Withdrawing Acceptance from school I sent a Letter of Intent to

[Bobby24]

I recently interviewed at "School A" and sent them a Letter of Intent post-interview (before decision) and was subsequently accepted outright to "School A". However I am about to interview at "School B" which is a significantly better school and although my chances are slim I have now realized that I would prefer to go to "School B" over "School A".

Am I allowed to send "School B" a Letter of Intent saying that I will attend there and withdraw my acceptance from "School A"? If so, how would I go about withdrawing from "School A" even though I sent them a letter of intent and they accepted me? Would there be any consequences?

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[892002]

Letters of intent aren’t binding, and don’t mean anything. Do as you please!

 

[Kr#36]

Letters of intent dont do/mean anything. Just stop sending them.

 

[pikagyu]

Unless the school itself states that the letter of intent would actually mean something, a LOI is usually pretty meaningless. I imagine you already know this but just in case, don't withdraw your acceptance unless you already have another acceptance in hand first. As soon as you do, there's no turning back. Just be absolutely sure before you withdraw. If you want to withdraw, you send an email stating so.

 

[Welshman]

The adcoms on here are going to love this

 

[wysdoc]

I recently interviewed at "School A" and sent them a Letter of Intent post-interview (before decision) and was subsequently accepted outright to "School A". However I am about to interview at "School B" which is a significantly better school and although my chances are slim I have now realized that I would prefer to go to "School B" over "School A".

Am I allowed to send "School B" a Letter of Intent saying that I will attend there and withdraw my acceptance from "School A"? If so, how would I go about withdrawing from "School A" even though I sent them a letter of intent and they accepted me? Would there be any consequences?

I'll suggest you wait & see if school B offers you a spot. There may be no dilemma after all. And don't send more LOI

 

[Bobby24]

I know I wouldn't withdraw my acceptance from "School A" unless I get the acceptance from "School B". So would it be ok then to send a LOI to "School B" to help boost my chances of getting in there? I know some of you are saying it doesn't help but I sent Letters of Interests to many of the schools I ended up interviewing at and the one Letter of Intent I sent I got an acceptance so I believe they do help. Maybe only slightly but it's better than nothing

 

[Kr#36]

I know I wouldn't withdraw my acceptance from "School A" unless I get the acceptance from "School B". So would it be ok then to send a LOI to "School B" to help boost my chances of getting in there? I know some of you are saying it doesn't help but I sent Letters of Interests to many of the schools I ended up interviewing at and the one Letter of Intent I sent I got an acceptance so I believe they do help. Maybe only slightly but it's better than nothing

Lol

OP: Should I Send more letters of intent?

Everyone: No

OP: Ok so I should send more though right?

 

[OchemOficionado]

I know I wouldn't withdraw my acceptance from "School A" unless I get the acceptance from "School B". So would it be ok then to send a LOI to "School B" to help boost my chances of getting in there? I know some of you are saying it doesn't help but I sent Letters of Interests to many of the schools I ended up interviewing at and the one Letter of Intent I sent I got an acceptance so I believe they do help. Maybe only slightly but it's better than nothing

The schools know that you’re lying to them most of the time and are just desperate for an acceptance anywhere. Unless you’re saying you’re accepted to a better school but really want to go there for certain reasons. Your letters don’t hold up if something better comes along so why keep sending them?

 

[wysdoc]

I know I wouldn't withdraw my acceptance from "School A" unless I get the acceptance from "School B". So would it be ok then to send a LOI to "School B" to help boost my chances of getting in there? I know some of you are saying it doesn't help but I sent Letters of Interests to many of the schools I ended up interviewing at and the one Letter of Intent I sent I got an acceptance so I believe they do help. Maybe only slightly but it's better than nothing

Post hoc ergo propter hoc - Wikipedia You might think that's why school A accepted you, but chances are it had nothing to do with it.

 

[HomeSkool]

I recently interviewed at "School A" and sent them a Letter of Intent post-interview (before decision) and was subsequently accepted outright to "School A". However I am about to interview at "School B" which is a significantly better school and although my chances are slim I have now realized that I would prefer to go to "School B" over "School A".

Am I allowed to send "School B" a Letter of Intent saying that I will attend there and withdraw my acceptance from "School A"? If so, how would I go about withdrawing from "School A" even though I sent them a letter of intent and they accepted me? Would there be any consequences?

Your behavior is a perfect example of why adcoms assume these letters to be lies. "You're my one and only, baby, unless someone better comes along."

 

[Goro]

I recently interviewed at "School A" and sent them a Letter of Intent post-interview (before decision) and was subsequently accepted outright to "School A". However I am about to interview at "School B" which is a significantly better school and although my chances are slim I have now realized that I would prefer to go to "School B" over "School A".

