Good problem, but I need input!

[bucks2010]

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Imagine you're out looking for a job. You get some interviews. At each interview, they ask of you'll work for them if they give you a job offer. Why would you say no? You can only answer according to your current circumstances when the question was asked (the circumstances being that you're jobless).

So if interviewers ask you if you'll go there, are you only going to say yes at your 'top choice'? What happens if they reject you? Or you interview and your top choice isn't as great as you thought? Or what about all the financial aid info you don't know at the interview? It's different if you say 'yes' when you're already carrying an acceptance in your pocket, but when you're going through interviews without an MD acceptance at that point, I think you need to be as enthusiastic as possible about each opportunity, because each one may turn out to be your only one.

 

[LegendaryPunk]

Probable phone conversation:

OP: Hello #2 medical school, I'd like to decline my acceptance.

Admin: But you sent us a letter of intent.

OP: I know, but I've changed my mind. Bye!

*click*

Admin: Douchebag.

THE END

Reneging on a letter of intent is dishonest, but it's not a huge deal. If it mattered that much to schools then they should require a deposit as well. You'll be taken off the list, somebody else will get your spot, and you'll become one of many in the faceless pool of applicants who did not matriculate.

 

[Ursa]

Stop being a pansy and withdraw from your #2.

They won't give a ****. If they cared that much, you would have been accepted in the first place instead of waitlisted.

 

[bige11]

So I called the admissions office, asked to speak with the dean, and explained what happened. I apologized and explained my intent to withdraw from other schools as soon as I was accepted. He said he understood, he is happy for me, and he appreciated me making such a timely decision. Now I can officially celebrate!

 

[oohhii]

.

 

[gettheleadout]

It just occurred to me to point out that this is why, as LizzyM has stated before, LOI's are often useless to almost-useless.

 

[Dbate]

👍

It's not that it's going to cause a huge problem when the OP turns down one of the acceptances, it's just that he abused the "power" of sending a letter of intent. Whether or not those letters got him the two acceptances or not, it was dishonest to imply to 4 different schools that they were his/her top choice, and the problem is one of ethics, whether consequences exist or not.

It honestly doesn't matter at all. I completely understand the OP's position. He really wanted to get into medical school and believed he had a chance of getting into only 1 of the schools where he sent a letter of intent. With that view in mind, he wrote a letter stating he would matriculate if accepted. That is perfectly acceptable.

The OP should not feel bad and people who are chastising him should shut up. This is not a case of a violation of ethics, as I doubt that LOIs play that large of a role in any admissions process.

Congrats OP! At the end of the day, you earned a spot in medical school!

 

[13132]

You are fine. Just be careful to commit to something you can't possible fullfill in the future. This is a good learning experience. You will look like a real ass to school #2, but that is life.

Congrats on your success though!!!

 

[courtnes]

1 - Congrats on getting in!

2 - I think you handled this as professionally as possible. Letters of intent are not binding, so really, you're okay. It was just a less than ideal situation to put yourself in. Next time, you'll know better, chalk this time up to a learning experience.