If I accepted an admission and funding offer before April 15th, is it considered unethical to rescind if before April 15th
The Council of Graduate Schools's April 15th resolution clearly lays out the obligations of students, and notes that a decision made prior to April 15th can be rescinded if the student gets a different offer, so long as it is done in writing.


  Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15 and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made.