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I got one T14 but am feeling ambivalent. The environment isn’t the best fit, and the scholarship leaves me in more debt than I am comfortable with. I don’t have much leverage to get them to budge. I’m writing LOCIs and riding waitlists but I don’t expect much movement this year.

I’m considering reapplying as early as next cycle. I applied narrowly, submitted most applications between late December and early January, and a few in mid-January. I’m pretty unhappy with my cycle. My only issue is, I demonstrated tons of interest in the school I got into. This interest evaporated once I actually visited. My only fear surrounding a reapplication is that my current T14 would (reasonably) not let me in again because they wouldn’t trust me to attend. I’m a splitter, so crossing even one T14 off the table would really hurt me.

Is there any way to turn this offer down and not burn this bridge? The first deposit (non-binding) is in a few days, and another month until the second one (binding).

Thanks.

Is the problem timing or is something fundamentally wrong? If it's timing, most schools will allow you to defer admissions for a year. If something is fundamentally wrong with the school, why do you care if you will be admitted next year?

If you are a splitter, it's probably difficult to improve your application for next year. If other T14s have you waitlisted, money is probably unlikely if you do get in. If it's just the debt, do you have a debt free (or debt-light option)? If so, what's the alternative?

As to whether turning it down will "burn the bridge." There are no guarantees one way or another. I don't think they would necessarily hold it against you, but neither they nor you know what next year's applicant pool will look like and how you will stack up against it. The only way to be sure you will "get in" for the next cycle is to ask for (and be granted) a deferral.