LOI ethics

[finnpipette]

according the aamc website:

"After May 15, schools may require applicants to respond to acceptance offers in less than two weeks. An applicant may be required to file a statement of intent, a deposit, or both. The statement of intent should provide freedom to withdraw if the applicant is later accepted by a school that he or she prefers. Under no circumstances should an applicant be asked to withdraw from waiting lists as a condition of accepting a place. "

So it's not unethical to send a letter of intent and then enroll in another institution if accepted to a more desirable institution...however, it doesn't say that for before May 15...additional comments?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Rendar5]

letter of intent is not the same as a statement of intent.

 

[kwanny]

Originally posted by Rendar5
letter of intent is not the same as a statement of intent.

then what is the difference?

 

[HollyJ]

A letter of intent is something that you send to a school that has not yet accepted you saying that they are your first choice and that you will attend if accepted. It's meant to help you get in.

A statement of intent is what you send after you're accepted, saying that you plan to attend.

 

[Rendar5]

^^^^
yep. You are ethically bound if you send a letter to a school saying that you will attend if they accept. You are not ethically bound if they accept you and you say you'll go there.

 

[kwanny]

Originally posted by Rendar5
^^^^
yep. You are ethically bound if you send a letter to a school saying that you will attend if they accept. You are not ethically bound if they accept you and you say you'll go there.

What if the school X was honestly your first choice at the time you wrote the letter, but realized a few months later that you'd rather be at school Y? would you still be ethically bound to go to school X?

 

[Rendar5]

unfortunately. Though if you're afraid your top choice might flip-flop in your mind (like for me), then you could always send a letter of interest to try to get off wait-lists

 

[HollyJ]

Originally posted by kwanny
What if the school X was honestly your first choice at the time you wrote the letter, but realized a few months later that you'd rather be at school Y? would you still be ethically bound to go to school X?

Yep. The whole point of a letter of intent is to commit to a school in the hopes that they will take you as a "sure thing." It would be a bad, bad thing to reneg on it. That's why you shouldn't write a LOI unless you are 100% sure that you would attend a given school if you got in.

 

[robotdancing]

Originally posted by js2003
Hi,

From all the schools to which I applied to, I am really interested in about 3 of them. If I write a letter to these 3 schools stating that I'm really interested in your schools, would these letters fall under the "LOI" category, and, thus, should only be written to the school that is my top choice school? Or, is it okay to write to all these 3 schools stating I'm really interested in them?...any advice? Thanks.

unless you specifically state that you will attend school x if you are accepted there, i don't think it qualifies as a letter of intent. (but be careful, don't imply anything that you're not sure you could follow up on)

 

[Spitting Camel]

Originally posted by js2003
Hi,

From all the schools to which I applied to, I am really interested in about 3 of them. If I write a letter to these 3 schools stating that I'm really interested in your schools, would these letters fall under the "LOI" category, and, thus, should only be written to the school that is my top choice school? Or, is it okay to write to all these 3 schools stating I'm really interested in them?...any advice? Thanks.

See the comment above mine and the one on the thread entitled "How do you write a LOI?"

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by AlreadyInDebt
See the comment above mine and the one on the thread entitled "How do you write a LOI?"

hey already....

i think your post count doubled tonight just on this one topic alone aye?

 

[Spitting Camel]

Seriously, I think it should be against SDN rules to bug people this much with the same cut-and-paste comment. Also, UCIPMED should be banned!! See A to A+ thread!