Should I accept a PhD offer from the university that was my last choice?

Heya, I've gotten myself into a bit of a sticky situation. I am a Biochemistry undergrad and I recently had an interview for an MRC PhD programme and got an offer but I applied to this programme as a back up plan if I did not get interviews/offers from my other top choices. Unfortunately, I got rejected from the first two I applied to in October, in Manchester and also from Cambridge, as I was inexperienced with interviews.

I did well at this interview and got the offer but there are still 2 programmes that I am waiting to hear from by the end of this month for interviews. I was asked to give a letter of acceptance in two weeks time for this one and I am facing a dilemma. Will it cause a huge problem if I accept the offer now and then if I get another offer from my preferred university, refuse it later? Will they still keep a list of reserve candidates that long? I am afraid that if I refuse now and get rejected from the other places, I might have to wait an entire year.

It's a long post but I am very lost and would appreciate if someone has any information on this issue. Thank you!

Reply 1

claire9865

If you are still awaiting other options that should be no problem?

Reply 2

Reality Check

22

Honesty is the best policy. How interested are you in the project for which you have received an offer? No Ph.D. should be undertaken as a 'back-up plan' - it's going to be a very horrid 4 years unless you're really genuinely interested in the work. And when you come to write up...

I think you need to decide about how much you want to do the project you've been offered first. You don't sound awfully enthusiastic about it.

Reply 3

Orya

OP

Original post by Reality Check

Honesty is the best policy. How interested are you in the project for which you have received an offer? No Ph.D. should be undertaken as a 'back-up plan' - it's going to be a very horrid 4 years unless you're really genuinely interested in the work. And when you come to write up...

I think you need to decide about how much you want to do the project you've been offered first. You don't sound awfully enthusiastic about it.

Thanks for replying! The thing is, I do like the projects in this programme but the labs are based in the same place where I did my undergraduate, and I was hoping to go somewhere else for my postgrad. And if I end up not having a position anywhere, I am pretty screwed, because I am an EU student and can't get a loan here to continue studies in a Masters.
I know this is a really *****y thing to do, accepting and then refusing, but it is a huge decision for my future and I hope there will be someone that has experienced this so I can find out what effect it has.

Should I accept a PhD offer from the university that was my last choice?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you