Is stating that a school is your first choice stating intent?

[fhg]

I am currently writing letters of interest to a few of my top choice medical schools (post-interview). However, I am not ready to commit to attending any of them and do not want to imply intent. That said, I do have a clear first choice. Is telling that school that it is my first choice (as long as I don't explicitly indicate that I will attend if accepted) suggestive of intent to attend?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Pacna]

I wouldn't try to deceive an ADCOM. They get this s*** all day.

Edit: To answer your question, no that's not the same as stating intent.

 

[fhg]

I am trying to avoid deceiving an ADCOM (that's why I'm asking). Thank you for the input.

 

[Aerus]

I am trying to avoid deceiving an ADCOM (that's why I'm asking). Thank you for the input.

Adcom's do not take letters of intent seriously, so don't worry. They're just the same as a letter of interest to them.

 

[Aerus]

And how exactly do you know this pre-med?

Logic and hearsay from the mouths of adcoms.

On the logic part, why would a non binding verbal statement that you will attend the school be taken into more consideration than a letter that states one is interested. If a Letter of Intent truly mattered more than a Letter of Interest, then pre-meds can just send these letters to every school they apply/interview at. There is NO binding agreement, so adcoms can't do anything about this. Thus, they are not taken more seriously than a regular letter of interest.

 

[chillaxbro]

Logic and hearsay from the mouths of adcoms.

On the logic part, why would a non binding verbal statement that you will attend the school be taken into more consideration than a letter that states one is interested. If a Letter of Intent truly mattered more than a Letter of Interest, then pre-meds can just send these letters to every school they apply/interview at. There is NO binding agreement, so adcoms can't do anything about this. Thus, they are not taken more seriously than a regular letter of interest.

But surely a premed wouldn't make inaccurate statements to increase their chances at a medical school acceptance

 

[gyngyn]

I do not take these things seriously and I know of no one who does.

However, if you are holding an acceptance after May 15th and would like to be accepted off of another waitlist, it is reasonable to let the waitlist school know, especially if the school where you are holding is cheaper or perceived to be better.

 

[fhg]

I do not take these things seriously and I know of no one who does.

However, if you are holding an acceptance after May 15th and would like to be accepted off of another waitlist, it is reasonable to let the waitlist school know, especially if the school where you are holding is cheaper or perceived to be better.

Thank you for your input, gyngyn. So would you suggest not sending letters of intent/interest at all (at least prior to receiving an initial decision)?

 

[alpinism]

I am currently writing letters of interest to a few of my top choice medical schools (post-interview). However, I am not ready to commit to attending any of them and do not want to imply intent. That said, I do have a clear first choice. Is telling that school that it is my first choice (as long as I don't explicitly indicate that I will attend if accepted) suggestive of intent to attend?

No. Unless you explicitly state your intention to attend if accepted, its basically just a letter of interest.

Letter of intent = Dear X SOM, If accepted I will attend without reservations.

Adcom's do not take letters of intent seriously, so don't worry. They're just the same as a letter of interest to them.

Depends on the school. There are a few out there that won't let you off the WL without them.

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you for your input, gyngyn. So would you suggest not sending letters of intent/interest at all (at least prior to receiving an initial decision)?

Many schools pay no attention to these types of letters and some actively discourage them. If you have interviewed at a school that explicitly requests such communication, then go right ahead.

 

[papi89]

I'd think it can't hurt to say "first choice" but couldn't this change from day to day? And it's not like if it changed you'd notify them...

 

[gyngyn]

There are a few out there that won't let you off the WL without them.

I'm confident that an offer would be made to an applicant on the waitlist without regard to such "LOI's" if the candidate is holding no acceptances. It is only when he is holding at a closer, cheaper or "better" school that such an offer might not be made in the absence of a letter of continued interest.

 

[Cinclus]

No. Writing that you will matriculate at the school if granted acceptance is stating your intent.

 

[Aerus]

Depends on the school. There are a few out there that won't let you off the WL without them.

In which case, a letter of interest can be sent saying that you are still interested. My only claim is that a letter of intent is no different than a letter of interest, whether a school takes them into consideration or whether a school discourages such letters, NOT that such letters make no difference overall.

