Interesting Letter of intent Question

[igotthesauce]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So in order to accept my admissions offer, I have to write a LOIntent along with paying the fee. I’m not sure about writing a letter of intent though because I am considering going to another school that I’m waitlisted at.

I know that usually a letter of intent is only written to one school. I don’t want to write two letters of intent as it would come off bad on my end especially since admission deans of different schools know/talk to each other.

Any advice/outlook toward the situation?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Master Thinker]

What kind of school requires LOI before acceptance??? If there's no deadline, write it close to the end of the cycle.

 

[Goro]

So in order to accept my admissions offer, I have to write a LOIntent along with paying the fee. I’m not sure about writing a letter of intent though because I am considering going to another school that I’m waitlisted at.

I know that usually a letter of intent is only written to one school. I don’t want to write two letters of intent as it would come off bad on my end especially since admission deans of different schools know/talk to each other.

Any advice/outlook toward the situation?

Thanks in advance.

Either write the LOI or decline, because this is your only accept. The odds are that this will be your only one.

 

[Med Ed]

I know that usually a letter of intent is only written to one school.

Yeah, when the LOI is the applicant's idea.

This is a fairly transparent attempt by the school to flush out people who have other offers and no real intention of matriculating.

@Goro is spot on, either write it or risk being a reapplicant.

 

[LizzyM]

So in order to accept my admissions offer, I have to write a LOIntent along with paying the fee. I’m not sure about writing a letter of intent though because I am considering going to another school that I’m waitlisted at.

I know that usually a letter of intent is only written to one school. I don’t want to write two letters of intent as it would come off bad on my end especially since admission deans of different schools know/talk to each other.

Any advice/outlook toward the situation?

Thanks in advance.

What is the specific instruction in the message you received from the school asking for the fee and letter? Is this binding or non-blinding? Does it say anything about the fee being non-binding up to a point (April 30)?

 

[Goro]

Is this a US school???

 

[Pharaoh95]

Please name the school so I can promptly withdraw. Ridiculous.

 

[puahate]

Can i PM you? This seems like a violation

 

[igotthesauce]

What is the specific instruction in the message you received from the school asking for the fee and letter? Is this binding or non-blinding? Does it say anything about the fee being non-binding up to a point (April 30)?

First bullet.

 

[igotthesauce]

Is this a US school???

Yes it is.

 

[igotthesauce]

Can i PM you? This seems like a violation

Sure.

 

[puahate]

Sure.

U dont have your pms open

 

[ThrowawayShmoaway]

This seems like a big nothing-burger. It is obviously not binding if they have multiple mentions of a "refundable" deposit if the acceptance is "withdrawn". I think you saw "Letter of intent" and got unnecessarily worried.

 

[igotthesauce]

This seems like a big nothing-burger. It is obviously not binding if they have multiple mentions of a "refundable" deposit if the acceptance is "withdrawn". I think you saw "Letter of intent" and got unnecessarily worried.

I agree.

The only thing is that a LOI should go to one school only. So me writing it to two schools may come off wrong for me if the admission dean of this schools speaks to the dean of the other school.

 

[chaim123]

This seems like a big nothing-burger. It is obviously not binding if they have multiple mentions of a "refundable" deposit if the acceptance is "withdrawn". I think you saw "Letter of intent" and got unnecessarily worried.

I concur with above. They specifically provide instructions to you on how to release your seat to another applicant. It's obviously not binding.

I guess the school doesn't use the portal, and wants you to write a letter saying "Yes I accept". It's not the same thing as the LOIs we talk about on here.

 

[ThrowawayShmoaway]

The only thing is that a LOI should go to one school only

It's not the same thing as the LOIs we talk about on here.

OP, the bolded is what I was also trying to say in my first post: they are obviously using LOI in a different way than what we usually see here. So basically, you should probably just follow Goro's advice and send it in since you don't have a choice right now, anyways, and not worry about it.

 

[Goro]

I agree.

The only thing is that a LOI should go to one school only. So me writing it to two schools may come off wrong for me if the admission dean of this schools speaks to the dean of the other school.

well, this is why most Admissions dean treat LOIs as lies. Look, they're non-binding contracts (and usually from desperate candidates).

 

[965978]

well, this is why most Admissions dean treat LOIs as lies. Look, they're non-binding contracts (and usually from desperate candidates).

But I'd expect applicants to be careful sending an LOI to more than one school or not honoring an LOI that they have sent. You never know when one admissions dean is communicating with another and then both schools rescind your acceptance because of not honoring an LOI or sending it to both schools.

 

[LizzyM]

It is called a letter of intent but really, it is just a cover letter to go with the check that you are putting in the mail (so old school! don't they take Paypal or Venmo? 😉 )

When the school is asking for the letter, you are okay to send a letteer (and refundable deposit) to more than one school. If you get off the waitlist elsewhere, be considerate and withdraw your letter of intent from the school that you do not prefer.

 

[Master Thinker]

It is called a letter of intent but really, it is just a cover letter to go with the check that you are putting in the mail (so old school! don't they take Paypal or Venmo? 😉 )

When the school is asking for the letter, you are okay to send a letteer (and refundable deposit) to more than one school. If you get off the waitlist elsewhere, be considerate and withdraw your letter of intent from the school that you do not prefer.

Paypal and Venmo are also old school now lol. When will med schools start accepting bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies?

 

[DokterMom]

Yeah, when the LOI is the applicant's idea.

This is a fairly transparent attempt by the school to flush out people who have other offers and no real intention of matriculating.

@Goro is spot on, either write it or risk being a reapplicant.

Agreed. Sounds to me like the school is trying to:

a) find out how interested you are and how likely you are to attend,
b) play on your ethics to stand by an LOI they co-erced you into writing, and possibly also
c) find out if you have any other acceptances they may want to 'beat out' with financial aid.
​

At this point, since you don't actually have any other acceptances, write the letter, and since you've been backed [unfairly, IMO] into a corner by the specific requirements, don't consider yourself ethically bound. If you're still uncomfortable, you can tap-dance a little with your language and "be thrilled to accept their offer or admission" but not specifically state that you pledge to renounce all [potential future] others.