Dilemma with changing a previous Letter of Intent to LO Interest

[mgmt2]

Hey guys, I have a pretty big dilemma right now. I'm going to try to keep this as anonymous as possible. So my problem is that I originally interviewed at School A in January which was my hands down #1 choice throughout the process and where I absolutely wanted to be. At the time my priorities were a little different than now (I put a much bigger emphasis on location), and in mid-February I wrote a Letter of Intent to said school. At the time, I thought my interview season was over and I couldn't imagine myself being happier anywhere else (I know I got a little too premed intense with the LOI).

Now, about a week ago I got a surprise interview invite from School B where I previously thought I was just going to be rejected. School B is ranked higher, has better resources, has better camaraderie amongst students, and a curriculum I like much more. However, its location is less than ideal which is why I had settled on School A as my #1 choice. I finally interviewed at School B and was completely blown away and I realized location wasn't as important to me as I originally thought. School B may now be my new #1 choice but it's still a close decision.

So my problem is what to do with my original letter of intent at School A. I now realize that I shouldn't have written a letter of intent in the first place. Obviously if I get into only one of these schools my problem is already solved for me. But if I were to be lucky to get into both, I don't want to get blacklisted from School A for residencies if I choose to go to School B. Neither school has made decisions yet so I was wondering how bad it would look if I explained my situation to School A and changed my letter of intent to a very strong letter of interest? Honestly when I wrote my LOI, I thought my interview season was over and I couldn't imagine myself being happier anywhere else. I'm very torn!

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[lovemesomeTJ]

Don't get ahead of yourself. You have no idea what either of these schools will do; you could get rejected at both. Let the chips fall where they may and once they do, then act.

 

[bamtuba]

OP, did you by chance create a second account to remain even MORE anonymous?



A letter on intent is not a contract. No matter what you might think, these types of letters, unless they actually have substance (you know, like "since I interviewed I have cured cancer"), will usually get stuffed in your file for a rainy day. The admissions office gets bombarded with people who are willing to say just about anything to get an acceptance so I doubt this would be the first time someone "changed their mind."

You have no obligation to either school until May 15th when you have signed on the dotted line and have no other WL opportunities. Even then you can always just not go, but that might be silly.

I agree that you have nothing to worry about at this point.

 

[flip26]

OP, did you by chance create a second account to remain even MORE anonymous?



A letter on intent is not a contract. No matter what you might think, these types of letters, unless they actually have substance (you know, like "since I interviewed I have cured cancer"), will usually get stuffed in your file for a rainy day. The admissions office gets bombarded with people who are willing to say just about anything to get an acceptance so I doubt this would be the first time someone "changed their mind."

You have no obligation to either school until May 15th when you have signed on the dotted line and have no other WL opportunities. Even then you can always just not go, but that might be silly.

I agree that you have nothing to worry about at this point.

Totally agree here.

These letters do not have mythical powers, and they do not constitute any legal or ethical binding on you, the applicant, for writing one.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

This kind of thing is exactly why adcoms don't put more stock into LOIs - every year they see multiple students write one and then come next year those students are matriculating elsewhere.

OP - at this point, writing another letter to the school would probably torpedo your chances there. I agree that there is nothing to do now but wait and see how this all pans out. It would be pretty unfortunate to write another letter to school A only to have school B waitlist/reject you. Come April/May revisit this issue once you have all the information (final admissions decisions, financial aid packages) in hand.

 

[redsquareblack]

Hey guys, I have a pretty big dilemma right now.

This counts as a big dilemma? I would really not worry overmuch about this.

 

[mgmt2]

Thanks a lot everyone. I was just a bit worried because I'm dealing with a couple of the top schools and didn't want to hurt my chances for residencies in the future. If the time comes, I'll worry about it then but for now I'll just sit back.

P.S. Yes, I did create a new account but I guess it wasn't really necessary.

 

[JJMrK]

I wouldn't worry too much about it at this point either. It sounds like you can honestly say that at the time you wrote that letters, that school was your number one choice. Things have changed, and that's OK.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Your "priorities changed" from Jan 2010 to Feb 2010?

Did your girlfriend break up with you or something?

 

[fitz0809]

I understand how you feel a little bit. I sent a LOI a little early and then was blown away by another school... luckily though I was accepted so I just withdrew before any decision was made with my LOI.

Back when it happened I was freaking out a little bit... but it's not as big a deal as I was making it out to be then. I pretty much agree with most of the people that have posted.

Ideally you will get into school B and withdraw from school A...


Send a letter of interest to school B, try to talk to admissions and see if additional letters or anything else would help your cause. Make sure you sent in your fall semester grades if you are in school (and did well) and send them an update on how you have been improving your application.

Either way good luck to you. Hopefully things will work out well.

 

[mgmt2]

Your "priorities changed" from Jan 2010 to Feb 2010?

Did your girlfriend break up with you or something?

Haha well I guess it wasn't that drastic of a change. I guess that I valued location in a big East Coast city more at one point over the specific fit of the medical school. It wasn't until I interviewed at the second school (which is still on the East Coast but in a more "run down" city) that I realized having a better feeling of belonging and fit with the medical school and students may be more important and vital to my success. I guess I didn't understand the "fit" category as much until I found a school that truly "fit" me.

Plus, give me a little more credit. My "priorities changed" from Jan 2010 to Mar 2010.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I'm dealing with a couple of the top schools and didn't want to hurt my chances for residencies in the future.

No one will know/remember/care

 

[taciturngirl]

I also don't think there will be any consequences, but it's great that you're being so conscientious about it. Too many applicants treat letters of intent like they don't mean anything and therefore write multiple, which seems sketchy/slightly unethical.

 

[d1ony5u5]

Even if you get into A and turn them down for B, it will be ancient history by the time residency comes, I think...

Also, I imagine that when you apply to residencies, it's not the whole medschool who hears about it, just the program directors, maybe Dept. officials, etc. You'll be safe from their wrath!

 

[EnjoyCoke]

I also don't think there will be any consequences, but it's great that you're being so conscientious about it. Too many applicants treat letters of intent like they don't mean anything and therefore write multiple, which seems sketchy/slightly unethical.

What if they actually do intend to matriculate at any of those places if accepted though? In that case they would just attend the one whose waitlist they got off first. If we're talking about really competitive schools, chances are getting off multiple waitlists is pretty unlikely, so I can see someone being willing to give up not being able to split hairs at two really good acceptances to improve their chances of getting a single one.

 

[MrCheetah]

Everyone above has given good advice. You should take it.

 

[deaninja]

Thanks for the advice everyone. You guys definitely saved me from doing something pretty stupid. I got into "School A" and I think it may be #1 choice again. Hahaha. Crisis averted.