Poor form?

[MedPR]

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To hold multiple acceptances after sending a (sincere) letter of intent?

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[Wait For It]

To hold multiple acceptances after sending a (sincere) letter of intent?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

If your reason for holding multiple acceptances is financial then there really isn't anything you can do about that right? If otherwise, then its bad form.

 

[Ismet]

Wait for financial aid decision, IMO

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

All's fair in love and med school admissions.

 

[MedPR]

If your reason for holding multiple acceptances is financial then there really isn't anything you can do about that right? If otherwise, then its bad form.

Wait for financial aid decision, IMO

Yea that's why I would hold seats. Given my stats I probably won't get any merit aid though lol.

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[bigdogrob4284]

all's fair in love and med school admissions.

+1

 

[Pattycake25]

To hold multiple acceptances after sending a (sincere) letter of intent?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

Really it depends on the wording of your letter, and secondarily the conditions of your holding multiple acceptances. If you said you would drop everywhere else if you got an offer from school A, and they oblige, it would be unethical to keep other offers, even for financial reasons since you presumably worked out budgets before you made such a strong commitment (unless, of course, your financial position changed since sending the letter).

Letters of intent can easily improve your chances with a school, but if people abuse and betray schools' faith in them, they will lose their value. Listen to your conscience, whatever it tells you. And no contrived rationalizations either! =P

 

[as1212559]

Unless there is a valid reason not mentioned then I would say yes, it is in bad taste.

 

[Barcu]

Not poor form at all. Letters of intent are not binding, and I doubt schools see it any different than any other update letter.

Hold onto acceptances until financial aid comes out if that is your concern.

 

[MedPR]

Unless there is a valid reason not mentioned then I would say yes, it is in bad taste.

So what would you consider a valid reason?

 

[EnergyDrink]

Not poor form at all. Letters of intent are not binding, and I doubt schools see it any different than any other update letter.

Hold onto acceptances until financial aid comes out if that is your concern.

I actually think it's very unprofessional, and wouldn't be surprised if the school rescinded the acceptance. I've never heard of that happening though. But to say "Not poor form at all" is absurd, or maybe we're from different planets.

 

[MedPR]

I actually think it's very unprofessional, and wouldn't be surprised if the school rescinded the acceptance. I've never heard of that happening though. But to say "Not poor form at all" is absurd, or maybe we're from different planets.

Why is it very unprofessional?

"I intend to come to your school if I am accepted" is not the same thing as "If you accept me I guarantee that absolutely nothing can or will change that will keep me from coming to your school".

 

[Frazier]

All's fair in love and med school admissions.

This.

 

[EnergyDrink]

Why is it very unprofessional?

"I intend to come to your school if I am accepted" is not the same thing as "If you accept me I guarantee that absolutely nothing can or will change that will keep me from coming to your school".

You're right, but you can see how a school would be slightly peeved by this practice, right?

 

[MedPR]

You're right, but you can see how a school would be slightly peeved by this practice, right?

Peeved by someone holding multiple seats to wait on financial aid? No, not really.

Peeved by someone ultimately choosing another school? Sure.

 

[Pattycake25]

Peeved by someone holding multiple seats to wait on financial aid? No, not really.

Peeved by someone ultimately choosing another school? Sure.

I completely forgot your original question. It's fine to hold those seats, but I find your actions somewhat shady...unless you indicated financial concerns in that letter, or since receiving the acceptance.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

I mean, it was a letter of intent. I would feel very guilty if I just sat on it, but I don't know your situation.

 

[Ismet]

LOI's are not binding, and medical schools know that. Unethical would be sending a letter of intent to multiple schools solely to increase your chances of getting in. MedPR only sent one LOI and already admitted that he would like to wait around for a financial aid decision, which is a perfectly acceptable decision. A decent scholarship can change anybody's mind. It's not like he's holding a spot from someone else who will never get it. Whoever gets his spot when he withdraws will still get it, it's just a matter of waiting a few more months.

 

[MedPR]

I completely forgot your original question. It's fine to hold those seats, but I find your actions somewhat shady...unless you indicated financial concerns in that letter, or since receiving the acceptance.

What's shady about it?

 

[mcloaf]

What's shady about it?

Not sure why people are giving you grief, it's not shady at all. You didn't know your financial options when you wrote the letter, so based on your knowledge at the time you were being truthful.

