Telling a school they are a top choice

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I'm not extremely knowledgeable about the whole "letter of interest" thing, but it sounds like what you are suggesting would be unethical. If both are your "top choice", then neither are.

Just my opinion...

ohnodapopo said:
Is it wrong to tell two schools they are a top choice if they really are both tied in your opinion as the school you would most want to attend?
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Telling two schools they are both one of your top choice schools is not wrong, but telling both schools "your school is my top choice school" is. Maybe (if you want to throw in the "top choice" thing at all) you should just make up your mind and be able to tell one honestly that they are your top choice.
 
Why don't you say, "You are currently tied with another school as my top choice." Then there shouldn't be any ethical qualms.
 
You could probably just say that their school is one of your top choices. By saying they are your top choice is implying you will definitely attend if offered an acceptance and by telling 2 schools this, you will not be able to follow up on the promises.
 
Like everyone is saying. Its perfectly fine to tell them they are a top choice but its clearly wrong to say either is THE top choice. I was warned about this at an interview, its a pretty serious offense in the eyes of admissions committees.
 
Or you could put an even cooler spin on it, and tell them you know you are their top choice. 👍

Begaster said:
Or you could just tell them all that they're your top choice.
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BMBPSU2008 said:
In Soviet Russia, Medical School applies to YOU!
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:laugh:


Does it really work to tell a school they are your "top" choice? If it's such a serious offense as another poster suggested then, it would imply that it does. Does anyone have anything to substantiate whether this is even worth the OP's time and consideration?
 
Kingfish said:
Like everyone is saying. Its perfectly fine to tell them they are a top choice but its clearly wrong to say either is THE top choice. I was warned about this at an interview, its a pretty serious offense in the eyes of admissions committees.
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I'd be curious to hear what the warning was. I feel that a school can be your top choice at this point in the process, but then due to financial or family changes, it may shift to second or third choice later in the process. If a school is genuinely your top choice, go ahead and tell them. If they waitlist you or make you wait until March or later to find out about acceptance, they may not be your top choice anymore...so be it. Be sincere and ethical and you will be fine.
 
Also, the school may be "top choice" of the schools you've considered (from interviews offered, let's say) so far. But if Harvard gives you a late invite, they may then become your "top choice." Now, to say "I will definitely attend there" and then not do it might raise some questions. Don't do that. But again, being sincere is the key.
 
I have been told that writing an official letter to a school declaring that they are your top choice can easily be a tiebreaker in an adcomm meeting since they want to admit candidates who really want to be there. However, it is my understanding that you should only write such a letter if you would choose them no-matter what.

Everyone applying to medical school has a "top choice" based on where they are in the admissions process, but not everyone has a top choice that they believe will not change regardless of what else happens.

Corker said:
Also, the school may be "top choice" of the schools you've considered (from interviews offered, let's say) so far. But if Harvard gives you a late invite, they may then become your "top choice." Now, to say "I will definitely attend there" and then not do it might raise some questions. Don't do that. But again, being sincere is the key.
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Don't be a douche. If you write a letter of intent, you should make it very clear that you intend to matriculate to that school, if accepted, and promptly withdraw all other applications. Otherwise, it will have no meaning, and they won't care. "A top choice"? something worded like that is likely to be disregarded.

And if you write a letter like this to several schools, and they somehow were to find out that you were bull****ting them (and while this seems unlikely, a lot of these people do know each other), then you could end up with none of your top choices.

I know its a tough decision, but you've got some pretty good options. If you're ready to decide, figure out which one your favorite is, and write them a letter. If they reject you, then you can send one to another school.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Don't be a douche. If you write a letter of intent, you should make it very clear that you intend to matriculate to that school, if accepted, and promptly withdraw all other applications. Otherwise, it will have no meaning, and they won't care. "A top choice"? something worded like that is likely to be disregarded.

And if you write a letter like this to several schools, and they somehow were to find out that you were bull****ting them (and while this seems unlikely, a lot of these people do know each other), then you could end up with none of your top choices.

