise, some might not. That’s what makes this situation so complicated…

Here’s the direct quote on NYU’s website:
“If you accept our offer, you must withdraw any applications you have pending at other colleges or universities.”

[merc81]

If my comments gave you the feeling that the onus is on you, this was unintended. I think much of the onus resides with NYU — they may indeed be “unreasonably limiting” you. This is why I’d like to see you communicate with them directly, so that you could give them the opportunity to respond to a reasonable request. You need time to hear your results from other colleges plus a reasonable amount of time for introspection. You could pick a firm date, then ask for it. NYU cannot, obviously, rescind its offer to you based on such a request.

[nibbie]

@merc81

If my comments gave you the feeling that the onus is on you, this was unintended. I think much of the onus resides with NYU — they may indeed be “unreasonably limiting” you. This is why I’d like to see you communicate with them directly, so that you could give them the opportunity to respond to a reasonable request. You need time to hear your results from other colleges plus a reasonable amount of time for introspection. You could pick a firm date, then ask for it. NYU cannot, obviously, rescind its offer to you based on such a request.

I sent an email to NYU, and decided to cancel my call with Hamilton, as I don’t think I have much to gain from it with a lot at risk.

[NJdad07090]

I really do not think any other college will care about what the NYU policy , why should they? NYU has a waitlist so they have no problem pulling kids off it who have already deposited at a different schools.

[austinmshauri]

I think NYU is being unethical. You can’t deposit at more than one school at a time, and you’re supposed to decide by May 1st (unless you get extensions like this year), but adding an ED like clause to an acceptance letter is just wrong. Maybe they’re losing too many students to colleges that offer better aid, but invoking a one sided binding ED agreement after the application process is over is inappropriate. If all their applications are, in effect, ED apps, they should be required to note that prominently on their application.

[nibbie]

@NJdad07090

I really do not think any other college will care about what the NYU policy , why should they? NYU has a waitlist so they have no problem pulling kids off it who have already deposited at a different schools.

@austinmshauri

I think NYU is being unethical. You can’t deposit at more than one school at a time, and you’re supposed to decide by May 1st (unless you get extensions like this year), but adding an ED like clause to an acceptance letter is just wrong. Maybe they’re losing too many students to colleges that offer better aid, but invoking a one sided binding ED agreement after the application process is over is inappropriate. If all their applications are, in effect, ED apps, they should be required to note that prominently on their application.

If NYU doesn’t offer an extension you both recommend I contact the other schools I’ve applied to for clarification or just assume that there is no consequence?

[nibbie]

Got the two week extension I wanted, I should have all my decisions by then.

[Yankeefan20]

What did you say to NYU?