Am I allowed to send "School B" a Letter of Intent saying that I will attend there and withdraw my acceptance from "School A"? If so, how would I go about withdrawing from "School A" even though I sent them a letter of intent and they accepted me? Would there be any consequences?

Your behavior is a perfect example of why adcoms assume these letters to be lies. "You're my one and only, baby, unless someone better comes along."

Yup. /thread.

 

[Catalystik]

I recently interviewed at "School A" and sent them a Letter of Intent post-interview (before decision) and was subsequently accepted outright to "School A". However I am about to interview at "School B" which is a significantly better school and although my chances are slim I have now realized that I would prefer to go to "School B" over "School A".

Am I allowed to send "School B" a Letter of Intent saying that I will attend there and withdraw my acceptance from "School A"? If so, how would I go about withdrawing from "School A" even though I sent them a letter of intent and they accepted me? Would there be any consequences?

You will know that your word is not your bond.

 

[Med Ed]

I recently interviewed at "School A" and sent them a Letter of Intent post-interview (before decision) and was subsequently accepted outright to "School A". However I am about to interview at "School B" which is a significantly better school and although my chances are slim I have now realized that I would prefer to go to "School B" over "School A".

Am I allowed to send "School B" a Letter of Intent saying that I will attend there and withdraw my acceptance from "School A"? If so, how would I go about withdrawing from "School A" even though I sent them a letter of intent and they accepted me? Would there be any consequences?

Yes, this thread will now be immortalized as an example of why we use LOIs as kindling.

I will even put in a search term to assist in later retrieval: Snagglepuss

 

[DelayedGratification]

OP is gonna send it anyway

 

[thegreengreatdragon]

It's really a pity that LOIs have been misused by students to the point of being almost useless now, since the concept is pretty great.
Like, if a student has his/her heart set on a school and sends them a letter to express that, that would be awesome (I suspect that's why the LOI thing was started). Obviously, students send LOIs without discrimination, so that doesn't happen now...

 

[21Rush12]

You’ve landed on the precise reason why letters of intent are an insult to the trees who died to print them.

 

[pullmyzincfinger]

Okay, not to hijack this thread but...

I have been wait-listed at my number 1 school. It was my alma mater (so I have a lot of research connections there), it is near to my family, and it's just a great school. I grew up there, and I've always wanted to attend that medical school.

The school says that they have a fixed wait-list, but I just want to know that I did everything that I possibly could. In this case (when I really, really mean what I say in my LOI), what's the worst that could happen? It could mean absolutely nothing, or maaaaaaaaayyyyybeeeeeeeee, maybe maybe maybe, someone will read it and love it. Is it okay for me to send a letter even though they said it would do nothing?

 

[DrMcCoyDO]

Just a heads up to OP. First, congrats on your admission. Second, in four years, DO NOT even consider pulling this when applying for residency. Program directors talk, and sending multiple LOIs is a way to keep yourself unmatched. Honor and honesty are valued things with residency programs.

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

Okay, not to hijack this thread but...

I have been wait-listed at my number 1 school. It was my alma mater (so I have a lot of research connections there), it is near to my family, and it's just a great school. I grew up there, and I've always wanted to attend that medical school.

The school says that they have a fixed wait-list, but I just want to know that I did everything that I possibly could. In this case (when I really, really mean what I say in my LOI), what's the worst that could happen? It could mean absolutely nothing, or maaaaaaaaayyyyybeeeeeeeee, maybe maybe maybe, someone will read it and love it. Is it okay for me to send a letter even though they said it would do nothing?

No. You’re wasting the school’s resources so they can open something and throw it in the shredder. If you can’t follow instructions to not send letters, they will probably have concerns about you following instructions as a student.

 

[Bobby24]

Just to clarify. I did not do any of this with the intent of sending multiple LOI. When I sent the LOI to "School A" I wholeheartedly wanted to go there and was ready to attend. However, AFTER sending in my LOI, I got an interview invite to "School B", where I was not expecting to get an II at all as it is a much better school and I thought would be out of my range (my stats are in the bottom 20th percentile). That's how I got in this problem and any other insight would be appreciated!

 

[curbsideconsult]

Just to clarify. I did not do any of this with the intent of sending multiple LOI. When I sent the LOI to "School A" I wholeheartedly wanted to go there and was ready to attend. However, AFTER sending in my LOI, I got an interview invite to "School B", where I was not expecting to get an II at all as it is a much better school and I thought would be out of my range (my stats are in the bottom 20th percentile). That's how I got in this problem and any other insight would be appreciated!

"You're my one and only, baby, unless someone better comes along."

