LOI: Okay to mention name of another school?

Hmm... I think it is ok to mention that you were accepted, but I would refrain from saying at which school. I think you could just say something along the lines of being accepted at another excellent university, but feel that their school is a better fit for you. Also, you could explain that if this school accepted you, you would withdraw immediately from all others schools.

Best of luck and congrats on the acceptance!

hmmm I wld not mention it n just play my cards rite. You never really know how they'll look at you sayin that..

I would not do it because they might have some negative feelings against the other school. If that is the case they might say, "Oh, you got in there, well enjoy! Peace bitches!"

Why would you ever mention that in a LOI? Do you think the committee will say.. "Hey, he's good enough for XYZ school, he's good enough for us!"

If you get accepted, it prob won't be because you wrote a LOI (along with 1/2 of the other applicants) to that school.

The ONLY time you would ever do this is if you were writing a letter of intent, i.e. promising the school you're writing to that you will attend if accepted. (In the med school admission world, these promises are considered morally BINDING: it would be a very big deal to renege on one.) If you really, really want to get into school B and you've already been accepted at school A, you could write a letter saying, "I am prepared to give up my acceptance to school A if offered admission to your school."

But this can be a dangerous game, and I really wouldn't recommend it unless you've been waitlisted at school B, and are desperate to get off the waitlist. (Even then, it might not work.) Using it as a pre-emptive strike is probably excessive, and runs the risk of offending school B, if they don't think school A is comparable to them. (Just to make up an outrageous example, imagine the reaction if you sent Johns Hopkins a letter offering to give up your acceptance to Northeastern Ohio if they will let you in.)

In general, I think it's a lot wiser to tell a school why you like THEM than that you prefer them over some other school.

No. No need to mention you were accepted elsewhere - focus on how fabulous you and the school is.

Might seem kind of like an ultimatum, I wouldn't.

GoSpursGo said:

I don't think I would mention other schools' names specifically; however, I do think that it gives credence to the idea that you're interested in that school SPECIFICALLY if you mention you have been "accepted at X number of schools; however, I truly feel your school is the best fit for me, because of Y and Z." That way, it is clear that you're not just getting desperate for an acceptance ANYWHERE, and that even though you've already been accepted to medical school, you're still are interested in THEIR med school.

Not sure why it would be seen as an ultimatum... why would they read it as "if you don't accept me to your school, then I'll have no choice but to spite you by matriculating elsewhere." ?

My two cents...

Click to expand...

Not so much an ultimatum. But it sounds really arrogant to say "I've already been accepted to 6 schools but I really love yours."

In the end its the person writing the letter's decision but its an unnecessary risk with far more downside than upside. They either think you're qualified for their school or they don't - being accepted to other schools won't change that. You're better using your limited space (really shouldn't make LOIs longer than 1 page) to talk about what you will do for them and what they will do for you.