 

[MedPR]

Not sure why people are giving you grief, it's not shady at all. You didn't know your financial options when you wrote the letter, so based on your knowledge at the time you were being truthful.

I don't mind that people think it's bad, but none of them are justifying or explaining their reasoning.. They're just saying "you're bad."

 

[911 Turbo]

I don't mind that people think it's bad, but none of them are justifying or explaining their reasoning.. They're just saying "you're bad."

so maybe you should take the hint?



just kidding

 

[MedPR]

so maybe you should take the hint?



just kidding

Withdrawing my app from ~15 schools at this point would be too time consuming

 

[911 Turbo]

Withdrawing my app from ~15 schools at this point would be too time consuming

yeah dude, you could probably get 2000+ posts in that time period instead

 

[Wait For It]

+1 Don't understand why it would be shady. Either way, I think if you do end up deciding to go elsewhere, it might be prudent to send a letter to the school you sent the LOI to that it was a financial decision (and for the reason to actually be a financial reason xD).

 

[MedPR]

yeah dude, you could probably get 2000+ posts in that time period instead

Working on it.

 

[MedPR]

+1 Don't understand why it would be shady. Either way, I think if you do end up deciding to go elsewhere, it might be prudent to send a letter to the school you sent the LOI to that it was a financial decision (and for the reason to actually be a financial reason xD).

It's not so much that I plan on going somewhere else. I'm hoping that I can use a potential scholarship from one school as leverage to get the LOI school to give me something too.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

All's fair in love and med school admissions.

says the future gunner

 

[Mavii]

It would seem that sending a letter of intent would lessen the likelihood of receiving more aid since you're basically saying you'll attend their school if accepted. I thought schools use the money to entice applicants?

 

[Barcu]

I think everyone is overestimating the importance of a letter of intent.

A school isn't going to accept you after the letter because you say that you will drop other acceptances. A school will accept you after the letter because you have proven to them that you are serious about their school. Saying that you will drop other acceptances is probably the most meaningless part of that letter. A school wants to see that you have researched the school and come up with valid reasons why you want to attend.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Yea that's why I would hold seats. Given my stats I probably won't get any merit aid though lol.

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Regardless, get all the aid you can.

 

[as1212559]

Waiting on financial aid decisions I could consider a valid reason. Or things such as a spouse seeking employment in different places where you have acceptances. Or if you owned a home near one school and are struggling to sell it so you could move to a preferred (LOI) school. Serious personal issues like that I can understand.

Apparently there is just a fundamental difference in how people view the letter of intent. For me it would be binding, barring major complications. Not legally binding really, but professionally. I view it as making a decision on which school you want to attend. It is not a part of the "game" of medical school admissions in my eyes. Largely because you're risking leaving other applicants in the cold. That is something I personally don't want any part of.

Leveraging for scholarships? I wouldn't do it personally. To each his own though.

 

[mcloaf]

Waiting on financial aid decisions I could consider a valid reason. Or things such as a spouse seeking employment in different places where you have acceptances. Or if you owned a home near one school and are struggling to sell it so you could move to a preferred (LOI) school. Serious personal issues like that I can understand.

Apparently there is just a fundamental difference in how people view the letter of intent. For me it would be binding, barring major complications. Not legally binding really, but professionally. I view it as making a decision on which school you want to attend. It is not a part of the "game" of medical school admissions in my eyes. Largely because you're risking leaving other applicants in the cold. That is something I personally don't want any part of.

Leveraging for scholarships? I wouldn't do it personally. To each his own though.

Nobody is getting left in the cold. If he chooses not to attend they will still fill that spot in their class.

 

[as1212559]

In my case (probably not an issue at MD schools) I am on the WL at my top choice and if I don't come off before x date I will have to spend $yyyy putting a deposit on school z.
I don't have a problem with burning that $yyyy in the long run, but it might annoy me if people came off the WL in front of me in part because they sent LOIs without actually intending to attend.

Not saying MedPR is playing games or that his reasons are unjust, but this "LOIs mean nothing!" attitude is just a little off-base for me. It can affect others.

 

[Mavii]

... Largely because you're risking leaving other applicants in the cold. That is something I personally don't want any part of....

When it comes down to it, it's every man and woman for themselves as far as the application cycle is concerned. Once you matriculate, then you can worry about looking out for your future colleagues.