^^^ This is your problem. You never really wanted to go to School A as much as School B, but you wanted to lock it in for fear that you wouldn't get in anywhere else. We all understand playing the game and you were hoping to play it well and win. An LOI, or any form of that, should be as sincere as can be. If you in your heart of hearts really wanted School B, but you were settling for School A, why did you send an LOI to School A? Refer to Homeskool's quoted post.

There's simply no other insight to be given. You've been given really good advice from knowledgeable and experienced ADCOMS (the very people you wanted to woo in the first place!). They're all telling you to just stop, be grateful for what you have, and move on. Go to the interview at School B. Write thank you notes afterward if it'll make you feel better (but I can guarantee you absolutely nobody cares about those thank you cards, even the ones who do say they care don't really care) and just wait for the chips to fall where they may. You're going to dig yourself into a deeper hole by ignoring everyone's advice.

 

[Kr#36]

Okay, not to hijack this thread but...

I have been wait-listed at my number 1 school. It was my alma mater (so I have a lot of research connections there), it is near to my family, and it's just a great school. I grew up there, and I've always wanted to attend that medical school.

The school says that they have a fixed wait-list, but I just want to know that I did everything that I possibly could. In this case (when I really, really mean what I say in my LOI), what's the worst that could happen? It could mean absolutely nothing, or maaaaaaaaayyyyybeeeeeeeee, maybe maybe maybe, someone will read it and love it. Is it okay for me to send a letter even though they said it would do nothing?

I literally just pulled my hair out. I’m a bald man and it’s your fault.

 

[HomeSkool]

Just to clarify. I did not do any of this with the intent of sending multiple LOI. When I sent the LOI to "School A" I wholeheartedly wanted to go there and was ready to attend. However, AFTER sending in my LOI, I got an interview invite to "School B", where I was not expecting to get an II at all as it is a much better school and I thought would be out of my range (my stats are in the bottom 20th percentile). That's how I got in this problem and any other insight would be appreciated!

The honest thing would've been to cancel your interview at school B as soon as school A accepted you (or not accept school B's II if school A had already accepted you when it came) since that's exactly what you told school A's admissions committee you would do. But as @Catalystik already pointed out, your behavior shows a glaring lack of integrity and your word is a junk bond. This is like getting engaged, then continuing to play the field behind your fiancée's back with the intent of kicking her to the curb if someone else says they'll take you. And then you come on here and ask -- and this is what's truly disgusting about your behavior -- if you should propose to the second girl and promise you'll dump your fiancée if she (the second girl) takes you. The only thing you'll have actually proven to school B is that your promises have no value whatsoever. The cherry on top is that your big dilemma isn't "I'm a liar with no integrity", it's "If I keep lying to get what I want, will I get in trouble?"

 

[curbsideconsult]

The honest thing would've been to cancel your interview at school B as soon as school A accepted you (or not accept school B's II if school A had already accepted you when it came) since that's exactly what you told school A's admissions committee you would do. But as @Catalystik already pointed out, your behavior shows a glaring lack of integrity and your word is a junk bond. This is like getting engaged, then continuing to play the field behind your fiancée's back with the intent of kicking her to the curb if someone else says they'll take you. And then you come on here and ask -- and this is what's truly disgusting about your behavior -- if you should propose to the second girl and promise you'll dump your fiancée if she (the second girl) takes you. The only thing you'll have actually proven to school B is that your promises have no value whatsoever. The cherry on top is that your big dilemma isn't "I'm a liar with no integrity", it's "If I keep lying to get what I want, will I get in trouble?"

This is nearly the exact analogy I was going to use, but I thought was too strong. Tsk, tsk on me. Always go with the gut!

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

Just to clarify. I did not do any of this with the intent of sending multiple LOI. When I sent the LOI to "School A" I wholeheartedly wanted to go there and was ready to attend. However, AFTER sending in my LOI, I got an interview invite to "School B", where I was not expecting to get an II at all as it is a much better school and I thought would be out of my range (my stats are in the bottom 20th percentile). That's how I got in this problem and any other insight would be appreciated!

This is somewhat understandable - you had an interview, really liked it there and thought it was the one. Then, you got another interview and now believe this can be the one. Unfortunately, now you either pick School B and must go back on School A and say 'just kidding lol bye' and show them that LOI's are meaningless (as they already see them), or you don't get an acceptance at School B anyways and just go to school A.
Based on how School A will see your LOI if you matriculate to School B, do you think School B is going to care and find it worth their time to read your LOI to them, knowing you could do to them what you did to School A? No. And this is why LOI's are just the junk-mail applicants send the school as the recruiting emails following the MCAT are junk mail they send us. And just like us, they're ignored and thrown away. Very few people, if anyone has decided the podiatry school who got their info from the MCAT was their best fit, just like a LOI has never made a school find that applicant to be their best fit.