 

[Pacna]

I do not take these things seriously and I know of no one who does.

However, if you are holding an acceptance after May 15th and would like to be accepted off of another waitlist, it is reasonable to let the waitlist school know, especially if the school where you are holding is cheaper or perceived to be better.

Slight coopt of the thread: I thought you were not allowed to be on a waitlist after the 15th if you had an acceptance?

 

[chem4ever]

Slight coopt of the thread: I thought you were not allowed to be on a waitlist after the 15th if you had an acceptance?

You can be on as many waitlists as you want even with an acceptance after May 15. If you are accepted off of a waitlist, then you must withdraw from one of the schools asap.

 

[Pacna]

You can be on as many waitlists as you want even with an acceptance after May 15. If you are accepted off of a waitlist, then you must withdraw from one of the schools asap.

I guess I don't understand who is barring you from holding multiple acceptances in the first place. I get why, but what happens if you do it? How long is too long to hold them if you get accepted off a wait list?

 

[gyngyn]

I guess I don't understand who is barring you from holding multiple acceptances in the first place. I get why, but what happens if you do it? How long is too long to hold them if you get accepted off a wait list?

After May 15th candidates holding multiple acceptances are advised that they must reduce to one by the AAMC. Those who don't will be contacted by the schools at which they are holding and asked personally to decide. If they do not, the schools decide for him.

If a school is going to make an offer off of their waitlist (after May) they must contact the school at which the student is holding an acceptance. The student then has a variable amount of time to consider the offer. Depending on the time frame it can be as much as two weeks or as little as a day.

 

[Pacna]

After May 15th candidates holding multiple acceptances are advised that they must reduce to one by the AAMC. Those who don't will be contacted by the schools at which they are holding and asked personally to decide. If they do not, the schools decide for him.

If a school is going to make an offer off of their waitlist (after May) they must contact the school at which the student is holding an acceptance. The student then has a variable amount of time to consider the offer. Depending on the time frame it can be as much as two weeks or as little as a day.

Thank you!

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you!

Hot off the press: The AAMC has revised the traffic rules today. The new rules move the last day for holding multiple acceptances to April 30th!

 

[rfvbnmju]

After May 15th candidates holding multiple acceptances are advised that they must reduce to one by the AAMC. Those who don't will be contacted by the schools at which they are holding and asked personally to decide. If they do not, the schools decide for him.

If a school is going to make an offer off of their waitlist (after May) they must contact the school at which the student is holding an acceptance. The student then has a variable amount of time to consider the offer. Depending on the time frame it can be as much as two weeks or as little as a day.

How does financial aid play into a getting off a waitlist after May when holding an acceptance? Are candidates expected to designate waitlist schools and schools that they are still under reviewed when they fill out FAFSA initially?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[gyngyn]

IIRC you can designate at least 10 schools on FAFSA.

 

[Elewynne]

Hot off the press: The AAMC has revised the traffic rules today. The new rules move the last day for holding multiple acceptances to April 30th!

Any idea if that is going to be effective this current cycle?

 

[gyngyn]

Any idea if that is going to be effective this current cycle?

That right. Effective now. edit: although the traffic rules are edited as of now, it will not be implemented until the 2014/2015 application cycle.

 

[Elewynne]

Wow. Thanks!

 

[Pacna]

That right. Effective now.

I'm so glad I got that email! Thanks AAMC! /sarcasm

 

[Aerus]

Our school takes interest in our program/area into account at the interview stage and I would assume it would be a part of the final decision to admit.

When I do a student interview, if someone gives me some very generic response about the city as their biggest reason for coming, then that's noted in the evaluation. On the other hand, I'm always happy when someone is able to draw up some genuine connections to our program. Similarly, I would think that a convincing letter of intent would work better for an applicant here than some generic letter of interest. But I don't pretend to know the inner workings of my school's adcom (or all adcoms for that matter).

Oh definitely. But one can write a genuine letter of interest and a generic letter of intent as well.

 

[Dr. Dog]

@gyngyn would you mind directing us to wherever the date change was announced? My interwebz skills are poor. Thank you and happy holidays!

Do y'all think the schools with later revisit weekends will adjust accordingly?

