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[mr_nobody]

The owner was a little old lady who drove it to church on Sundays.  If you buy now, I'll throw in a used textbook and the open seat in the grad student office that actually has a window....
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For anyone currently shopping PhD programs, do you ever feel like some of the departments you're considering come off as greasy used-car salespeople?

I'm debating between two departments.  In the past three days, I've recieved three emails that I should make a decision soon and I shouldn't wait for April 15th.  I've told them that I'm making a difficult decision and I may go down to the wire, but every email and call makes a point that I should decide soon. This is a little nuts to me.

For those who have been there in the grad admissions committee, do these high-pressure tactics ever work? 

Alternatively, is this a subtle hint that I inadvertently rubbed some people the wrong way and they'd rather I just went to University X, the other school I'm considering?  It feels like it almost has to be.

(EDIT: Rewrite to edit out info that could out the department in question.)

[systeme_d_]

Departments are very much under pressure to fill all funded lines.   In many cases, particularly in this economic climate, if they do not fill all of their lines, they will lose them not just for this year, but perhaps in perpetuity.

It is in each department's interest to get commitments sooner rather than later, so that they will not have to dip into waitlists.  As a matter of fact, most of the waitlisted folks will have committed by April 15 as well, so dipping into the waitlist still raises the possibility of funded lines going unfilled.

So on behalf of all of my colleagues who direct graduate programs, choose already!

[mr_nobody]

Thank you for the reply.

The info I removed probably explained why I think this high-pressure is nuts.  Let's say that I wasn't given funding information until this past weekend.  That's not the truth, but it's an equivalent tale.  Suffice to say I didn't have all the standard information from them until literally four days ago, so the fact that the high-pressure started two days ago is what's really making this high-pressure tactic irk me.

Oddly, the other program, who should be upset that I'm taking so long because they had everything out on the table weeks ago, is being supportive of my long decision.  I would honestly understand if they were harassing me for a decision; it's the short timetable of the other institution that's the problem.  I realize that, after the edit, it didn't come off that way in my original post.  My apologies.

[thebuffster]

If the used-car-dealer department is behaving in this way before you attend, imagine what it will be like once you start taking classes/doing research?

It could be an unfortunate 5+ years for you.