Letter of Intent even more useless with new AMCAS protocol?

[butterypancakes]

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Have LOIs become even more useless now since schools can't see how many acceptances you hold in February?

Whats to stop someone from lying on a letter and saying they hold other acceptances? I feel like adcoms will be very wary about LOIs since they do not know whether or not they actually do hold other acceptances.

 

[angrytheanimal]

There’s a new “choose your tool” I think that help medical schools with the new protocol in place. But I’m still not sure how much schools sees if anything if you don’t choose “plan/commit to enroll”

 

[theKingLT]

There’s a new “choose your tool” I think that help medical schools with the new protocol in place. But I’m still not sure how much schools sees if anything if you don’t choose “plan/commit to enroll”

They can't see individual choices, only aggregate numbers with no names attached. Some schools are very adamant about sending them, others couldn't care less. Op just ask about it when you interview and if they say they encourage them then send one. Couldn't hurt

 

[butterypancakes]

I may be wrong, but I think they'll actually be more useful now rather than less, especially during this first year where schools are still getting used to the new system. Since they can't see where you've been accepted anymore, that's one less variable they can use to determine how likely you are to attend their school. This makes it harder to predict yield. An applicant who sends a LOI would be more likely to matriculate and therefore a "safer" choice to offer an acceptance to.

But applicants can now lie about holding acceptances from other schools in their letter when they actually aren’t? Ethically it’s wrong, but it would still be a safer bet for the med school since that’s their only choice in reality.

 

[Med Ed]

But applicants can now lie about holding acceptances from other schools in their letter when they actually aren’t? Ethically it’s wrong, but it would still be a safer bet for the med school since that’s their only choice in reality.

Students could always lie about this, which is one of the reasons that LOIs tend to carry no weight in the admissions process. In the vast majority of circumstances the only thing a LOI reliably tells a school is that the applicant took the time to write one.

 

[butterypancakes]

Students could always lie about this, which is one of the reasons that LOIs tend to carry no weight in the admissions process. In the vast majority of circumstances the only thing a LOI reliably tells a school is that the applicant took the time to write one.

And I guess now there’s no way for them to check if applicants are lying, which is why I think LOIs are less meaningful this cycle.

 

[LAIsTheBestPlaceEver]

And I guess now there’s no way for them to check if applicants are lying, which is why I think LOIs are less meaningful this cycle.

you mean at any cycle.

 

[butterypancakes]

you mean at any cycle.

Well by February of previous cycles schools could see how many acceptances an applicant was holding. Now they can’t.

 

[LAIsTheBestPlaceEver]

Well by February of previous cycles schools could see how many acceptances an applicant was holding. Now they can’t.

What difference does that make?


Applicant: Look at me I have 4 acceptances but I still really want you
School:*see the 4 acceptances and be like "Cool, I know you want to come here. Wait, you could be writing this to other schools as well. "

Applicant: Hello, I have 4 acceptances and I really want you
School thinking: "Should I take your word for it? Are you lying? I know you want to come here. Wait, you could be writing this to other schools as well. "

 

[Med Ed]

And I guess now there’s no way for them to check if applicants are lying, which is why I think LOIs are less meaningful this cycle.

In prior years there was no way to check this until quite late in the cycle, and even then the applicant could be referencing an osteopathic school or foreign MD school, neither of which would turn up in the previously available reports.

 

[DokterMom]

But applicants can now lie about holding acceptances from other schools in their letter when they actually aren’t? Ethically it’s wrong, but it would still be a safer bet for the med school since that’s their only choice in reality.

And there's also the "Glad to hear it - Congratulations! Bye!" response that I hear is pretty common.

I may not see all the angles, but the only really good reason I see to mention other acceptances is to ask about financial aid at schools that have already accepted you.

Expressing interest / intent at a school that hasn't accepted you already may be helpful with the new traffic rules, but I don't believe that lying about holding other acceptances would make you more desirable. On the contrary, it could make you seem less likely to attend, so hurt your chances of an acceptance they haven't already granted.