Letter of Intent Question

[Microbiology Man]

Last November I went to interview at a medical school and was blown away. At the time, I couldn't imagine how any school could be better and so after the interview but before I was accepted there, I wrote an update letter to them where I spoke about grades, volunteering, and my desire to attend their school. I used the language "after interviewing at xcom, it is now my top choice medical school." I realize now that saying this was a mistake but I can't change the past and I sincerely had no intention of misleading them at the time because I thought that I had been rejected by all the schools that I would have chosen over them. I recently had the good fortune to be accepted to a school that I honestly thought had rejected me earlier in the cycle (they sent me an email saying my application was on hold and I mistook that as a soft "R"). Now I am faced with the decision of honoring my letter and going to school 1 or writing them a letter explaining the circumstances and attending school 2. (Idk if it changes anything but school 1 is ~ rank 60 and school 2 is a t20.) I guess I'm writing this both for ethical advice and for rules advice (is my letter binding?). Any help would be appreciated and if this is in the wrong place I apologize and I will take it down and move it to the correct place. Thank you all in advance

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[ibeflexin]

Letter is not binding. Attend t20.

 

[Catalystik]

Last November I went to interview at a medical school and was blown away. At the time, I couldn't imagine how any school could be better and so after the interview but before I was accepted there, I wrote an update letter to them where I spoke about grades, volunteering, and my desire to attend their school. I used the language "after interviewing at xcom, it is now my top choice medical school." I realize now that saying this was a mistake but I can't change the past and I sincerely had no intention of misleading them at the time because I thought that I had been rejected by all the schools that I would have chosen over them. I recently had the good fortune to be accepted to a school that I honestly thought had rejected me earlier in the cycle (they sent me an email saying my application was on hold and I mistook that as a soft "R"). Now I am faced with the decision of honoring my letter and going to school 1 or writing them a letter explaining the circumstances and attending school 2. (Idk if it changes anything but school 1 is ~ rank 60 and school 2 is a t20.) I guess I'm writing this both for ethical advice and for rules advice (is my letter binding?). Any help would be appreciated and if this is in the wrong place I apologize and I will take it down and move it to the correct place.

With your chosen wording, "after interviewing at xcom, it is now my top choice medical school" you did not negate the possibility that another school would take it's place at a later time. I would not consider this to have been a Letter of Intent, promising to matriculate to that school no matter what other offers came to pass. It was more of, "right now, at this moment in time, I like you best."

 

[premedeq]

Congrats on your acceptances!

With your chosen wording, "after interviewing at xcom, it is now my top choice medical school" you did not negate the possibility that another school would take it's place at a later time. I would not consider this to have been a Letter of Intent, promising to matriculate to that school no matter what other offers came to pass. It was more of, "right now, at this moment in time, I like you best."

You read my mind.

 

[LizzyM]

This is why those letters are not taken seriously by adcoms and deans. Withdraw your application from the school that was once your top choice and go to the school you prefer. No one really cares because no one took your letter seriously. You were made that offer despite your love letter, not because of it.