Delaying tactics for fellowship acceptance?

January 5, 2011 10:35 PM

How should I determine whether to accept fellowship offers on very different time frames?

Similar to this question, without the certainty of offers and on a much larger time scale.

I am applying for multiple fellowships and programs for the next year and have yet to hear back from some of the programs. In one instance, I won't even know if I made it to the next stage until February. However, I am on a 2nd interview with one program this Friday. If I do receive an offer, is it in terrible taste to delay the acceptance in favor of waiting for all my applications to pan out?

The 2nd interview fellowship would begin in August, after I have graduated. The other programs also start about the same time, but have acceptance days much further in the year (spring!).

posted by DolorousEdd to Work & Money (2 answers total)

I would not delay acceptance for very long. Worst case scenario if you accept one fellowship and you get a much better offer you could back out of the first one. I wouldn't back out if it were only a little better. That is just what I would do, though, I would be interested in the other answers.
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 11:02 PM on January 5, 2011

You might not be able to delay acceptance that long; it is reasonable to ask how long you can wait, but many such offers come with a response deadline on your part.

Backing out of a fellowship you've already accepted could be actually a pretty bad worst case, depending on the standards in your field. Talk to your mentors and find out.
posted by nat at 11:10 PM on January 5, 2011