sending a letter of intent after interview

[AbujaMan]

So i just interviewed at my number one choice today. Its 100% my top choice no matter where i get in. its also a school that my numbers are compatible with so i dont really think it will look desperate. They say they take some time with offering acceptances (2+ months).

Is it safe to send in a letter of intent in the coming days? i know the rule of thumb is to do so after being waitlisted but like i said, i wouldnt go to harvard over this.


Note, it turns out their dean of admissions is speaking at my undergrad in a month. should i just wait and ask him then how the loi would look?

thanks

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[UVAbme2009]

There are no rules in this game. If you love the school, let them know that. It's not going to hurt you.

 

[giacalonenj]

I agree with the above. I don't know that it will really help you at this stage in the game, but I don't think it would hurt. You don't want to make it sound too desperate, for sure. Considering that the dean is going to be speaking at your school, it wouldn't hurt to wait and see what he has to say, but if it's really bugging you, write the darn thing and forget about it. Best of luck.

 

[xcrunner01]

Sorry for this seemingly stupid question, but what exactly is a "letter of intent"? Do you write a letter to the school saying that if accepted, you'll go there? Do med schools really take that into consideration? How many people do this?

 

[Flame219]

Sorry for this seemingly stupid question, but what exactly is a "letter of intent"? Do you write a letter to the school saying that if accepted, you'll go there? Do med schools really take that into consideration? How many people do this?

That's right. In the letter you could also list the reasons why the school is your top choice. Med schools take that into consideration especially when you're being put on the waitlist.

 

[Mobius1985]

If you think you might qualify for financial aid, sending such a letter, telling them you promise to attend there if admitted, would let the school know they need not bother to lure you with a scholarship. And what if another school offers you a full ride? Would you decline it to attend your current first choice school?

I don't know your stats. If you are an average applicant these considerations need not apply.

 

[diosa428]

A letter of interest talks about all the reasons you love the school and think you'd be a good fit. A letter of intent explicitly states "I will come if accepted". If you have any concerns about fin aid, etc, it might be a better idea to write a letter of interest....

 

[alan06]

It is suffice to say that it is ok to send in LOI at this point if this school is your top choice. THis will give ADCOM how much you value their school. I did mine for several schools last year and it got me in. However, don't be too needy though.

 

[mlclonghorn]

Ive had only 1 interview and i was going to send them an LOI in December (if I haven't heard from them).

I'm still waiting to hear from my top choice- things in my app have changed a lot (in a positive way) would it be safe to send them an LOI BEFORE an interview?

 

[BeardedRunner]

Ive had only 1 interview and i was going to send them an LOI in December (if I haven't heard from them).

I'm still waiting to hear from my top choice- things in my app have changed a lot (in a positive way) would it be safe to send them an LOI BEFORE an interview?

I think it's better to send letters right after your interview because they will consider it when they review your file. So sending it in December might be good, but the admissions committee must vote to decide to let you in or not, so I think it's better for them to see it during their initial review.

 

[unsung]

I'm going through the same internal debate. I just interviewed recently and the school says it plans to issue decisions for the first wave of interviewees soon. Right after I interviewed, I sent an update letter of my recent activities that weren't listed on AMCAS/secondary... but I didn't say anything about how I'm really interested in the school in the letter. So now I'm wondering if I should send a LOInterest or LOIntent, in addition? I could talk about stuff I learned about the school during the interview day. That probably would smack of desperation, wouldn't it? (Although I AM desperate )

 

[chad5871]

I'm going through the same internal debate. I just interviewed recently and the school says it plans to issue decisions for the first wave of interviewees soon. Right after I interviewed, I sent an update letter of my recent activities that weren't listed on AMCAS/secondary... but I didn't say anything about how I'm really interested in the school in the letter. So now I'm wondering if I should send a LOInterest or LOIntent, in addition? I could talk about stuff I learned about the school during the interview day. That probably would smack of desperation, wouldn't it? (Although I AM desperate )

I don't think it would necessarily be a bad thing. I'm planning on sending a letter of intent to my first choice in the next couple weeks, an activities update letter in December, and then an updated letter of intent in late January (they make their decisions in February and send them in March).

 

[UVAbme2009]

I think it's better to send letters right after your interview because they will consider it when they review your file. So sending it in December might be good, but the admissions committee must vote to decide to let you in or not, so I think it's better for them to see it during their initial review.

And when you don't get an interview, then you've screwed yourself out of any possible chance.

Send before the interview invite if you really want to go to the school and don't want to risk not getting an interview. It can't hurt and goes to show how much you really want to be at that school.

