How to refuse an offer

Question

How the kindest way to refuse an offer from b-school? You indicate the reason or simply refuse the offer without any justification? Right now I have to refuse 4 out of 5 offers and I wonder what will be the kindest way to do so. Actually, the schools refuse applicants (yes, I got 2 dings too) by standard mail, so maybe I'm overestimating this.

What do you think?

What do you think?

annae · Answer

I wrote a kind mail, thanking the school and adcom for the offer (and grant). I also regretfully informed them I chose another school, which school it was, and why. I think they deserve to know for their future profiling purposes. I also thanked them for anything specific like good, personal service or flexibility or a grant, and wished the adcom and the incoming class all the best.

ricborg · Answer

Yes, I'm thinking about writing an email like that. I think it is, above all, a matter of education.Thank you for your insight!

Cheers

xolod · Answer

Do the programs tell you in a nice letter why they rejected your application unless you request it later on when they are not busy? Say, June-July. Why do you feel you need to provide all the information they might need, while they are not extremely enthusiastic about sharing same thing with rejected applicants? I think a more logical thing to do is to let them know you are not attending and explain why only if they request you to and you feel like doing it.

krussell · Answer

Are you really supposed to let them know?

I thought when you didn't pay a deposit by the expiry date, that was good enough...

annae · Answer

I guess it's all about common courtesy. Each to his own. Mine includes being polite and informing them about my decisions and reasons. After all, being in touch with an adcom rep for months regarding application matters it seems like the right thing to do. I understand that the schools cannot provide every one of the hundreds or thousands of applicants with personalized information, but with my 4 schools I can bear the workload. It's always good to be prompt and polite - you never know when you run into these people again.

a11c99 · Answer

I agree with annae - I put a lot of work to research, discuss and clarify a lot of details with the schools that accepted me (and some offered scholarship) and I consider that is common sense is to provide my honest feedback.

In the same way as I consider rude that a school which encouraged me to apply, I put the same effort (part of it to clear useless admin stuff!) and paid the highest admission fee, did not consider that it should provide feedback to me - as long as I know it does not have so manny applicants.

As annae pointed out, each to his own - we never know when we will run into each other again.

krussell · Answer

Wowee, alright!

So, just like a blank card or something thanking them for the admission decision but I'm going somewhere else?

Or is a letter better (almost like a resignation letter)?

ricborg · Answer

I just sent my first mail refusing a school. I wrote a nice mail, not exhaustively detailing the reasons, but explaining that I ended up accepting another invitation more fitting to my needs. Although schools do not always caring about being nice when they ding applicants, I think it does not oblige us to be rude too...

Jonny4 · Answer

Do you think it's a good idea to ring the school up and tell them?

How to refuse an offer

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