2 Q's for those who have sent a letter of intent...

[LaurieB]

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Just a quick poll for those who have sent letters of intent (or have an opinion on this):

1. When did you send the letter, before/after interviewing or being waitlisted? (Also include where you sent your letter if you are OK with sharing.)

2. What were the main points of your letter?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[mlw03]

i sent the LOI right after the interview because i wanted them to have it before the committee met to discuss my application.

the main point of the letter was that they were my top choice and that if accepted i would attend. i briefly stated my reasons why. the whole thing was about half a page long.

i haven't heard from that school yet, but it's still fairly early for them, so i can't say how successful it was, but in general i think they're a good idea. i can't see how it could hurt.

Originally posted by LaurieB
Just a quick poll for those who have sent letters of intent (or have an opinion on this):

1. When did you send the letter, before/after interviewing or being waitlisted? (Also include where you sent your letter if you are OK with sharing.)

2. What were the main points of your letter?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[elias514]

I sent a letter of intent three days after my interview at the school. The letter itself was about 1/2 page in length. This is essentially what I said:

Dear Dean X,

The purpose of this letter is to inform the Admissions Committee that Med School Y is my first choice. If accepted for entrance next fall, I guarantee that I will attend. Having completed all my interviews for medical school, I wholeheartedly believe that Med School Y is the best place for me to study medicine. The preclinical and clinical facilities are truly outstanding. I especially like (something about the curriculum). Indeed, I cannot think of a better place to spend the next four years of my life than Med School Y.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX


A bit of advice: Do NOT send a LOI until you have completed ALL of your interviews. Moreover, I recommend that you only a LOI after you are placed on the waitlist at your first choice; this advice is especially valid if you are a superstar applicant (i.e., an applicant with a high GPA and high MCAT score). Remember, if you interview at a school, you already have a VERY good chance of gaining admission (for many schools, the probability of admission for interviewees is approximately 50%). My point is this: don't limit your choices prematurely.

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by elias514
I sent a letter of intent three days after my interview at the school. The letter itself was about 1/2 page in length. This is essentially what I said:

Dear Dean X,

The purpose of this letter is to inform the Admissions Committee that Med School Y is my first choice. If accepted for entrance next fall, I guarantee that I will attend. Having completed all my interviews for medical school, I wholeheartedly believe that Med School Y is the best place for me to study medicine. The preclinical and clinical facilities are truly outstanding. I especially like (something about the curriculum). Indeed, I cannot think of a better place to spend the next four years of my life than Med School Y.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX


A bit of advice: Do NOT send a LOI until you have completed ALL of your interviews. Moreover, I recommend that you only a LOI after you are placed on the waitlist at your first choice; this advice is especially valid if you are a superstar applicant (i.e., an applicant with a high GPA and high MCAT score). Remember, if you interview at a school, you already have a VERY good chance of gaining admission (for many schools, the probability of admission for interviewees is approximately 50%). My point is this: don't limit your choices prematurely.

This is true. I almost sent out a LOI to my top choice school until I got an interview to another school that wasnt really on my radar. But after my interview, I asolutely loved the place and would be dismayed if I didnt have the option of going there.

That said, we all know a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. I could possibly not get into either school, but i guess that's the risk I'm taking.

 

[highclass]

I am 100% sure of my first choice school. I had an interview there early Nov and they said that they would be letting me know the decision by Jan 15th. Do I write a letter of intent now? In my secondary essay, I wrote that the school was my first choice (an I stated all of the reasons), and I also told the interviewer that it was my first choice. Is it too much to also write a letter of intent at this point or should I wait for my decision. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[astrisize]

Just how binding is an LOI? It's really just a moral thing right?

 

[ehd327]

I could really use some feedack on this:

My top choice for med school is UCLA. I am considering sending a LOI before they make the decision to interview me (I knwo it's a little premature but I am confident that I would pick UCLA over any other med school). However, the letter will not just be a LOI but it will be an update of my app because I just published a paper in a well-respected journal, and sent out two others for review. What do you guys think: wait it out, or send it in?

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by astrisize
Just how binding is an LOI? It's really just a moral thing right?

i think it is legally binding. not just a moral thing.

and the edh....

i dont know about including an LOI before the send you an interview. i dont think thats the purpose of the LOI. its to help you gain acceptance into the school not garner an interview...
a school might be turned off by this cause you are making the decision that you are good enough for the school when it should be the school making that decision.
i dunno. thats just my personal opinion. others will say the opposite, but i know that its either not done or rarely done.
like the poster above said...wait for the LOI either if you are on the waitlist or after the interview and had a chance to check out some other places too.

i would just send the files with a note saying how you are sending this stuff to update your files and maybe how you would like to interview there. i dont know how you would word it....but ixnay on the LOIay...preinterview. (just my 2cents...)

