Letter of Intent subtleties

[buckyboy484]

Ok so here's the deal: I am hoping and praying for, but definitely not expecting, a place at one of the Top 5. I am also hoping for an offer from a school that I am slightly less interested in, but think I have have a somewhat better, although by no means certain, chance with. What should I do? I somehow don't think that a Top 5 school cares about LOI's; they probably expect that everyone who isn't a super-duper-star will most likely accept an offer. That being the case, should I send a LOI to school #2? It would be slightly dishonest, but I figure that taking the probablility of my acceptance to school #1 into account, the odds of my accepting an offer from #2 are actually very good. I would only be sending out the one letter, but would #1 really be intimidated when they heard about the LOI to a much less prestigious school? Would word actually get around? And if I shouldn't send that LOI to #2, should I send them a letter just saying how much I liked the school etc, etc, but not explicitly commiting myself? Or would that just stand out as an obvious non-LOI and actually hurt my chances? Is this post total gibberish when I try to hide the school names?
Aack!!

 

[Falco2525]

Ok so here's the deal: I am hoping and praying for, but definitely not expecting, a place at one of the Top 5. I am also hoping for an offer from a school that I am slightly less interested in, but think I have have a somewhat better, although by no means certain, chance with. What should I do? I somehow don't think that a Top 5 school cares about LOI's; they probably expect that everyone who isn't a super-duper-star will most likely accept an offer. That being the case, should I send a LOI to school #2? It would be slightly dishonest, but I figure that taking the probablility of my acceptance to school #1 into account, the odds of my accepting an offer from #2 are actually very good. I would only be sending out the one letter, but would #1 really be intimidated when they heard about the LOI to a much less prestigious school? Would word actually get around? And if I shouldn't send that LOI to #2, should I send them a letter just saying how much I liked the school etc, etc, but not explicitly commiting myself? Or would that just stand out as an obvious non-LOI and actually hurt my chances? Is this post total gibberish when I try to hide the school names?
Aack!!

Why not send Letters of Interest to both rather than intent...talk about how you are highly interested in the school and would likely attend if accepted...then if you dont you did not lie

 

[Stolenspatulas]

I would go letters of interest.

Dont pigeon-hole yourself with a letter of intent yet. Wait till march has come and gone at least.

 

[bbabul01]

Wow. I will say you are way over-analyzing this. Send a LOI if you have seen the school, really like it, and think it will add something to your application. Schools will probably spend a fraction of the time you took to write this post to read your LOI and consider what it means. They are not going to call other schools to find out if you sent other LOI, nor do they care. It is a Letter Of Interest. It should convey your interest, whatever that is. If you really want to go to Harvard after you've interviewed, let them know, they may or may not care. If you really want to go to Southern Kansas Institute of Technology Community College School of Medicine, after you have interviewed there, then let them know.

Don't think about it too much, you'll hurt yourself. Good luck!