How does it look to back out of a letter of intent situation?

[pdude]

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Ok so here is my story,

I applied to school x y z. I was in love w/ school x, wrote the letter of intent but the more I got to know school z, the more i wanted to atten the latter institution. Got accepted into z but have yet to hear from x. How does it look to back out of x w/ an email appologizing for the situation. I mean I wouldn't think it's that bad considering they have yet to even accept me....

any ideas? 🙂

 

[willthatsall]

I would do it...I'm sure they won't be too upset since they haven't accepted you. Do it soon though, it would be worse if they accepted you and then you did it.

 

[Cheerfulgrrl]

Ok so here is my story,

I applied to school x y z. I was in love w/ school x, wrote the letter of intent but the more I got to know school z, the more i wanted to atten the latter institution. Got accepted into z but have yet to hear from x. How does it look to back out of x w/ an email appologizing for the situation. I mean I wouldn't think it's that bad considering they have yet to even accept me....

any ideas? 🙂

Obviously, as just another student, I don't know how it looks to the school. Do you mean in case of applying to residency in the future? I would concur with your opinion that it is not a big issue. Just write them as soon as possible.

I had to do this because my state school (UW) was my last interview and visit, and earlier in the year I had been very impressed with another school, and felt that I would fit in there much better - got in somewhat early. Although I was tempted to see if I got into my state school, once I realized I would never choose to go there, I felt that, ethically, I needed to withdraw immediately. Because I had expressed intent before, I was simply honest in my withdrawal - I said that although I had always been very interested in their program, during the application process I had realized that I would be a better fit at a different school. (I hope it wrote it more clearly than that.) I didn't name the other school.
I think you will be just fine - and quite frankly, you will have acted more professionally than many other applicants.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

I would do it too. It will certainly look a lot worse if you wait too long, and then lo and behold, school x accepts you, in which case backing out would be kinda lame/weak.

Anyway, congrats on your acceptance to z! Regardless of what you do, you'll have won this crazy war! 👍

 

[Code Brown]

Ok so here is my story,

I applied to school x y z. I was in love w/ school x, wrote the letter of intent but the more I got to know school z, the more i wanted to atten the latter institution. Got accepted into z but have yet to hear from x. How does it look to back out of x w/ an email appologizing for the situation. I mean I wouldn't think it's that bad considering they have yet to even accept me....

any ideas? 🙂

I was guilty of the same thing. What I did was send them an email telling them that although I was saddened to have to withdraw my letter of intent, I could not wait indefinitely for them to make a decision as I had to make moving plans, my wife had to look for another undergrad, etc. and I was going to have to withdraw.

Their response was that they were sad to have me withdraw but understood that I couldn't wait around.

I mean, things in life change and we can wait around.

Btw, I did it all by email.

Good luck.

 

[stinkycheese]

If you were waitlisted, you have no obligations to the school. If they just haven't given you a decision yet (is it Tufts? They seem to wait a ridiculously long time...) then yes, email or write them before you get their correspondence about their decision. Any school that hasn't sent post-interview notifications yet must be at least preparing to send them very shortly because of the May 15th date, so get on it quickly!

 

[sinephera]

I am in the same situation...I sent in a letter of intent to the fancy private school after being waitlisted...but after getting into a state school and finding out that it will cost me $900/year I don't think I want to go the private school.
...Long story short...I asked my advisor and she said that I do not have to do anything...if they do offer me a position and I still am not interested I could always site financial reasons.

 

[ttpatel]

I have heard that a letter of intent states something along the line of if you accept me i will definitely come to your school. But what exactly did you guys write in your letters, to sound professional and not sucking up. I am waitlisted right now and have debated sending a letter of intent. Do you feel that it has bearing on their decision? Much appreciation for any comments.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

I have heard that a letter of intent states something along the line of if you accept me i will definitely come to your school. But what exactly did you guys write in your letters, to sound professional and not sucking up. I am waitlisted right now and have debated sending a letter of intent. Do you feel that it has bearing on their decision? Much appreciation for any comments.

Ya, that's what my understanding of a letter of intent is. Yes, it will certainly have some influence on their decision, if at least the smallest influence. The letter of intent essentially does "suck up", but as long as you send it to only one school (i.e. the school you really have your heart set on) then that is perfectly fine. A professional approach would be to highlight your key reasons for your interest in that school and why you could see yourself there, while maintaining a humble tone and not reiterating other aspects of your application (try to throw in many new things)

Regardless, the fact that you "really want to go there" is not sufficient for acceptance, but it may just slightly play in your favor if you and another applicant are basically on even playing fields for that last seat... it may be most appropriate to send one in after being waitlisted.

You should formulate one, but only send it in after careful consideration... the fact that people change their minds and want to take back a letter of intent is testimony to a decision that was not strongly founded.

 

[DrBowtie]

Even if they accept you off the waitlist and you decline, they are going to care for about 2 nanoseconds before they are calling the next person on the waitlist. If they really couldn't live without you, they would have accepted you outright. It's not that big of a deal. Just do what you need to do to get ANY acceptance.

 

[RAwe]

I would just do it, this is business, schools have no problem taking money for secondaries from a student they know they will reject, just do what they do to others and drop em.

 

[Medikit]

I'm pretty sure you can withrdraw from a school that you've sent a letter intent if you withdraw before you are accepted. The way I see it they had their chance at you and didn't take it.