Question about Letter of Intent

[turtles43]

Hello!

I was wait listed at my top choice that has a lot of wait list movement, but I have also been accepted to a few other MD schools that I would be very happy attending.

My question is- if I write a letter of intent to my top choice, how late in the game can they really hold me to that letter of intent? I'd hate to be all set to go to one school and then be pulled off the wait list in June or July to another. Is there a way to withdraw your letter of intent after a certain point in time? I definitely don't want to go back on what I say in the letter.

Thanks for the input!

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[ndafife]

They can't hold you to a letter of intent. Which is why writing one has so little effect

 

[turtles43]

They can't hold you to a letter of intent. Which is why writing one has so little effect

The school where I've been wait listed seems to almost require one to get in off the wait list. Apparently, they go a long way at this school.

 

[Yorick]

The LOI is not a legally binding document. If you get pulled off the waitlist late and you decide you actually don't want to attend, the world won't stop. Another student will be offered a spot and I doubt the Dean will lose any sleep over you going back on your 'commitment.' It's fine to change your mind.

 

[turtles43]

How do you reach that conclusion? what official information have you gleaned?

They talked about it on interview day and I've seen it multiple times on the school-specific thread.

 

[turtles43]

As a trivial academic exercise into contract law (please no premed paranoia for me saying this) , it could be one but no medical school would do so. Theoretically, you are offering an agreement and the party to whom you are making this offer can reply with an acceptance and that would be construed as an executed agreement. A formal contract (ie matriculation agreement) can follow later in support of that agreement. This is how you purchase a house: you make a offer of the price that should be signed (I, John Smith, intent to buy this house at 123 Jones street, Anywhere, USA, for $100,00). You have legally agreed on the price. The formal contract is just the mechanism upon this will take place.

Again, no medical school does this, but it is why there is an emphasis on only issuing a single LOI, for both legal and ethical reasons

If I send only one LOI and they haven't accepted me off the wait list by say June, is it acceptable/ethical to just withdraw myself off of their wait list?

 

[xffan624]

If I send only one LOI and they haven't accepted me off the wait list by say June, is it acceptable/ethical to just withdraw myself off of their wait list?

Yes. That's fine.

 

[turtles43]

Thank you!

 

[CCresearcher]

If I send only one LOI and they haven't accepted me off the wait list by say June, is it acceptable/ethical to just withdraw myself off of their wait list?

To escape any potential legal or ethical issues, I think it might be a good idea to write a letter of interest, not a letter of intent. Basically, you can express that the school is your first choice, describe why you want to attend and think you'd make an idea candidate, but not make any sort of formal commitment to attend should you be pulled off the wait list. It's not as powerful as a letter of intent, but since you are perfectly happy going to those other schools, your level of interest isn't as powerful as it might be for a different student.

I just think it's really unethical to send a letter of intent if you might not follow through. While most schools don't consider the letters truly binding, so you are unlikely to get into any sort of legal trouble, you certainly can do damage to your reputation, which could hurt you when you later apply for residency.

 

[turtles43]

That all makes sense. Having a tough time deciding what to do

 

[CCresearcher]

That all makes sense. Having a tough time deciding what to do

I really feel like a letter of interest would perfectly meet your needs. You can be really effusive in your letter and make it clear to the school why you want to go.

It's just dishonest to write a letter of intent if it isn't true. It's certainly your choice, and you are unlikely to face any official consequences for revoking a letter, but I think from a purely ethical standpoint it's unquestionably wrong to misrepresent your interest like that.

Best of luck with whatever choice you make

 

[CognitiveSci]

As a trivial academic exercise into contract law (please no premed paranoia for me saying this) , it could be one but no medical school would do so. Theoretically, you are offering an agreement and the party to whom you are making this offer can reply with an acceptance and that would be construed as an executed agreement. A formal contract (ie matriculation agreement) can follow later in support of that agreement. This is how you purchase a house: you make a offer of the price that should be signed (I, John Smith, intent to buy this house at 123 Jones street, Anywhere, USA, for $100,00). You have legally agreed on the price. The formal contract is just the mechanism upon this will take place.

Again, no medical school does this, but it is why there is an emphasis on only issuing a single LOI, for both legal and ethical reasons

Does it count if there's no signature?

 

[xffan624]

I really feel like a letter of interest would perfectly meet your needs. You can be really effusive in your letter and make it clear to the school why you want to go.

It's just dishonest to write a letter of intent if it isn't true. It's certainly your choice, and you are unlikely to face any official consequences for revoking a letter, but I think from a purely ethical standpoint it's unquestionably wrong to misrepresent your interest like that.

Best of luck with whatever choice you make

This is poor advice, IMO. OP intends to go to this school if given an acceptance. They will withdraw their intent when the inconvenience would outweigh their desire to attend. There's nothing unethical about it. All indications from OP are that an letter of intent is valued. An interest letter would presumably put them at a disadvantage for no particular reason.