 

[unsung]

I don't think it would necessarily be a bad thing. I'm planning on sending a letter of intent to my first choice in the next couple weeks, an activities update letter in December, and then an updated letter of intent in late January (they make their decisions in February and send them in March).

In your case, your plan seems reasonable to space it out like that & show maintained interest. My school in question is making decisions in Nov with results coming out Dec, so... I'm kinda freaked out. :cry: I really really want to send a LOInterest or LOIntent, but I really don't want to seem overly neurotic/control freakish or have it backfire somehow. I already sent them an update letter, TY cards. This is just like after a good first date... to call or not to call? That is the question. And when? Otoh, I really don't want to have the school think I'm not that interested and reject me out of hand and not even put me on a waistlist. THAT would suck and haunt me. Hmm.... maybe I'll call the admissions office and ask how they look at LOIs?

 

[bka6827]

I have my heart set on Cornell, who does not send out acceptances until March. I interviewed in October. Is it too early to send a letter of intent (4+ months before decisions)? I have finished my interview season and already know, with the acceptances I have already received, that I would come to Cornell if offered a spot.

 

[LizzyM]

I have my heart set on Cornell, who does not send out acceptances until March. I interviewed in October. Is it too early to send a letter of intent (4+ months before decisions)? I have finished my interview season and already know, with the acceptances I have already received, that I would come to Cornell if offered a spot.

It is absolutely too early. I suspect that Cornell rank orders all of its interviewees and invites the top of the list, waitlists the middle of the list and rejects the bottom of the list. If you are at the top of the list, a letter isn't going to help because you'll be offered admission whether or not you send one. If you are at the bottom of the list, a letter isn't going to help. If you are going to be waitlisted the letter will help but not until they go to the waitlist (and some schools find no need to go there -- this varies by year). The LOI tells a school that might wonder if you are still interested, that you are still interested.

 

[AL12s]

As a corollary: does a Letter of Intent actually bind you to the school? Do people later decline schools to whom they sent a LOI? I wonder because if one sends and LOI, and they don't respond until very late in the cycle and one already has a plan in place, would he still be bound to that school?

 

[aebvd97]

While a LOI is technically NOT binding, you should think of it as being so. A letter of intent is literally taken to mean that if you get in their school you WILL be attending, regardless of all of your other options/financial aid packages. If you send a school a LOI and they accept you and then you don't attend, it could hurt you down the road, say if you wanted to apply for residency there. I've heard that schools have been known to hold a grudge...

So, in essence, you should absolutely NOT send a LOI unless you know you will go there under any circumstance.

 

[dragonfly99]

Yes, send a letter to the adcom if you are really interested in the school.

As far as sending a letter of intent, I've never actually heard of that. It would certainly not be legally binding in any way. Though I wouldn't recommend sending random/multiple letters saying you intend to go to particular schools (if you aren't sure) I'd be really, really surprised if it hurt you later on during residency. You know, the admissions committees for undergraduate medical education pretty much don't have anything to do with the ones that pick residents...plus it is highly unlikely they would remember someone from 4 years prior even if they did. In general it is best to be honest, but I'd be super surprised if saying you were going to go somewhere (in a letter) and then not doing it had any repercussions whatsoever. You could just say that you changed your mind, got a full scholarship somewhere else, etc. Medical schools really don't care. They have so many applicants that filling their class with quality applicants really is a nonissue for them.

 

[brentb23]

While a LOI is technically NOT binding, you should think of it as being so. A letter of intent is literally taken to mean that if you get in their school you WILL be attending, regardless of all of your other options/financial aid packages. If you send a school a LOI and they accept you and then you don't attend, it could hurt you down the road, say if you wanted to apply for residency there. I've heard that schools have been known to hold a grudge...

So, in essence, you should absolutely NOT send a LOI unless you know you will go there under any circumstance.

So I got to thinking about the whole LOI thing, Especially since I am only currently on a wait list and have other decisions pending.
When late spring arrives and I begin contemplating my number one school, I see the point in sending only one LOI that I am genuine about. BUT, what if that school weren't interested? For this reason, I think perhaps assigning a timeline to the LOI would be appropriate.
i.e. "I really enjoy your school and would be a tremendous fit blah blah;
As I am waiting to hear from other, less wanted schools also, please note that this LOI must extend for a limited time period before I furnish other schools with one of a similar, yet less enthusiastic regard...."

Now I know this sounds a bit ridiculously hilarious, but point proposed none the less, what if you GUARANTEE one school (even notarized) but they don't give a $%*^. Then you may sit with your morals and all that right next to you, through the application season when you SHOULD HAVE sent a lOI to your second school. Thoughts comments?

