Are letters of intent binding?

[turk00]

I recently sent a letter to a school post-interview stating that they were my top choice so far. I still have one interview left (coming up soon), and I am not sure if this school will remain as my top choice. Are such letters binding?

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[juddson]

Of course not.

judd

 

[shanequin]

I have a friend who wrote two letters of intent to two law schools. He got into both and picked I think NYU. The school found out about the two letters of intent and he wasn't allowed to attend that year. He just applied the next year and got in. I don't know if it's that strict as far as med school, but that's just something to think about. If you're really worried, call up the med school and give them some other name and ask if it's that big of a deal. Kind of shady, but it'll get results. Good luck.

 

[Bendrix]

Writing a dishonest letter of intent is, at the very least, highly unethical. How is lying in a letter that's placed in your file any different than lying on the application itself? In both cases you're trying to gain an advantage under false pretenses.

 

[LP1CW]

Wearing tight underwear is also binding

 

[Rendar5]

unless you told them that you would attend if you were accepted, then it wasn't a letter of intent. The "for now" would probably make it a letter of interest, which is non-binding. Letters of intent are ethically binding.

 

[potuhusky]

"All I have in this world is my balls, and my word, and I don't break 'em for no one, jou understand?" -Tony Montana

 

[BushBaby]

Originally posted by LP1CW
Wearing tight underwear is also binding

lol...I can attest to that.

 

[premed2]

there is nothing illegal or dishonest about sending a letter stating that you will attend if accepted to more than one school, especially if after interviewing, a school becomes your new first choice. also, scholarship money plays a huge role in the decision, i don't think a school can keep you from attending because you didn't act like your letter said you would. anyone else agree?

 

[BushBaby]

Originally posted by shanequin
I have a friend who wrote two letters of intent to two law schools. He got into both and picked I think NYU. The school found out about the two letters of intent and he wasn't allowed to attend that year. He just applied the next year and got in.

How the heck did the each school find out about the letters?that's interesting.

 

[Bendrix]

Originally posted by premed2
there is nothing illegal or dishonest about sending a letter stating that you will attend if accepted to more than one school....

How in the world is this not dishonest? It can't possibly be the truth. When it comes to your application, lying is lying, whether you're falsely stating your intent to attend a specific school or you're making up activities to list on AMCAS.

 

[Kashue]

I don't see what the big deal is. Things happen, people change their minds. If someone got a full scholarship to school B or due to family reasons had to go to school B, would School A, where the letter of intent was written to, mind?

 

[Rendar5]

Yes it would. That is why you never write a letter of intent unless you mean it. You can always write a letter of interest.

A school will find out about this when you go against your word and reject them. They will know where you're going and will contact the other school to figure it out. If you have written two letters of intent, you face the possibility of not getting into either school.

 

[Tezzie]

Originally posted by Kashue
I don't see what the big deal is. Things happen, people change their minds. If someone got a full scholarship to school B or due to family reasons had to go to school B, would School A, where the letter of intent was written to, mind?

I agree!

I am not even sure if adcoms care about LOIs unless of course it's about reasons such as wanting to live in a specific city because of family etc.

 

[BushBaby]

I don't think it's dishonest. I have written a letter of intent which I've sent to more than 1 school. In my mind, if any of the schools had accepted me, I would go because beggars can't be choosers. Now if I had more than one acceptance, I made sure to cover my back. It's all in the wording.

Here is a tip on how to do it:

I sent both letters a WEEK apart and state something like:

"Currently, in my mind, there is no other school I can think of attending and if accepted..blah blah"

Use"Currently"...since u sent them out at different times, then you can always back up that "at that time" when you sent it, that particular was the school you wanted...but you changed your mind the next week.

You are entitled to change your mind right?

 

[Bendrix]

The whole point of a letter of intent is to communicate the fact that your mind is already made up. You don't need any more information--not financial info, not a decision from any other school--you know that you will go to a specific school if only they'll offer you a spot. Giving yourself wiggle room with contrived turns of phrase doesn't make the undertaking more honest. You're still attempting to deceive the reader and you're misrepresenting yourself to the admissions committee.

 

[BushBaby]

I for one never thought adcoms paid great attention to letters of intent unless they already had in mind to accept you.

In my case, I don't think I'm misrep'ing myself because I would attend the school if they accepted me...now if other schools accepted me also and they gave me a full scholarship, you better believe I'm going with the free ride.

Situations change...and sometimes when you get new information it affects your decision. If I got a scholarship, I got married, became pregnant, these are factors that might make me decide not to attend a particular school based on my current situation.


turk00,

I don't see anything wrong with your letter because "at that time" they were your top choice...if you saw a better opportunity after the fact, why should you be penalized? It's not like you did ALL your interviewing and after reviewing each school, you came to the conclusion that this particular school was your top choice. Last year, when I went to RWJ I was in love with it. But three months later I went to NJMS and I prefered them to RWJ...who woulda thunk'it?

