Help! - Should I/anyone do this???

[moops]

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Members don't see this ad.

Okay-

What if one has a 'dream' school, but has been admitted to every other program one has applied to. Is it appropriate to inform the school that, despite these other acceptances (and list those options), their school is still your number one priority?

Any input would be GREAT!

Please respond!!

 

[wolferman]

If you're on a waitlist or an unranked alternate at your dream school, or they are still deciding, I would definitely do this. It's not any different than a letter of intent (LOI).

 

[Louweezel]

moops,

I am totally doing the same thing already. even though I'm preparing for the schools I'm been accepted to right now, i'm still sending "please i love you so much and you are still my first choice" letters to my dream school. if it doesn't work out, then it doesn't and i'll still be happy, but till then...

wolferman is right, it's just the same thing as a LOI.

it's funny how different people have different dream schools. if i could have mine, i will personally give you my spot at wash u. and the funny thing is, whatever schools you're thinking of declining are probably someone else's dream schools too.

damn the admissions process. why can't we premeds decide for ourselves?

 

[ChrissyCJ]

I don't think it could ever hurt to let a school know how much you love them. However, I question the "namedropping" approach, just because I think that could be interpreted in different ways. I mean, maybe a school will take that information and say, Wow, Schools X, Y, and Z all want this person, but he/she still wants us-we'd be crazy to turn down such a sought after applicant who is obviously really serious about us! On the other hand, I could also see this being taken negatively by an adcom member in a bad mood, along the lines of "Please- this applicant thinks they can sway our decision by telling us how great these other places think he/she is! Those kind of immature tactics don't belong in our medical school." I don't know- just imagining a worst case scenario.

My advice would be to convey all the other parts of your message (i.e. "this is my dream school, I would love to go here, it is my number choice and if I got accepted, there would be no turning back for me", etc.) but leave out the actual list of names of other acceptances.

Can I ask where you are in the process- still lingering post-interview? on a waitlist?

 

[Adcadet]

I have zero experience with this, but here's my opinion: if you send a regular LOI without mentioning the other acceptances, it may sound like just another "I want to go to med school" thing. But, if you mention the other schools, it's clear that you like their school in particular and your not just begging to get into med school.

</$0.02>

 

[ChrissyCJ]

hmm, apparently I haven't been playing hardball 🙂

 

[Nefertari]

Someone who used to work w/ med school admissions told me that it's like supply/demand--i.e. the more acceptances you have, the more they want you. However, as far as actually listing the schools that have accepted you, maybe that's something you should ask your premed advisor, depending on what schools are involved. Schools like flattery, but I don't know if mentioning names would be analogous to bringing up the names of your X's in a present relationship. 😀

If you're uncertain, it's best to come off modest and not do that (there was discussion of this recently on the UCSF thread). You could simply say, "If accepted, I will immediately withdraw apps from all other schools. I have not sent such a letter of intent to any other program." Something like that.

It'd be a shame for them to not consider you b/c somebody reading your letter might think it's cocky, esp. since you're such a hilarious guy/gal! 😉

 

[moops]

oh firilla
i wakin up
smellin the cizzofeee with mah nizzo
readin' posts out the grizzo
i thank all yall for the izzvize
very nizzice