Withdrawing from WL for school I sent a LOI?

[BlueBudgie]

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I’m facing a pretty big conundrum here. My previous #1 school waitlisted me back in November, and I haven’t heard anything since (I know most movement won’t happen until after the 30th, but it’s been complete radio silence). A few days ago, I got an insane scholarship offer from a school that I was accepted to: they’re offering to cover all of my first year and a third of each subsequent year. This is huge for me, as I’m not going to have much parental support and was planning on using loans to pay for everything. In my LOI, I did specifically say I would attend IF I was offered an acceptance. So, if I withdraw from my position on the waitlist, without being offered an acceptance, will that still look bad? I still really love this school, so I don’t want to ruin my image with them, but I also love not being broke 😭.

I know I should have thought about this before submitting a LOI, but I honestly wasn’t expecting to ever receive a scholarship offer like this.

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Dr.Freedman MedEdits]

Congratulations!!! This is huge. First of all, any medical school would understand the smart move to attend where you will incur the least amount of debt. Second, since this school has not yet offered you a spot, the ethical thing to do is to withdraw so that offer can go to someone else. This won't look bad, but withdraw ASAP.

 

[wysdoc]

I’m facing a pretty big conundrum here. My previous #1 school waitlisted me back in November, and I haven’t heard anything since (I know most movement won’t happen until after the 30th, but it’s been complete radio silence). A few days ago, I got an insane scholarship offer from a school that I was accepted to: they’re offering to cover all of my first year and a third of each subsequent year. This is huge for me, as I’m not going to have much parental support and was planning on using loans to pay for everything. In my LOI, I did specifically say I would attend IF I was offered an acceptance. So, if I withdraw from my position on the waitlist, without being offered an acceptance, will that still look bad? I still really love this school, so I don’t want to ruin my image with them, but I also love not being broke 😭.

I know I should have thought about this before submitting a LOI, but I honestly wasn’t expecting to ever receive a scholarship offer like this.

Does anyone have any advice?

Withdraw from the WL and enjoy the freedom of lower debt burden!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Advice: take the bag/scholarship!

 

[Goro]

Admissions Deans consider Lois to be lies anyway, so withdraw and don't look back

 

[BlueBudgie]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was going to withdraw today, but as I was drafting the email they literally called me with an acceptance 😵‍💫😵‍💫😭😭.

 

[MSappinfo]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was going to withdraw today, but as I was drafting the email they literally called me with an acceptance 😵‍💫😵‍💫😭😭.

Nice problem to have! A at the LOI school vs A w mucho$$$. Congratulations!

 

[LindaAccepted]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was going to withdraw today, but as I was drafting the email they literally called me with an acceptance 😵‍💫😵‍💫😭😭.

Ask for a meeting and see if the second A will match (or at least offer you some money.)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was going to withdraw today, but as I was drafting the email they literally called me with an acceptance 😵‍💫😵‍💫😭😭.

Congratulations! Negotiation time! How much do you think you'll need to turn down a free ride? You need to gather your numbers before meeting with the other school. Good luck!

 

[BlueBudgie]

Congratulations! Negotiation time! How much do you think you'll need to turn down a free ride? You need to gather your numbers before meeting with the other school. Good luck!

Thank you so much! Do you think I’ll still be able to negotiate even though I’ve sent a LOI? I feel like I’ve already told them that I will accept whether they offer me anything or not.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you so much! Do you think I’ll still be able to negotiate even though I’ve sent a LOI? I feel like I’ve already told them that I will accept whether they offer me anything or not.

You might as well try. You have a full-ride scholarship at a different school, so it doesn't hurt you now to ask. But you must be comfortable turning down a full ride... and your family should support you if you decide to turn it down.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Thank you so much! Do you think I’ll still be able to negotiate even though I’ve sent a LOI? I feel like I’ve already told them that I will accept whether they offer me anything or not.

The question boils down to whether you would attend the program without financial aid if they don't cough up something. If you are in a position where financially you would go to the program that offers you aid and forego the acceptance from your top choice school, then very respectfully and courteously say something along the following lines.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to attend School A. As I wrote you, your program is my top choice. That hasn't changed.

"However School B extended XYZ in financial aid and I am simply not in a position to turn down that kind of assistance. Is there any possibility that you can match the offer I have from School B? I would be eternally grateful and would immediately accept your offer regardless of any other financial aid offers I may receive.

"Thank you again for your time and efforts throughout the application process and now in considering my request for financial aid."

 

[BlueBudgie]

Thank you again, everyone! I sent the email this afternoon to see if they’d be willing to match my offer. I’ll post an update when I get a response!

 

[_m31_]

Thank you again, everyone! I sent the email this afternoon to see if they’d be willing to match my offer. I’ll post an update when I get a response!

Did you receive a response about this school matching the offer? I'm literally in the same boat with an A to this school but a full tuition scholarship from another school.

 

[BlueBudgie]

Did you receive a response about this school matching the offer? I'm literally in the same boat with an A to this school but a full tuition scholarship from another school.