 

[diosa428]

So I got to thinking about the whole LOI thing, Especially since I am only currently on a wait list and have other decisions pending.
When late spring arrives and I begin contemplating my number one school, I see the point in sending only one LOI that I am genuine about. BUT, what if that school weren't interested? For this reason, I think perhaps assigning a timeline to the LOI would be appropriate.
i.e. "I really enjoy your school and would be a tremendous fit blah blah;
As I am waiting to hear from other, less wanted schools also, please note that this LOI must extend for a limited time period before I furnish other schools with one of a similar, yet less enthusiastic regard...."

Now I know this sounds a bit ridiculously hilarious, but point proposed none the less, what if you GUARANTEE one school (even notarized) but they don't give a $%*^. Then you may sit with your morals and all that right next to you, through the application season when you SHOULD HAVE sent a lOI to your second school. Thoughts comments?

I think giving a school a timeline would come off as pretentious and obnoxious and not favorable at all. Schools don't just hold on to open seats for fun.. they take people off the waitlist as soon as spots open in the class and they make a decision, so giving them a deadline is not going to improve your chances. Just send a letter of interest to your second choice school - basically the same thing as a letter of intent, but instead of putting "I will definitely attend if accepted", say "your school is one of my top choices and I would love to attend if accepted". Sure it doesn't have the same ring, but it's better than pissing off #1 with a letter that the interpret the wrong way.

 

[brentb23]

I think giving a school a timeline would come off as pretentious and obnoxious and not favorable at all. Schools don't just hold on to open seats for fun.. they take people off the waitlist as soon as spots open in the class and they make a decision, so giving them a deadline is not going to improve your chances. Just send a letter of interest to your second choice school - basically the same thing as a letter of intent, but instead of putting "I will definitely attend if accepted", say "your school is one of my top choices and I would love to attend if accepted". Sure it doesn't have the same ring, but it's better than pissing off #1 with a letter that the interpret the wrong way.

Point well taken. Multiple letters, different wordings. This could turn into a sensitive, perhaps dangerous situation (so it seems to me). Maybe I'm overthinking.

One Letter of INTENT, perhaps more than One letters of INTEREST.

Sounds good to me.

 

[WashMe]

how about if you send a letter of intent to a school (before a decision is made) saying you will go if accepted? Can you withdraw from that school before a decision is made, or if you are waitlisted (because you have not been "accepted" and thus are not obligated to do anything)?

 

[LuckyBunny2009]

for those of you that's written LOI (interest) and LOU (updates), who did you address it to, the dean or the admissions committee?

 

[officedepot]

yeah just write the letter in the next few days and send it to a contact person in the school (email if fine too). Sound enthusiastic and tell them how you really feel. Don't beg but just say that it is your top choice and would really love to attend the school. I sent one to emory a few days after my interview and go in the next admission cycle (the second one the school had since my interview was only 2 weeks before the first).

 

[drcarter77]

It is absolutely too early. I suspect that Cornell rank orders all of its interviewees and invites the top of the list, waitlists the middle of the list and rejects the bottom of the list. If you are at the top of the list, a letter isn't going to help because you'll be offered admission whether or not you send one. If you are at the bottom of the list, a letter isn't going to help. If you are going to be waitlisted the letter will help but not until they go to the waitlist (and some schools find no need to go there -- this varies by year). The LOI tells a school that might wonder if you are still interested, that you are still interested.

Given that its a lot later in the game now, is there any reason to be sending a letter of intent post interview and pre-waitlist? I'm at just about the average stats for my top choice (+1 on their average mcat and -.01 for their average gpa) does that make for a different scenario then what is listed above? Especially for schools that don't announce decisions until march, could a letter of intent tip you over the edge from waitlist to acceptance or am I just wishfully thinking.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

how about if you send a letter of intent to a school (before a decision is made) saying you will go if accepted? Can you withdraw from that school before a decision is made, or if you are waitlisted (because you have not been "accepted" and thus are not obligated to do anything)?

the answer to those questions might be useful information for quite a few people--so if anybody has any comments for THAT particular situation, I'd be interested in hearing them.

 

[slowbutsteady]

how about if you send a letter of intent to a school (before a decision is made) saying you will go if accepted? Can you withdraw from that school before a decision is made, or if you are waitlisted (because you have not been "accepted" and thus are not obligated to do anything)?

My ethics tell me the following, using this hypothetical:

You have had 7 interviews.

You have been accepted at 3, waitlisted at 2, not heard from 2.