I know its a tough decision, but you've got some pretty good options. If you're ready to decide, figure out which one your favorite is, and write them a letter. If they reject you, then you can send one to another school.
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Ok, you don't have to call him a douche. He's obviously stressing because he applied to a fairly narrow range of schools (because his app is strong) and is now concerned he won't be accepted this year. Am I right? Do you blame him for being concerned? It's easy to say, "send a letter of intent, promptly withdraw from all others," etc. when you have an acceptance.

I don't think ohnodapopo is a douche for asking. If I were him, I would write letters to BOTH schools indicating all the reasons you think they are a great fit for you and you are a great fit for them. Then see where the chips fall.

Just my $ .02.
 
Corker said:
Ok, you don't have to call him a douche. He's obviously stressing because he applied to a fairly narrow range of schools (because his app is strong) and is now concerned he won't be accepted this year. Am I right? Do you blame him for being concerned? It's easy to say, "send a letter of intent, promptly withdraw from all others," etc. when you have an acceptance.
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Yeah, Corker got it right. A family friend who is on the admissions board to a school I'm not applying to called me a "shoe-in at the top medical schools" and the pre-med advisor didn't object to this list. So here I am, good scores/gpa but in a worse position than most applicants this year.

Also, in regards to the angry triathlete, moral conundrum got resolved today by a thin envelope in the mail. Now that I hate that school I only have 1 top choice.

Excuse me while I go hang myself.​
 
Drogba said:
That sounds pretty awesome actually. This is the first time I've found my self wish I lived in Soviet Russia.
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That would be incredible.

Moraly, I don't think it's right to tell both schools you are their top choice. You could try the "Your school and one other are neck and neck as my top choices" but that may backfire as it may sound arrogant.

Of course, I'm sure we've all heard stories of people getting their hand stuck in the cookie drawer telling multiple schools that theyr'e their "only choice" but I don't know how frequent that happens.
 
PeepshowJohnny said:
That would be incredible.

Moraly, I don't think it's right to tell both schools you are their top choice. You could try the "Your school and one other are neck and neck as my top choices" but that may backfire as it may sound arrogant.

Of course, I'm sure we've all heard stories of people getting their hand stuck in the cookie drawer telling multiple schools that theyr'e their "only choice" but I don't know how frequent that happens.
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what's a cookie drawer?
 
as others have said on SDN, telling two schools you love them both a lot will go over like it would if you told 2 girls that. sorta makes sense.
 
MDRus said:
as others have said on SDN, telling two schools you love them both a lot will go over like it would if you told 2 girls that. sorta makes sense.
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what are you talking about? i totally down for a harvard/jhop threesome.
 
I didn't say he was a douche. I told him not to be one. Now that I've established that, I would like to say that your pre-med advisor has **** for brains. Nobody is a shoe-in for the "top" medical schools. They see a ****-ton of great applications, and they have people who could find problems with an application from someone with a 4.0 45 MCAT double-major in biochemistry and astrophysics, 1000 hours volunteering, 10 first-author publications, all while working 3 jobs to pay the bills.

Having said that, you're probably going to have some pretty nice options, unless you decide to be a douche and fire off a bunch of letters of intent, and you get found out.

Good luck.
 
ohnodapopo said:
Yeah, Corker got it right. A family friend who is on the admissions board to a school I'm not applying to called me a "shoe-in at the top medical schools" and the pre-med advisor didn't object to this list. So here I am, good scores/gpa but in a worse position than most applicants this year.

Also, in regards to the angry triathlete, moral conundrum got resolved today by a thin envelope in the mail. Now that I hate that school I only have 1 top choice.

Excuse me while I go hang myself.​
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Funny how a simple rejection can solve such a huge dilemma. Don't go hang yourself, go write the letter.:meanie:
 
TexasTriathlete said:
I didn't say he was a douche. I told him not to be one. Now that I've established that, I would like to say that your pre-med advisor has **** for brains. Nobody is a shoe-in for the "top" medical schools. They see a ****-ton of great applications, and they have people who could find problems with an application from someone with a 4.0 45 MCAT double-major in biochemistry and astrophysics, 1000 hours volunteering, 10 first-author publications, all while working 3 jobs to pay the bills.

Having said that, you're probably going to have some pretty nice options, unless you decide to be a douche and fire off a bunch of letters of intent, and you get found out.

Good luck.
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Texas, why don't you tell him how you really feel? Why all this mincing of words?:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Point taken, though.👍
 
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