Address weaknesses in LOI

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qtpai

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Hi all,

I am wondering if I should address potential weaknesses in my application in my LOIs.

A little background. I have a high 70s LizzyM, research experience in multiple fields and a range of talents and hobbies. I received 9 interviews, half of which were top 20. I am holding onto one acceptance and the rest seem a bit iffy.

Now this may well be the neurosis talking. However, with the lack of transparency of the process, the strength of my application (from my point of view), yet somewhat lackluster results at my top choices, I feel that there may be a few things about my application that might be sending off bells--red flags. This feeling is reinforced by the sense I got at several of my interviews, where I often felt that I was being interviewed to be "felt out" for these particular red flags. I wasn't particularly aware that this was an issue pre-interview, but over the course of several interviews, I began to see a pattern.

In particular, I think there may be some question about my commitment to medicine and my potential to be committed to the course of medical training. And I can understand how adcoms, based on my application and without being able to really get to know me, might feel this way. Although I tried to convey a commitment to medicine in my personal statement, I may have dwelt a little too much on other topics, and my story, on paper, may have been insufficiently compelling to the admissions committees.

Not knowing, personally, how well I did on the interview--and being pretty clear, I think, on what potential issues may be causing a problem--I am wondering if, in a LOI, after expressing interest and offering updates (several pubs fortunately), I might briefly touch on potential issues, deal with them, and reframe them definitely as strengths? Basically take one last opportunity to sell myself? One side of me thinks this is perfectly okay--another says, no, you had time during the interview to do that, and this violates protocol.

Does such a LOI violate protocol? Should I let the sleeping dog lie, or should I be proactive about this issue?

Thank you.

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Different schools have different policies. My school does not accept them. That said, your pubs are definitely worth letting them know about if you can, so you should call/research the schools to which you're thinking about sending a LOI. If they allow LOIs, reiterating your interest in medicine (AND their school specifically, since this is chiefly why LOIs are written) is a fine idea and I think you should go for it.

It just comes down to whether or not you will regret not writing an LOI if you don't get in to the school you're shooting for... it sounds like you already know the answer to that question.

That said, do I think you have an amazing LizzyM? Yes. Do I think you're going to get more acceptances without an LOI? Yes.
 
I would not talk about anything that isn't shining in a LOI. Update them on your publications, shoot the apple out of the pig's mouth, and thank them for their consideration.
 
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You already have one acceptance and 9 interviews. Most people never, ever get that successful.

So quit fussing, and no, do not write a LOI. You'll just come across as an overweening, neurotic hyper-acheiving pre-med.

Hi all,

I am wondering if I should address potential weaknesses in my application in my LOIs.

A little background. I have a high 70s LizzyM, research experience in multiple fields and a range of talents and hobbies. I received 9 interviews, half of which were top 20. I am holding onto one acceptance and the rest seem a bit iffy.

Now this may well be the neurosis talking. However, with the lack of transparency of the process, the strength of my application (from my point of view), yet somewhat lackluster results at my top choices, I feel that there may be a few things about my application that might be sending off bells--red flags. This feeling is reinforced by the sense I got at several of my interviews, where I often felt that I was being interviewed to be "felt out" for these particular red flags. I wasn't particularly aware that this was an issue pre-interview, but over the course of several interviews, I began to see a pattern.

In particular, I think there may be some question about my commitment to medicine and my potential to be committed to the course of medical training. And I can understand how adcoms, based on my application and without being able to really get to know me, might feel this way. Although I tried to convey a commitment to medicine in my personal statement, I may have dwelt a little too much on other topics, and my story, on paper, may have been insufficiently compelling to the admissions committees.

Not knowing, personally, how well I did on the interview--and being pretty clear, I think, on what potential issues may be causing a problem--I am wondering if, in a LOI, after expressing interest and offering updates (several pubs fortunately), I might briefly touch on potential issues, deal with them, and reframe them definitely as strengths? Basically take one last opportunity to sell myself? One side of me thinks this is perfectly okay--another says, no, you had time during the interview to do that, and this violates protocol.

Does such a LOI violate protocol? Should I let the sleeping dog lie, or should I be proactive about this issue?