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn would you mind directing us to wherever the date change was announced? My interwebz skills are poor. Thank you and happy holidays!

It was emailed to all admissions officers from the AAMC. I'll check the website to see if it has been updated.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn would you mind directing us to wherever the date change was announced? My interwebz skills are poor. Thank you and happy holidays!

Here is an excerpt from the email:


5) (Change) On or before April 30*, each school or program permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants):
a. A minimum two-week time period for their response to the acceptance offer.
b. To hold acceptance offers or a wait list position from any other schools or programs without penalty (i.e. withholding funding support).
Although an earlier date was considered, the April 30 date is a compromise to align with MSTP programs and to allow for sufficient time after April 15 tax submission deadline for financial aid offers to be made and evaluated by the applicant.

 

[SN12357]

Here is an excerpt from the email:


5) (Change) On or before April 30*, each school or program permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants):
a. A minimum two-week time period for their response to the acceptance offer.
b. To hold acceptance offers or a wait list position from any other schools or programs without penalty (i.e. withholding funding support).
Although an earlier date was considered, the April 30 date is a compromise to align with MSTP programs and to allow for sufficient time after April 15 tax submission deadline for financial aid offers to be made and evaluated by the applicant.

Dislike. Ugh.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn
Do y'all think the schools with later revisit weekends will adjust accordingly?

I don't know about the East coast, but California schools (except Stanford!) are quietly downsizing and/or discontinuing revisits.

 

[aspirantmed]

I don't know about the East coast, but California schools (except Stanford!) are quietly downsizing and/or discontinuing revisits.

Out of curiosity, what's the rationale for this?

 

[gyngyn]

Out of curiosity, what's the rationale for this?

Unless the school is going to pay to bring you back, it's just another example of how high SES applicants get an advantage over mid and low SES.

 

[SN12357]

Here is an excerpt from the email:


5) (Change) On or before April 30*, each school or program permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants):
a. A minimum two-week time period for their response to the acceptance offer.
b. To hold acceptance offers or a wait list position from any other schools or programs without penalty (i.e. withholding funding support).
Although an earlier date was considered, the April 30 date is a compromise to align with MSTP programs and to allow for sufficient time after April 15 tax submission deadline for financial aid offers to be made and evaluated by the applicant.

Apparently this change is for 2014-2015, not the current cycle (according to an admissions director).

 

[gyngyn]

Apparently this change is for 2014-2015, not the current cycle (according to an admissions director).

That's correct.

 

[bear2roo]

if I write a PRE-interview letter of interest (i know this is mostly useless) to a few very top choice schools, can this negatively impact my application or just merely go straight to trash (if they're not terribly receptive or neutral about it)?

 

[kyamh]

And how exactly do you know this pre-med?

This is a rather ugly post

...

From what I have been told during interviews, letters are never bad...just not particularly helpful before the wait list stage. That said, there is a lot of value in anything that makes applicants feel less crazy about the process - mental health is good and there is nothing bad about writing a letter to feel better

 

[fhg]

if I write a PRE-interview letter of interest (i know this is mostly useless) to a few very top choice schools, can this negatively impact my application or just merely go straight to trash (if they're not terribly receptive or neutral about it)?

There are a few schools (I believe USC, for example) that explicitly request no further communication. At a school like that, it could send someone straight to the rejection pile.

 

[ohioguy]

This is a rather ugly post

...

From what I have been told during interviews, letters are never bad...just not particularly helpful before the wait list stage. That said, there is a lot of value in anything that makes applicants feel less crazy about the process - mental health is good and there is nothing bad about writing a letter to feel better

ehh Aerus hasn't come close to filling out an AMCAS and regularly passes off things he reads on this site as advice.

 

[Aerus]

ehh Aerus hasn't come close to filling out an AMCAS and regularly passes off things he reads on this site as advice.

Most of my posts are on things that I've actually been through and/or going through at the moment. This thread is one of those things you don't need experience in to know. Schools have policies and it's very easy to find out what they are, whether it's through their website or just talking to the actual adcoms (med schools do presentations for undergrads very frequently, if you didn't know that). The fact that one "fills out an AMCAS" doesn't actually tell someone whether this information is true or not.