 

[pud129]

Yeah, I agree with the above about no LOI preinterview. I sent one to my #1 right after the interview, because I knew it was what I wanted after seeing the school. It seems like most schools interview people that are 'acceptable' to their school on paper. An LOI just might tip the subjective side of admissions, which probably doesn't come into play till after the interview.

 

[LaurieB]

Thanks for all the good advice! I'll have to stew on this one.

 

[NotShorty]

My letter of interest, mailed less than a week after I sent my secondary app:

(paraphrased)
To whom it may concern

I am interested in your school

I have talked to students and graduates, researched your school online [I did my homework; proves that you really ARE interested in their school]

I am most interested in "program X" at your school, which can't be found at any other schools.

Please take my level of interest into consideration when deciding who goes to the next stage of the interview process.

Sincerely,
-NS

My goal in writing this is to get an interview. No need to mention anything about "I would go to your school if I was accepted."

If you already had your interview, say "thank you for a the tour, interview, etc. It far exceeded my expectations, and now I know for sure that your school is the one for me."

KISS= Keep It Simple, Stupid

Oh yeah, I am not yet accepted, so maybe i have no idea what I'm talking about.

 

[exigente chica]

Originally posted by ehd327
I could really use some feedack on this:

My top choice for med school is UCLA. I am considering sending a LOI before they make the decision to interview me (I knwo it's a little premature but I am confident that I would pick UCLA over any other med school). However, the letter will not just be a LOI but it will be an update of my app because I just published a paper in a well-respected journal, and sent out two others for review. What do you guys think: wait it out, or send it in?

I would send it now.


Again same predicement..I am unsure what to do about this too..I want to send a letter of intrest/ update for my file...

😕

 

[highclass]

An LOI is not legally binding.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

Originally posted by highclass
I am 100% sure of my first choice school. I had an interview there early Nov and they said that they would be letting me know the decision by Jan 15th. Do I write a letter of intent now? In my secondary essay, I wrote that the school was my first choice (an I stated all of the reasons), and I also told the interviewer that it was my first choice. Is it too much to also write a letter of intent at this point or should I wait for my decision. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Sounds like UCLA... I sent my letter of intent to them in the mail when I arrived back at home after my trip. I figured that they would receive it before the committee review, and that it could only help.

 

[xanthines]

Before you hold off on sending a LOI, makre sure it has at least the possibility of helping. At my state school, the waitlist is set in stone, so there's no point in sending ANYTHING, much less a LOI.

-X

 

[meanderson]

xanthines, by your state school are you referring to MCG or mercer where thw waitlist is set in stone?

 

[RedHeadKiddo]

1. I sent the letter following the interview before the committee reviewed my file.
2. I highlighted the specific reasons why I would go to this school if accepted. I also thanked them and said that I look forward to hearing from them.

 

[xanthines]

MCG

-X

Originally posted by meanderson
xanthines, by your state school are you referring to MCG or mercer where thw waitlist is set in stone?

 

[Shakenotstirred]

I think we need to clarify what a LOI actually IS. I have had all the interviews I think I'm getting, and have been waitlisted or just waiting at some. At these schools, I have sent an UPDATE letter which also contains info about how I really feel X school is the place for me and can see myself happy there. Does this mean that I am binding myself to their school if XY Top 10 school accepts me instead? I highly doubt it, especially since it is the truth, that I can't make up my mind but can see myself happy at all of these schools.....(of course for those that I don't really want to go to, I only send an update letter and thank them for having me, etc....)

Also, let's say someone says I love your school and will go to it hands down. If this school accepts the person, and they decide to go to another, then what's the legal deal? I can hardly imagine the original school forcing them to attend. And, remember, they have SO many other candidates to choose from, it's not like they'll be out of the tuition.......Anyways, I am just saying that I have sent a few update letters/interest letters, but have refrained from saying it is my top choice and I would go there above all else. So just be savvy about what you're putting in the letter---is it strong interest you're communicating, or a clear committment to that school? Perhaps, LOI should mean Letter of Interest instead of Intent...🙂 who knows, thoughts?

 

[LaurieB]

I think there is a time for both letters. I actually sent letters of interest to all the schools I sent secondaries to early in November. Now that I've had some interviews, I was thinking about writing a letter of intent to my top choice. That's why I started this thread.

It is good to distinguish between the two types of letters, and I personally think letters of interest are a good idea.

 

[Shakenotstirred]

Laurie, thanks for this thread. Yeah, I think LOI's (whatever I stands for) is a good idea, but they haven't helped me yet. I sent two certified even trying to get off of a waitlist at a rolling school. I've called often as well. I hope letters work...there's always the question of if too much of a good thing is a bad thing, i.e., will the annoying them get on their nerves and they reject us? I thought that but I have a few doc friends who said it was just that that helped them out---WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF THIS WASN'T A GAME OF POLITICS? we just want to be altruistic doctors! (ok venting...apologies.) Keep the faith.