Turning Down Schools

[thechoson]

Hello  everyone
I was wondering what the correct protocal for turning down schools you don't want to go to anymore is.  Both for schools that have accepted you, and schools that have yet to make a decision.  Do I email them, call them, write them a letter?
Thanks!

[Aonghus]

So far, my plan has been to let the deposit deadline pass.

[1L2004]

So far, my plan has been to let the deposit deadline pass.

Just letting the deadline pass is needlessly cruel and inflicts similarly needless suffering on others.  I don't know how seriously you take things but it's well known that most decent schools get way more qualified applicants than they can admit and sitting on an offer any longer than necessary just keeps people stuck on waitlists, or worse yet, gets them rejected for lack of space based on a projected yield.

Hello  everyone
I was wondering what the correct protocal for turning down schools you don't want to go to anymore is.  Both for schools that have accepted you, and schools that have yet to make a decision.  Do I email them, call them, write them a letter?
Thanks!

As to the original question: I had an app pending with USC and since I don't want to go there and only applied as an additional safety school with the waiver they sent me, I emailed and asked them to remove me from consideration as soon as I got in somewhere better.  Just say that you would like to withdraw your application as you will not be matriculating at their institution.  The response was very gracious and they wished me success in my plans.  Only sit on the offers you are seriously considering.

[Aonghus]

I sincerely doubt that the 10 days between now and the April 1 deadlines will cause anyone to commit ritual suicide.  I would tend to agree that if you have at least 2 weeks after you have made a decision before the deadline arrives, you might end some poor soul's suffering by writing a note, but jeesh, it's not like we are talking about clubbing baby seals here.

So far, my plan has been to let the deposit deadline pass.

Just letting the deadline pass is needlessly cruel and inflicts similarly needless suffering on others.  I don't know how seriously you take things but it's well known that most decent schools get way more qualified applicants than they can admit and sitting on an offer any longer than necessary just keeps people stuck on waitlists, or worse yet, gets them rejected for lack of space based on a projected yield.

Hello  everyone
I was wondering what the correct protocal for turning down schools you don't want to go to anymore is.  Both for schools that have accepted you, and schools that have yet to make a decision.  Do I email them, call them, write them a letter?
Thanks!

As to the original question: I had an app pending with USC and since I don't want to go there and only applied as an additional safety school with the waiver they sent me, I emailed and asked them to remove me from consideration as soon as I got in somewhere better.  Just say that you would like to withdraw your application as you will not be matriculating at their institution.  The response was very gracious and they wished me success in my plans.  Only sit on the offers you are seriously considering.

[1L2004]

"...writing a note." 

Just fill out the reply card that came with your acceptance letter.  It's sort of like failing to RSVP: bad manners.  BTW, Stanford and NYU typically wait to hear from the majority of the "auto-admits" before filling the remainder of the class; hence, a lot of bright people on pins and needles.