You write to one of the waitlist schools saying, "i have been accepted at 3 schools and plan to attend X. If you accept me I will withdraw my other acceptances and make plans to matriculate at you." It helps if the school you plan to withdraw from is "ranked" higher than the one you are wooing. It shows you are serious, and boosts their ego.

You don't hear from the school for little awhile. IF, AFTER THE LETTER OF INTENT AND BEFORE YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THAT SCHOOL, YOU GET ACCEPTED TO A PLACE YOU WOULD RATHER GO, YOU MAY ACCEPT IT.

In other words, you are not "bound" by your stated intention until they have acted on your request. If, however, you decide to go to the other school, you should withdraw immediately from the letter of intent school, before they have a chance to accept you.

This view is fueled by common sense and basic contract law principals. It would be ridiculous to feel bound by an intent that has not been accepted by the other party.

I used to be a lawyer.

and, btw, i believe letters of intent, done well, can be incredibly powerful at certain schools. (don't bother to send one to a top 10. they will think "duh, of course we are your top choice, we are fabulous.")

 

[LizzyM]

My own experience, at just one school, is that these letters have NO influence on the adcom's decision making. It is my understanding that they might have an influence on decisions made by the Dean when it comes time to take people from the waitlist. This is particularly true later in the Spring and early Summer as the pool of waitlist candidates dwindles (many of the people on our waitlist will be matriculating elsewhere & will take themselves off the waitlist). Knowing that you'll say "yes" if phoned with an offer may increase the likelihood that you'll get a call in May/June. That assumes that the school is going to the waitlist and that it isn't trying to do some social engineering with the waitlist (e.g. if the school usually has a 50/50 split of men & women and the class is imbalanced the Dean may decide that it makes sense to choose by gender to even things out a little more).

 

[What up doc]

My own experience, at just one school, is that these letters have NO influence on the adcom's decision making. It is my understanding that they might have an influence on decisions made by the Dean when it comes time to take people from the waitlist. This is particularly true later in the Spring and early Summer as the pool of waitlist candidates dwindles (many of the people on our waitlist will be matriculating elsewhere & will take themselves off the waitlist). Knowing that you'll say "yes" if phoned with an offer may increase the likelihood that you'll get a call in May/June. That assumes that the school is going to the waitlist and that it isn't trying to do some social engineering with the waitlist (e.g. if the school usually has a 50/50 split of men & women and the class is imbalanced the Dean may decide that it makes sense to choose by gender to even things out a little more).

hey LizzyM...have heard of adcomm boards who look down on applicants who forget to send thanku letters (ie Penn) ha...so far as to reject them for lack of "professionalism?"

 

[singularity2012]

My own experience, at just one school, is that these letters have NO influence on the adcom's decision making. It is my understanding that they might have an influence on decisions made by the Dean when it comes time to take people from the waitlist. This is particularly true later in the Spring and early Summer as the pool of waitlist candidates dwindles (many of the people on our waitlist will be matriculating elsewhere & will take themselves off the waitlist). Knowing that you'll say "yes" if phoned with an offer may increase the likelihood that you'll get a call in May/June. That assumes that the school is going to the waitlist and that it isn't trying to do some social engineering with the waitlist (e.g. if the school usually has a 50/50 split of men & women and the class is imbalanced the Dean may decide that it makes sense to choose by gender to even things out a little more).

LizzyM,

Are you aware of any consequences of not following through on a letter of intent?

Say I write a letter of intent to School A after interviewing there. Later, I get an interview at School B and decide that I like it much better. I then get waitlisted at both schools.

Then in the summer, I get accepted to School A and send in my deposit for matriculation. First, does this ruin my chances of getting in to School B? I am aware that schools "talk" amongst each other, especially during the summer waitlist phase. Therefore, if School B first notifies School A that it is about to accept me, can School A disclose that I have already sent them a letter of intent?

Also, if I do get accepted to School B and decide to go there instead, can School A notify School B about my "dishonest" ways?

 

[LizzyM]

LizzyM,

Are you aware of any consequences of not following through on a letter of intent?

Say I write a letter of intent to School A after interviewing there. Later, I get an interview at School B and decide that I like it much better. I then get waitlisted at both schools.

Then in the summer, I get accepted to School A and send in my deposit for matriculation. First, does this ruin my chances of getting in to School B? I am aware that schools "talk" amongst each other, especially during the summer waitlist phase. Therefore, if School B first notifies School A that it is about to accept me, can School A disclose that I have already sent them a letter of intent?

Also, if I do get accepted to School B and decide to go there instead, can School A notify School B about my "dishonest" ways?

I have never heard any admissions official discuss this sort of stuff.

And as for the earlier question about thank you notes, I've never heard that discussed as a reason to accept or not accept an application.

