<p>Parents: My son received an acceptance to a grad program, and needs to give them a decision within a week. He still has an application out to another program that he is also very interested in. Is it appropriate to have him contact the second program and ask them politely if it is at all possible to receive his decision a little bit early, since he has already been admitted to another program? </p>
<p>Has anyone had success doing this, and could it possibly hurt his chances at the second school to do so? He says he would be very happy at either program, but might be leaning toward the second. It seems to me he has nothing to lose by asking (since otherwise he must either accept his offer from the first school, or else turn them down and risk being denied at the second) but is there something I’m not seeing? </p>
<p>Most graduate programs I’m aware of abide by the rule of not requiring a decision by April 15. Your son might want to find out if this program is part of that consortium, and see if they’re just pressuring him to try and get him to commit before he can be poached.</p>
<p>I actually did. But it might not have been a good idea. My son got in to Cornell College, but I really would rather if he went to Austin College. And we had not heard back from Austin yet. So, I called and mentioned he already got an acceptance from one other school and we had really been hoping to hear from them. I probably would not have called, but the person who interviewed him said he would have heard by a certain date and that date was a week past. I will say, my son still way prefers Cornell College and will probably end up at Cornell.</p>
<p>For grad school it is not appropriate for a parent to call.^
But it is perfectly normal and fine for a student to discuss this situation with the decision makers.</p>
<p>I would have your son call the first school and explain that he is waiting to hear from other schools and could they extend the deadline for him to accept the offer…my daughter did this recently and the first school was very accommodating</p>
<p>I agree with Ije62 but the extension maybe one or two week deadline. I would be hesitant to contact the second one. Yes I also agree this is a student only call.</p>