 

[BushBaby]

Originally posted by jaycee
The whole point of a letter of intent is to communicate the fact that your mind is already made up.

This is a good point I reckon.

 

[elias514]

They are nonbinding, PROVIDED THAT you apologize profusely in the event of reneging on your promise. I broached this very subject in the allopathic forum, because I too wrote a letter of intent to my first choice school. After I reflected on my primary criteria for choosing a medical school, I developed serious misgivings about my first choice school--in particular, I was worried about the price tag. Two physicians advised me to not think of the LOI as binding; one of them, in fact, wrote an LOI to a school, broke his promise, and ended up doing his residency at this school. He told me that he called up the school and explained his situation; in effect, the school wrote him a letter, refunded his deposit, and wished him the best of luck in his medical studies. In other words, his failure to follow through on a promise did NOT adversely impact his future.

The bottom line is that applicants can't see the future and they aren't all-knowing, wise creatures; thus, it is acceptable to change your mind regarding a school. Just make sure that you inform the school of your choice and the rationale behind it, and that you apologize for the ethical blunder. Don't sweat it, man. It's your future. You're a human being and human beings, by definition, are fallible. Admissions committees are composed of physicians who are acutely aware of what it means to be human, to NOT be perfect.

 

[Kashue]

Originally posted by elias514
They are nonbinding, PROVIDED THAT you apologize profusely in the event of reneging on your promise. I broached this very subject in the allopathic forum, because I too wrote a letter of intent to my first choice school. After I reflected on my primary criteria for choosing a medical school, I developed serious misgivings about my first choice school--in particular, I was worried about the price tag. Two physicians advised me to not think of the LOI as binding; one of them, in fact, wrote an LOI to a school, broke his promise, and ended up doing his residency at this school. He told me that he called up the school and explained his situation; in effect, the school wrote him a letter, refunded his deposit, and wished him the best of luck in his medical studies. In other words, his failure to follow through on a promise did NOT adversely impact his future.

The bottom line is that applicants can't see the future and they aren't all-knowing, wise creatures; thus, it is acceptable to change your mind regarding a school. Just make sure that you inform the school of your choice and the rationale behind it, and that you apologize for the ethical blunder. Don't sweat it, man. It's your future. You're a human being and human beings, by definition, are fallible. Admissions committees are composed of physicians who are acutely aware of what it means to be human, to NOT be perfect.

Well said! thank you!

It would be unethical, imho, when you are writing them to every school, but if you wrote them to one, and then changed your mind due to financial/family/etc and explained it to the school, I don't think they would mind. Everyone's human and I hate it when people try to scare others by saying this and this did that and their acceptance was revoked.

 

[joker]

They are nonbinding, PROVIDED THAT you apologize profusely in the event of reneging on your promise. I broached this very subject in the allopathic forum, because I too wrote a letter of intent to my first choice school. After I reflected on my primary criteria for choosing a medical school, I developed serious misgivings about my first choice school--in particular, I was worried about the price tag. Two physicians advised me to not think of the LOI as binding; one of them, in fact, wrote an LOI to a school, broke his promise, and ended up doing his residency at this school. He told me that he called up the school and explained his situation; in effect, the school wrote him a letter, refunded his deposit, and wished him the best of luck in his medical studies. In other words, his failure to follow through on a promise did NOT adversely impact his future.

i agree! I don't think that a letter of intent can only be sent to one school, because after my first interview school A was my top choice, after my 2nd school B was, etc. I mean, things change as situations change and schools have to be understanding to that (esp. for financial/family reasons).

BUT...i do think that I would send a letter/call each school that I am withdrawing my acceptance from (esp. those that I had sent letters of intent to) and explain why I changed my mind. i mean, its not a big deal, we didnt lie about credentials or anything...and it opens up a spot for a waitlist student.

bottom line is - it's not ethical for a school to call other schools to check if someone sent a letter of intent to another school - that's really none of their business. i think school's revoking an acceptance due to 2 letters of intent is more of an urban legend....

good luck to all!

 

[Eraserhead]

What about stating in a thank you letter that you "plan to attend if accepted." I did this but now regret it as I have interviews at some choices higher on my list.

 

[Bendrix]

I find this thread fascinating, as I think that the ethics of letters of intent are pretty black and white, and most posters seem to disagree.

To me, it's clearly unethical to attempt to influence your chances of admission by providing false information to the committee. Sending multiple letters of intent--binding or not--means that you are lying to at least one school. There's no way around it people, you're violating a pretty low ethical standard.