 

[mongol1985]

I know that a LOInterest talks about how you're interested in a school and LOIntent tells the school that it's your first choice, but to what degree do you have to make that point in your LOIntent? Do you necessarily have to say that you would withdraw all other apps if accepted or would simply stating that the school is your first choice suffice?

I never realy wrote a LOInterest or LOIntent, specifically. In my update letter, i talked about why i wanted to go to the school briefly, but I also said that the school is my first choice... Would that count as a LOIntent?

 

[chad5871]

I know that a LOInterest talks about how you're interested in a school and LOIntent tells the school that it's your first choice, but to what degree do you have to make that point in your LOIntent? Do you necessarily have to say that you would withdraw all other apps if accepted or would simply stating that the school is your first choice suffice?

I never realy wrote a LOInterest or LOIntent, specifically. In my update letter, i talked about why i wanted to go to the school briefly, but I also said that the school is my first choice... Would that count as a LOIntent?

Not really - your letter was probably somewhere in the middle. A LOIntent basically states that if you are accepted (no matter what), you will attend. It's not legally binding, but if you're not being truthful about it then you shouldn't say it. And never (EVER) send a LOIntent to more than one school, period.

 

[mongol1985]

So what do you use to fill up a LOIntent if you don't mention any updates or anything else? it just seems a little excessive to send a letter to ONLY say that it's your top choice and you'll attend no matter what.

I thought telling a school it's your first choice in the first line, then filling the rest with some more info on why you like the school or your updates would suffice as a letter of intent.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

So what do you use to fill up a LOIntent if you don't mention any updates or anything else? it just seems a little excessive to send a letter to ONLY say that it's your top choice and you'll attend no matter what.

I thought telling a school it's your first choice in the first line, then filling the rest with some more info on why you like the school or your updates would suffice as a letter of intent.

I would suggest making the statement that characterizes your letter as one of intent. Then you could use the rest of the page to elaborate as to WHY you would write such a letter.
Since you obviously like the school, it shouldnt be too difficult to pick out particulars that made you want to attend.

 

[student1799]

I think people are getting way too caught up in the technicalities of what supposedly constitutes a letter of intent vs. a letter of interest. The fact is that although premeds think the distinction is important, I doubt that the schools do.

In the premed world, the difference between a letter of interest and a letter of intent is that an LoIntent explicitly commits you to attending the school. Of course this isn't a legal contract, but the idea is that by UNILATERALLY committing yourself, you're showing how much you want the school. Personally, I don't think this tactic is that effective unless you have at least one other acceptance in hand ("I am prepared to give up my acceptance to school X in order to attend your school"). Unless you show that someone else wants you already, you're not giving up anything by committing to your school of choice, so your commitment has little value.

But that's not to say that letters of interest don't work, because they clearly do in some cases. (I know for a fact that one of mine directly resulted in an interview, and I believe they helped me get my other interviews as well.) However, they don't work at all schools, and we usually don't know which ones.

So what's the solution? SEND THEM ANYWAY, because they might help, and I seriously doubt that they could hurt you. Just concentrate on telling the school why you want to go there, and why you think you're a good fit.

Think of it this way: if it's a tie between you and someone else, and you've shown you want it more, they just might pick you.

 

[chad5871]

There are some schools that are known to respond favorably to letters of intent. I agree, send them anyway. It's not going to hurt your chances, it just may not do any good (but then again it just might!)

 

[slowbutsteady]

Look, all else being equal, when they have a bunch of people they could accept, and they are trying to decide which ones, the critical thing they care about is WILL YOU MATRICULATE.

anything you can do or say that will make them believe that you will come to their school, if they offer you an acceptance, works.

In my case, i told my first choice school that i had several other acceptances, including X, and that I would withdraw from those schools if they accepted me.

It helped that X was a highly ranked school in a city I didn't want to live in.

I was accepted a week later.

 

[flipz]

In my case, i told my first choice school that i had several other acceptances, including X, and that I would withdraw from those schools if they accepted me.

It helped that X was a highly ranked school in a city I didn't want to live in.

I was accepted a week later.

At what point in the cycle did you do this? Towards May?

I wonder if the timing of these things are important.. say, if someone sent a LOIntent this "early," whether or not action would be taken that quickly.

 

[slowbutsteady]

At what point in the cycle did you do this? Towards May?

I wonder if the timing of these things are important.. say, if someone sent a LOIntent this "early," whether or not action would be taken that quickly.

i timed it for about a week before the March decisions were going out. Of course, i have no way of knowing whether i would have been accepted anyway, but, believe me, i am VERY glad i sent it.