Multiple Letter of Intents

[slimdentshady]

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Hi! Im waitlisted at 2 schools, and I have written a letter of intent to one school. I really do want to go to that school but i also want to be practical about this and not lose the chance of getting into dental school. the other school that I'm waitlisted at really likes their waitlisted people to reach out and communicate and show interest and send LOIs.
However, all this being said, i know there is a moral dilemma to this and that when you send a letter of intent it should be to a school that you really want to go to. However, I think we all know if given the chance to go to dental school, we would take it. and also, this is my second time applying and i just want to start dental school already!!
So my issue is, do i send the 2nd school a LOI or do i not send it?

 

[2thDoc11]

Is there a way to reach out to this other school and state that you are really interested and anxious to hear back without it being a formal LOI? Maybe a quick update and that you are checking in to see where you are at on their list?

 

[slimdentshady]

Is there a way to reach out to this other school and state that you are really interested and anxious to hear back without it being a formal LOI? Maybe a quick update and that you are checking in to see where you are at on their list?

So the school that i've sent the LOI so far hasnt touched their wailist yet but i called last week and they said they would start accepting off of the waitlist in a few weeks. But the 2nd school is already accepting people off of the waitlist and i noticed they were accepting a lot of people that sent LOIs a very few that hadn't sent a LOI, but i don't want to take the risk.

 

[BMH500]

Don't send two letters of intent. It just looks bad, and if both schools were to find out it could get you blacklisted from both. You pretty much have to just wait and update both schools on what you are currently doing. In those emails you could mention that you are still interested in their program, but you shouldn't tell both schools you would commit to them if they accept you. What happens then if you get off the waitlist at both? Just not a great thing to do in my opinion.

 

[slimdentshady]

Don't send two letters of intent. It just looks bad, and if both schools were to find out it could get you blacklisted from both. You pretty much have to just wait and update both schools on what you are currently doing. In those emails you could mention that you are still interested in their program, but you shouldn't tell both schools you would commit to them if they accept you. What happens then if you get off the waitlist at both? Just not a great thing to do in my opinion.

Thank you! How would the schools both find out?

 

[BMH500]

Well the most obvious would be if they both offer you an acceptance because you tell them if they do you will commit and then you turn one of them down. But I mean it isn't crazy to think that schools talk with one another, the dental school community isn't all that large. The odds are probably slim, but I definitely wouldn't say impossible.

 

[1942]

Thank you! How would the schools both find out?

They most likely won’t. Do people really think adcoms care that much and have that much time to reach out to adcoms at other schools? Especially to discuss an otherwise unremarkable candidate?

there’s dozens and in some cases hundreds of applicants on a waitlist. Many will send a LOI. No way adcoms will go through the efforts to identify every school a student has interviewed at and then call each of those schools and ask about that student in particular.

Im sure there are stories where students were caught so I’m not saying it’s impossible. But the context is likely very different — student was a superstar or attracted attention for some specific reason that encouraged adcoms to reach out to other schools. Maybe somebody reported that student? Or pure chance that the student was discussed by members of two different adcoms. Who knows. Just saying it’s not likely.

but with that being said you do have to consider how it would look if you reject a school after saying you would undoubtedly accept their offer. You risk damaging a potential relationship with the school (especially if they have specialties and you plan to apply there in the future).

but above all else you should consider what it means to be ethical. You are entering a profession that expects and requires its workforce to act honestly. Doing what is right despite potential of self gain. I won’t tell you what to do but please think deeply about that and how the values of dentistry align with your own.

 

[deleted923283]

Schools don't talk to each other.
Dental school admissions doesn't affect residency admissions 4 years down the road.
Letters of intent don't do squat.
Go to the cheapest school if you get into multiple.

 

[doc toothache]

Who can argue with two sincere lois.

 

[slimdentshady]

Thank you all for responding!!
Im not going to send it, but i was wondering if word of mouth counts? so for example I called the 2nd school a few weeks ago and told them I'm really interested and if accepted i would commit and honest to god the commit part was an accident and i think she said she would write that out in my file for the adcom to see. Does this count as a LOI, or does it have to be an actual letter for it to count as a LOI. again, it was an accident that just slipped out 🙄

 

[BMH500]

Thank you all for responding!!
Im not going to send it, but i was wondering if word of mouth counts? so for example I called the 2nd school a few weeks ago and told them I'm really interested and if accepted i would commit and honest to god the commit part was an accident and i think she said she would write that out in my file for the adcom to see. Does this count as a LOI, or does it have to be an actual letter for it to count as a LOI. again, it was an accident that just slipped out 🙄

I mean I would say it counts but considering you didn't write a email with documentation there is really no proof that you said that. Sure they may have wrote it down but you could say it just slipped out by mistake or even just say they must have misunderstood how you word it. I assume the school won't think of that in nearly the same regard as an official email or letter of intent. Best of luck, I hope one of the schools works out for you.