Not yet 😔. They replied the same day and said they’d send it over to the scholarship department, but nothing since. From what I’ve heard they usually don’t send out scholarship offers until closer to the start of classes, though, so I’m hoping that they didn’t just forget haha. I’ll definitely still update when I hear back. Fingers crossed that we both get good news soon!!

 

[BlueBudgie]

Well, I just got my financial aid offer. This is really not the update that I was hoping to give.
They are offering me exactly $0 in scholarships and grants 😭. Not only that, but they are offering $47,167 in loans with an estimated COA of $78,274.
Is there anything I can do here? My net cost is going to be over $31,000. I don’t even make that right now, and was planning on quitting my job while in school to allow myself to focus. I’m feeling really disheartened right now. I might make one more meeting with the financial aid office just to see if there’s anything else I can do, but even at my last meeting the advisor that I spoke to said they had no bearing on what the scholarship committee decides.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Well, I just got my financial aid offer. This is really not the update that I was hoping to give.
They are offering me exactly $0 in scholarships and grants 😭. Not only that, but they are offering $47,167 in loans with an estimated COA of $78,274.
Is there anything I can do here? My net cost is going to be over $31,000. I don’t even make that right now, and was planning on quitting my job while in school to allow myself to focus. I’m feeling really disheartened right now. I might make one more meeting with the financial aid office just to see if there’s anything else I can do, but even at my last meeting the advisor that I spoke to said they had no bearing on what the scholarship committee decides.

You may want to take School B's offer. You'll still be a doctor. And one with a lot less debt.

You can try the financial aid office once more. No harm in trying.

And congrats on having options.

 

[_m31_]

Well, I just got my financial aid offer. This is really not the update that I was hoping to give.
They are offering me exactly $0 in scholarships and grants 😭. Not only that, but they are offering $47,167 in loans with an estimated COA of $78,274.
Is there anything I can do here? My net cost is going to be over $31,000. I don’t even make that right now, and was planning on quitting my job while in school to allow myself to focus. I’m feeling really disheartened right now. I might make one more meeting with the financial aid office just to see if there’s anything else I can do, but even at my last meeting the advisor that I spoke to said they had no bearing on what the scholarship committee decides.

Oh no 🙁 that seriously blows. Since they do give scholarship awards right up until the start of classes, I would reach out again!

 

[_m31_]

You may want to take School B's offer. You'll still be a doctor. And one with a lot less debt.

Unfortunately there is no School B at this point. School A will not consider you for scholarships unless you commit to enroll.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Let me say this again.

Advice: take the bag/scholarship!

Do not work while going to medical school. That's just begging for trouble. That's why your first year is covered. Med school is your new full-time plus overtime job. Go someplace where you can put in all your chips to studying.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Unfortunately there is no School B at this point. School A will not consider you for scholarships unless you commit to enroll.

did you reject the offer from the school (School B) that gave you the full scholarship?

 

[_m31_]

did you reject the offer from the school (School B) that gave you the full scholarship?

I did not. I ended up rejecting School A in favor of the scholarship. But then I got accepted to School C, which was my top choice by a mile and they offered to cover half tuition, so I decided to CTE there.

 

[wysdoc]

did you reject the offer from the school (School B) that gave you the full scholarship?

I think @BlueBudgie and @_m31_ are two different people.

Since @_m31_ had a similar situation they chimed in. I found this confusing too.

@BlueBudgie must be either still contemplating a decision or has not updated the decision here

 

[_m31_]

I think @BlueBudgie and @_m31_ are two different people.

Since @_m31_ had a similar situation they chimed in. I found this confusing too.

@BlueBudgie must be either still contemplating a decision or has not updated the decision here

Sorry for the confusion... it seemed like @LindaAccepted thought School B was still an option for OP, so I replied to let her know the missing context here, which is that this particular school (USF) requires you to CTE before they will consider you for any scholarships. So by receiving a financial aid offer from USF, it means @BlueBudgie CTE'd there and withdrew from the school with the scholarship. I assumed she realized we were different people and asked me for an update as well?

 

[LindaAccepted]

I did not. I ended up rejecting School A in favor of the scholarship. But then I got accepted to School C, which was my top choice by a mile and they offered to cover half tuition, so I decided to CTE there.

Got it. That makes sense. CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[BlueBudgie]

Yes, I have already CTE’d to the school that did not give me an offer and had to reject the school that did due to saying in my LOI that I would definitely attend if I was accepted. I know technically it’s not binding, but I just couldn’t go back on my word like that. And honestly I was optimistic about school A offering me something, at least. But yes, they do not offer scholarships until after CTE

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yes, I have already CTE’d to the school that did not give me an offer and had to reject the school that did due to saying in my LOI that I would definitely attend if I was accepted. I know technically it’s not binding, but I just couldn’t go back on my word like that. And honestly I was optimistic about school A offering me something, at least. But yes, they do not offer scholarships until after CTE

Make sure the appropriate school-specific thread notes the scholarship policy is only extended to those who CTE. We'll have to see if other scholarships are awarded before commitment.