How Do Acceptances Work?

[medicalanthropology]

Let's say I'm invited to an interview for September and get accepted in early October.  Let's also say I have several interviews scheduled for October/November.  Do I have to accept this offer immediately or can I postpone a decision until after I have received acceptances/rejections from all of the schools I have applied to?  My only experience is with undergraduate where there was a specific date (usually May 1st) that you had to either decline or accept by.  

Is there a general decline/accept date for PA schools? Do they just give you like a 2 week time window to decide? Does it vary from school to school? 

I know I won't have to worry about this for a couple of months(I'm hoping that I get to worry about it!), but I was just wondering.

 

Thanks!

[AliB]

It may vary from school to school, but most of the offers I received required a deposit by a certain date, usually about two or three weeks from the date of the offer (adjusted a bit if necessary if there were holidays in the midst).  

 

I did have one school that offered to let me know their decision sooner than their promised date so that I could consider it before I had a deposit due at another.  So there is some flexibility ... if the school really wants you.  :)  

[greenmood]

Pretty much this ^. It can be pricey... the reason there is a lot of movement in April/May on some wait lists is that many students place deposits early and then withdraw when they get a "better" offer and it's time to start at their preferred school.

[GreatChecko]

It varies, but for the most part they ask for a response within a certain number of days. For my program, IIRC it was two weeks. By response, they mean a check $$$ and some sort of form.

 

If you're lucky you'll hear from your preferred school first. Otherwise, you might have to make a donation to another school while you wait.  This is why applying to schools you actually see yourself going to is so important. You might get into one of them. If the offer was from a school you really weren't intending on going to, then you are stuck having to make the decision of whether or not being a PA is most important (which it is) and going to a school that may not be ideal, or waiting for the ideal or a more ideal program to take you.