 

[aldol16]

This is exactly why pre-meds should never send letters of intent unless they are absolutely, 100% certain that it's to the school they want to attend. This is why letters of intent don't really mean anything - people can renege.

 

[892002]

What would be much more effective is a well-written letter of interest where you talk about the reasons why you’re a good fit for school B.

 

[Bobby24]

Ok so if you are all saying the LOI are meaningless anyways, then what happens if I get accepted to "School B" without a LOI. Then I would still have to go back on my word to "School A" and withdraw from there. Obviously this isn't ideal, but this is still my future and I would rather go to "School B". What am I supposed to do if that situation occurs?

 

[aldol16]

Ok so if you are all saying the LOI are meaningless anyways, then what happens if I get accepted to "School B" without a LOI. Then I would still have to go back on my word to "School A" and withdraw from there. Obviously this isn't ideal, but this is still my future and I would rather go to "School B". What am I supposed to do if that situation occurs?

I think this has been answered above and in other threads as well. Every year this question comes up. I think the consensus is that it's very unlikely that School A will do anything to you/black ball you in the future, etc.

 

[892002]

Ok so if you are all saying the LOI are meaningless anyways, then what happens if I get accepted to "School B" without a LOI. Then I would still have to go back on my word to "School A" and withdraw from there. Obviously this isn't ideal, but this is still my future and I would rather go to "School B". What am I supposed to do if that situation occurs?

You’re free to go to school B since, as stated many times above, a letter of intent is not binding.

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

I think this has been answered above and in other threads as well. Every year this question comes up. I think the consensus is that it's very unlikely that School A will do anything to you/black ball you in the future, etc.

Yep!
They can’t charge you any money (besides the deposit which they have to return before April 30 if you withdraw then) until you matriculate, and MD admissions isn’t going to keep a **** list around until your year of residency interviews pops up.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

OP. My situation this cycle, while not entirely identical in every detail, is similar to your situation. However, instead of LOIs, mine involved telling my interviewer at my third to last IIs, that the school was my top choice (#1). I did not utter the same phrase to any interviews prior or after.

After the interview day at #1 concluded and I was walking to my car, I received a call for another II at a school (#2) I never expected to hear from. Well, after the interview at this school where I felt welcomed and loved by the school and fell in love with it, I struggled with what I would do if I received an offer from this school and my "top choice."

Fast forward a few weeks and I ended up with offers from both. Then #2 sweetened the pot with a generous merit scholarship. After agonizing over the situation, I ultimately chose school #1 because of many reasons, but most importantly, because I realized that I valued my integrity.

I can't advise you what to do, but whatever you do end up doing, make sure you can live with the decision.

 

[Goro]

Okay, not to hijack this thread but...

I have been wait-listed at my number 1 school. It was my alma mater (so I have a lot of research connections there), it is near to my family, and it's just a great school. I grew up there, and I've always wanted to attend that medical school.

The school says that they have a fixed wait-list, but I just want to know that I did everything that I possibly could. In this case (when I really, really mean what I say in my LOI), what's the worst that could happen? It could mean absolutely nothing, or maaaaaaaaayyyyybeeeeeeeee, maybe maybe maybe, someone will read it and love it. Is it okay for me to send a letter even though they said it would do nothing?

Oh, it will do something in your specific case.

It will tell them that you have trouble understanding very simple information, or are such a special snowflake that you ignore simple instructions, and can't wait for processes to reach their final conclusion.

 

[JonathanHusky]

Okay, not to hijack this thread but...

I have been wait-listed at my number 1 school. It was my alma mater (so I have a lot of research connections there), it is near to my family, and it's just a great school. I grew up there, and I've always wanted to attend that medical school.

The school says that they have a fixed wait-list, but I just want to know that I did everything that I possibly could. In this case (when I really, really mean what I say in my LOI), what's the worst that could happen? It could mean absolutely nothing, or maaaaaaaaayyyyybeeeeeeeee, maybe maybe maybe, someone will read it and love it. Is it okay for me to send a letter even though they said it would do nothing?

you've got adcoms on here saying that's not a possibility lol not that it's unlikely but it's straight up not happening... just be patient, find a hobby, focus on something else

 

[Neutropix]

I literally just pulled my hair out. I’m a bald man and it’s your fault.

Literally dying laughing out loud rn.

 

[Med Ed]

It could mean absolutely nothing, or maaaaaaaaayyyyybeeeeeeeee, maybe maybe maybe, someone will read it and love it.

Walk me through this. You think that perhaps someone with authority will read your letter and then reconvene the admissions committee to move you up the wait list?

Magical thinking.