Thank you.
 
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You already have one acceptance and 9 interviews. Most people never, ever get that successful.

So quit fussing, and no, do not write a LOI. You'll just come across as an overweening, neurotic hyper-acheiving pre-med.

But I am an overweening, neurotic, hyper-achieving pre-med.

And at most of my interviews, my interviewers would tell us that, in the course of this process, it was important to be ourselves.

Therefore the choice seems clear: to send LOIs and express my most genuine, heartfelt personal qualities.



Joking aside.

Thanks a lot for the encouragment and advice from everyone so far. The feedback has been helpful.

But with all due respect to your position, helpfulness, and demosntrated knowledgability, do you really think that well-placed LOIs at top choice schools would be detrimental? So far, I haven't seen anyone discouraging the sending of LOIs.
 
It can't hurt. Every no and then, our Admissions Dean has mentioned at AdCom meetings a particular candidate's LOI. Something like "this guy/gal's really keen on coming here".

But with all due respect to your position, helpfulness, and demosntrated knowledgability, do you really think that well-placed LOIs at top choice schools would be detrimental? So far, I haven't seen anyone discouraging the sending of LOIs.[/quote]
 
As a kind of side note, is it frowned upon to send letters of intent talking about how "keen" you are on the school to several different schools? Is it expected that if you send an LOI to a school, and they accept you, that you'll take them up on that acceptance?
 
As a kind of side note, is it frowned upon to send letters of intent talking about how "keen" you are on the school to several different schools? Is it expected that if you send an LOI to a school, and they accept you, that you'll take them up on that acceptance?

It may be but it's not legally binding. People have sent letters of intent (stronger than interest) and backed out in the past and I'm sure they will in the future.

A letter of interest certainly wouldn't tie you to the school should you be accepted. I think tons of applicants send letters of interest and back out, and this is less common with letters of intent.
 
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It may be but it's not legally binding. People have sent letters of intent (stronger than interest) and backed out in the past and I'm sure they will in the future.

A letter of interest certainly wouldn't tie you to the school should you be accepted. I think tons of applicants send letters of interest and back out, and this is less common with letters of intent.
ah yeah, I didn't even really pay attention to what I was writing there, and although I've seen both "intent" and "interest" I guess it never even registered to me before. I figured it wouldn't be legally binding, I just didn't know if it was kind of a sketchy thing to do, maybe even something that could get you in trouble if you did this at a lot of places and ended up applying to residency programs at the affiliated hospitals. Then again, I don't know if any of that kind of info is kept around years later, much less shared between med school admissions and their residencies.
 
I'd say that an update / letter of interest could not hurt. Only send a letter of intent if you can clearly articulate why the school is your absolute number one choice. Also, a lot of the top 20 schools are non rolling, so you may simply be over thinking things.

Do not directly talk about your weaknesses and then attempt to explain them away though.
 
I'd say that an update / letter of interest could not hurt. Only send a letter of intent if you can clearly articulate why the school is your absolute number one choice. Also, a lot of the top 20 schools are non rolling, so you may simply be over thinking things.

Do not directly talk about your weaknesses and then attempt to explain them away though.

Is the letter of intent only different from a letter of interest in its phrasing?
 
Thanks everyone.

@rfenzo:

I think that a letter of interest affirms interest in attending, praises aspects of the school, shows enthusiasm, and so on. But a letter of intent states a commitment to matriculate if accepted.
 
Thanks everyone.

@rfenzo:

I think that a letter of interest affirms interest in attending, praises aspects of the school, shows enthusiasm, and so on. But a letter of intent states a commitment to matriculate if accepted.

Yup. In a letter of interest, you highlight why you are a good fit for the school (and why they are a good fit for you). In a letter of intent, you take it a step further and tell them unequivocally that they are your number one choice.

Some faculty members on the forums will tell you that a letter of intent does not mean very much. N = 1, but I sent a letter of intent to my top choice school about 5 weeks before decisions were released in March and was accepted. I doubt it had a significant impact, but all else being equal, I think that my enthusiasm for the school and all of the unique opportunities it had to offer, may have tipped the scales in my favor ever so slightly.
 
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