Yet Another Letter of Interest Question

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

pagemmapants

Unknown Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
1,602
Reaction score
20
Ok, so here's the deal.
This is all completely hypothetical, of course.

Let's say I interviewed at 2 schools, X and Y.
X is my absolute top choice no question about it. I loved my interview there, feel pretty good about how I presented myself, etc. and recently wrote a letter of interest (read: INTEREST) to them (about 2 days after my interview) expressing my enthusiasm for their program.

Earlier, I had interviewed at school Y, which I also loved. It would definitely be number 2 on my list, but a) I'm not totally sure how one of my interviews went (the other went well) and b) I don't fit their "typical" student - being completely traditional and only 21 years of age.

Schools X and Y are KNOWN to hold occasional "meetings" with a bunch of other schools to discuss "things" . . . probably applicants, around this time of year.

I'm thinking about sending a Letter of Interest to school Y as well, just so they know that I am very enthusiastic about their program and would be extremely happy to be a student there. My question is . . . do you guys think that if I do this, there's a possibility BOTH schools will look down upon it and decide "Well, she seems to be pleased with EVERYONE, let's let her go somewhere else"?

Yes, I'm anal, and probably slightly paranoid. :rolleyes:

Thoughts?

Members don't see this ad.
 
Yes, you're anal and probably slightly paranoid.
 
Ha! I reaaaaalllly doubt they talk about any of us at these meetings, unless of course you're a famous person... "Hey, the Clinton girl says we're her first choice!" There's no harm in being enthusiastic about more than one school. Good luck to you.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Wait, sorry if I'm the last one to hear, but the schools get together and discuss applicants??? What do they do, divvy them up - you get that one and I'll take this one???
 
It's just that at one of the schools where I interviewed the admissions guy said that there are about 13 "top schools" from the "east coast" that get together and have a little consortium every few months. I don't know that they directly discuss applicants, but I'm sure that the schools at the top do double-check when letters of INTENT are involved. . . I just don't know about letters of interest. Bah. I'm just impatient is all.
 
diosa428 said:
Wait, sorry if I'm the last one to hear, but the schools get together and discuss applicants??? What do they do, divvy them up - you get that one and I'll take this one???


If one school asks, "What other schools are you applying to?" and I say, "None," can they find out if I'm lying or not? Do medical schools share applicant information with one another? Can the medical school get the list of schools I applied to from AMCAS? DOES ANYONE KNOW?
 
wistarrat said:
Ha! I reaaaaalllly doubt they talk about any of us at these meetings
This is wrong. I was warned by my premed advisor when I was an applicant not to lie to schools. She got a call from a school once asking why her student was lying to them -- he had told multiple schools they were his "first choice" and I guess they noticed. Obviously, they don't compare notes on each of their 7000 applicants, but I also don't think it's safe to say you can say anything you want with impunity.

If you have are asked point blank whether the school is your first choice and don't want to say "no," you can say that you haven't made up your mind or that it is among the schools you are considering. If it IS your first choice, of course be honest.

To the OP, I don't think there's anything wrong with sending multiple letters of interest telling the schools what you like about them. I don't know if there is an upper limit to how many it's kosher to send, but I can say that both the schools I sent such a letter to accepted me.



cheers, and good luck :luck:
 
seilienne said:
Ok, so here's the deal.
This is all completely hypothetical, of course.

Let's say I interviewed at 2 schools, X and Y.
X is my absolute top choice no question about it. I loved my interview there, feel pretty good about how I presented myself, etc. and recently wrote a letter of interest (read: INTEREST) to them (about 2 days after my interview) expressing my enthusiasm for their program.

Earlier, I had interviewed at school Y, which I also loved. It would definitely be number 2 on my list, but a) I'm not totally sure how one of my interviews went (the other went well) and b) I don't fit their "typical" student - being completely traditional and only 21 years of age.

Schools X and Y are KNOWN to hold occasional "meetings" with a bunch of other schools to discuss "things" . . . probably applicants, around this time of year.

I'm thinking about sending a Letter of Interest to school Y as well, just so they know that I am very enthusiastic about their program and would be extremely happy to be a student there. My question is . . . do you guys think that if I do this, there's a possibility BOTH schools will look down upon it and decide "Well, she seems to be pleased with EVERYONE, let's let her go somewhere else"?

Yes, I'm anal, and probably slightly paranoid. :rolleyes:

Thoughts?

Keep in mind, a letter is hard evidence. It's one thing to say during an interview that the school is your "top choice," it's quite another to send a letter of intent. I'm not sure about med school ad coms, but I've heard that residency directors DO talk and catch people who write several letters of intent.

Anyways, if they catch just one person--you don't want that to be you!
 
This is why these are letters of INTEREST not letters of INTENT - rather than saying "This is my top choice" or "If you accept me I will come here" it's more like "I'm excited about your program because ______" and "I feel I would thrive at your school because _____" and such-like. I wouldnt' send more than one letter of intent, and have also heard stories about people getting busted.

Zwei - thanks for the input. Helpful!
 
Why have I never heard of letters of interest OR intent?? I've been sending thank you letters to my interviewers that also discuss what I enjoyed about the school, that I could see myself in their program, etc. What's the difference between these letters and the ones you are talking about?

Thanks :)
 
Top