Look, the title of this thread notwithstanding, I'm not arguing that a letter of intent is necessarily binding. I wouldn't suggest that you should stick to your word above all other considerations. In fact, I'm not too concerned what people do after they mail off their letters of intent. My argument is simply that applicants shouldn't be sending out insincere letters in the first place.

 

[joker]

What about stating in a thank you letter that you "plan to attend if accepted." I did this but now regret it as I have interviews at some choices higher on my list.

Many of us have done this, as we got unexpected interviews later in the season. This is why I'm saying I don't think the schools hold it against you. These types of things happen, especially when we're all so anxious to get in somewhere, and we get excited at each new opportunity. Bottom line is...things change and what you said at one point may have been the truth, but as you got more interviews, your thoughts changed. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[potuhusky]

Originally posted by jaycee
To me, it's clearly unethical to attempt to influence your chances of admission by providing false information to the committee.

can't argue with this. only write a LOI if there is no chance that you would go anywhere else. if you write one in which you creating holes in which to dig yourself out of, you are decieving the adcom who would expect you to keep their word.

IF YOU EXPECT SCHOOLS NOT TO WITHDRAW THEIR OFFER TO ADMIT YOU, THEY SHOULD EXPECT YOU TO HOLD YOUR WORD TO A LOI.

try this situation on for size:

i'm sorry mr. sdn. we are forced to withdraw our admission offer due to the fact that we found an alternate candidate who was willing to attend our school without the same scholarship we offered to you. it is in our best interest to maintain financial efficiency.

 

[potuhusky]

Originally posted by joker
Many of us have done this, as we got unexpected interviews later in the season. This is why I'm saying I don't think the schools hold it against you. These types of things happen, especially when we're all so anxious to get in somewhere, and we get excited at each new opportunity. Bottom line is...things change and what you said at one point may have been the truth, but as you got more interviews, your thoughts changed. Nothing wrong with that.

if you have the potential (whether likely or unlikely) to interview at a school you like better, don't write a LOI to the lower school you already interviewed at. its that simple!

and yes there is a lot wrong with that. if you can't see that this is blatently an unethical stategy to gain acceptance, then one has to wonder what kind of values you hold. this misrepresentation doesn't only affect you and the school, but also all the other applicants who the committee may have viewed you as equals, until they recieved your potentially deceiving letter.

bottom line: only write a LOI when all the cards are on the table. ya dig?

 

[powermd]

Interesting discussion. Over on the anesthesiology discussion board we had a thread discussing whether or not it was unethical to write your own letter of recommendation at the request of the presumed recommender (who was too lazy, too busy, or didn't know you well enough to write on his own.) The recommender would then sign the letter you wrote and have it added to your file.

I argued that it would be unethical simply because you know the reader is assuming the letter is the honest opinion of the person whose signature is at the bottom, and that can't possibly be guaranteed if the letter writer is also the applicant.

 

[Petitpois]

I agree with pothusky 100%... no one is psychic and can predict what school they will love the most come May 15, but everyone should be able to have some predictive abilities. Letters of intent shouldn't be used to gain leverage at a school that happens to be your current favorite out of the schools you've interviewed at SO FAR.

If you know as you write a letter of intent that you might change your mind later if some other schools give you the nod or offer you a better financial package, then that letter of intent shouldn't be sent out (in my opinion, intent shouldn't mean "I will go... unless x, y or z happens). On the other hand, no one can control a genuine change of heart.

 

[Tezzie]

Originally posted by potuhusky

try this situation on for size:

i'm sorry mr. sdn. we are forced to withdraw our admission offer due to the fact that we found an alternate candidate who was willing to attend our school without the same scholarship we offered to you. it is in our best interest to maintain financial efficiency.

Didn't Cornell do a mistake like that for their undergrad admissions? Some short of email problem that sent acceptance notifications to people who weren't actually admitted or something similar.

Cornell ppl correct me if i am wrong

 

[Rendar5]

LOI's are binding only if you make them binding in the wording.
"top choice so far" means your letter was not binding.

 

[turk00]

How am I being dishonest or unethical when I wrote in my letter that it is currently my top choice for medical school, and that I haven't finished all of my interviews yet? Maybe I am mistaking my letter for a letter of intent, when it is really just a letter of interest.

 

[Bendrix]

I think what you wrote is fine, and you shouldn't feel bad about it. It seems that we got off your original topic and your specific situation. It's the true letter of intent that some of us think gets misused, not the sort of expression of interest that you made. As long as you didn't go so far as to promise that you'll matriculate if you're accepted and as long as you didn't give the impression that your first-choice-so-far was your ultimate first choice, I would say there's no harm done.