LETTER OF INTENT (or something like that)

[JourneyToMD]

Here's my dilemma:

I love School X. I just interviewed there and found it phenomenal. I feel as though I could potentially spend the rest of my life there.

Problem is that I have to interview at Schools Y and Z. Y and Z are supposedly wonderful institutions. I want to write a pseudo/softer "letter of intent" to school X to let them know I want to go there.

Will Y and Z find out about this letter and give me the cold shoulder during the interviews?? Do the schools (especially top 10) talk amongst each other??

Do help.

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[DuckHunter]

No

 

[PeripateticMD]

it does make me wonder how many LOIs the top 10 schools get. isn't it obvious that anyone would go to UCSF or Harvard (or other top 10s)? I would think that LOIs aren't worth much to the top 10, but that they are more significant with other schools (ones that do have to complete a bit).

 

[HumbleMD]

A letter of intent states that you would withdraw all applications from other schools and only attend the letter's recipient if given an acceptance. A letter of interest simply says you really want to go there. Lately many unscrupulous people have been writing letters of intent willy-nilly on SDN these days, and then reneging on their promise (they write it, get accepted, but then get accepted at a better school and regret it). Personally, I think letters of intent are way short-sighted (much like EDP). Write it only if you would attend school X, even if given a full-tuition tuition with stipend from schools Y or Z (always plan for the most extremem scenarios). Otherwise, stick to a letter of interest. I do doubt how effective letters of intent actually are (I think they're better for getting off the waitlist).

So, no, Y and Z will have no way of knowing. School X doesn't even know where you applied unless you tell them (everything, including your acceptances, is then made open book on May 15)

 

[Chulito]

it does make me wonder how many LOIs the top 10 schools get. Isn't it obvious that anyone would go to UCSF or Harvard (or other top 10s)? I would think that LOIs aren't worth much to the top 10, but that they are more significant with other schools (ones that do have to complete a bit).

If you look at the ratios of acceptances to matriculants at these schools, it turns out that this is not as much the case as people might think.

I've applied and interviewed at University of Washington (top 10 on both US News lists), and know for a fact that they are concerned that I may be more interested in other schools than in them. It turns out that the adcom member who interviewed me knows (through his wife) the doctor who wrote one of my letters of recommendation. After my interview he contacted her directly to ask whether UW was *really* my first choice (as I had said in my secondary and during my interview). I'm currently in long-term rolling-admissions limbo, so I sent a true letter of intent to them yesterday to try to eliminate at least that worry from their minds. We'll see if it works.

Every other school where I have interviewed has explicitly expressed skepticism during the interview that I would consider leaving Seattle to go to medical school given that UW is right here in my backyard. Of course it isn't that easy even for residents to get into UW, so I have also sent strongly worded letters of interest (but not intent) to two other schools that I really liked, and letters expressing a continued interest in interviewing to some schools that have not said boo to me since cashing my check back in August. The numbers games that these schools play have left me desperate.

 

[maestro1625]

I think a well-written, specific letter of interest is most helpful.

 

[Stolenspatulas]

I think a well-written, specific letter of interest is most helpful.

I hope so! thats what I did for the 2 schools that I liked the most. Whats isnane is I think some premeds write letter of interests to every school they apply to. I think thats borderline lying. Its like going on 10 blind dates and telling all the girls that they're the best blind date you've ever had.

 

[JourneyToMD]

Well, is there anyplace I can get a sample "Letter of Interest?" Or is anyone willing to read a copy of what I write...??

 

[ALWAYSanANGEL]

Well, is there anyplace I can get a sample "Letter of Interest?" Or is anyone willing to read a copy of what I write...??

ok