 

[turtles43]

This is poor advice, IMO. OP intends to go to this school if given an acceptance. They will withdraw their intent when the inconvenience would outweigh their desire to attend. There's nothing unethical about it. All indications from OP are that an letter of intent is valued. An interest letter would presumably put them at a disadvantage for no particular reason.

This is where my concern comes from. I don't want to put myself at an unnecessary disadvantage.

 

[CCresearcher]

This is where my concern comes from. I don't want to put myself at an unnecessary disadvantage.

I guess it depends on how you word the letter of intent. In general, they say something along the lines of "if accepted, I will attend x school." To me, if you say that you'll attend the school if they take you off the waitlist, knowing that there are circumstances in which that wouldn't be true, that's unethical. But it's totally your decision. If you feel comfortable with that, go for it. I personally wouldn't do it.

As we've all said, it's unlikely to really hurt you in the long run. It's possible it could, but it almost certainly won't. It's more a matter of what you feel is the right thing to do for you.

 

[turtles43]

I guess it depends on how you word the letter of intent. In general, they say something along the lines of "if accepted, I will attend x school." To me, if you say that you'll attend the school if they take you off the waitlist, knowing that there are circumstances in which that wouldn't be true, that's unethical. But it's totally your decision. If you feel comfortable with that, go for it. I personally wouldn't do it.

As we've all said, it's unlikely to really hurt you in the long run. It's possible it could, but it almost certainly won't. It's more a matter of what you feel is the right thing to do for you.

Well if I am accepted, I will attend. But was planning on withdrawing this intent if it gets to be too late. At that point I wouldn't be turning down an acceptance but withdrawing from the wait list. The other school that I would attend is 1200 miles away and I want to look into housing before June/July. I don't know- a lot to think about.

 

[ChrisMack390]

sending an email could be acceptable as a contract. Legally a contract is simply two parties agreeing on an offer and promise. Verbal contracts are legally binding. The issue there is proving it in court.

You're gonna give this kid a heart attack

 

[CCresearcher]

Well if I am accepted, I will attend. But was planning on withdrawing this intent if it gets to be too late. At that point I wouldn't be turning down an acceptance but withdrawing from the wait list. The other school that I would attend is 1200 miles away and I want to look into housing before June/July. I don't know- a lot to think about.

I think you can rationalize it however you want, but it's still dishonest to send a letter of intent with a big asterisk that you'll only go if it's convenient for you.

That said, honesty alone shouldn't be your whole decision. When someone asks me if I like their haircut, I say yes, because I value their feelings over the small lie. You just have to decide, for you, where this falls on the spectrum of okay. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not you, nor am I in your situation.

I don't think you're likely to face lasting consequences, so put that part of the issue out of your mind. You're not going to get sued or kicked out of your other schools or anything like that. If that's all you came here to find out, there's your answer.

But, when people in your situation do send letters of intent and don't follow through, that does dilute the effect of the letter for everyone else. One letter doesn't make much difference, but collectively they all do.

That's why, again, I'd recommend a strongly worded letter of interest. I really feel that you can convey without any doubt that this one school alone is your top choice and you'd make a wonderful addition to their class without unequivocally stating you'll go there.

 

[turtles43]

I think you can rationalize it however you want, but it's still dishonest to send a letter of intent with a big asterisk that you'll only go if it's convenient for you.

That said, honesty alone shouldn't be your whole decision. When someone asks me if I like their haircut, I say yes, because I value their feelings over the small lie. You just have to decide, for you, where this falls on the spectrum of okay. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not you, nor am I in your situation.

I don't think you're likely to face lasting consequences, so put that part of the issue out of your mind. You're not going to get sued or kicked out of your other schools or anything like that. If that's all you came here to find out, there's your answer.

But, when people in your situation do send letters of intent and don't follow through, that does dilute the effect of the letter for everyone else. One letter doesn't make much difference, but collectively they all do.

That's why, again, I'd recommend a strongly worded letter of interest. I really feel that you can convey without any doubt that this one school alone is your top choice and you'd make a wonderful addition to their class without unequivocally stating you'll go there.

I understand what you're saying. Thank you for your input!

 

[xffan624]

I think you can rationalize it however you want, but it's still dishonest to send a letter of intent with a big asterisk that you'll only go if it's convenient for you.

That said, honesty alone shouldn't be your whole decision. When someone asks me if I like their haircut, I say yes, because I value their feelings over the small lie. You just have to decide, for you, where this falls on the spectrum of okay. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not you, nor am I in your situation.

I don't think you're likely to face lasting consequences, so put that part of the issue out of your mind. You're not going to get sued or kicked out of your other schools or anything like that. If that's all you came here to find out, there's your answer.

But, when people in your situation do send letters of intent and don't follow through, that does dilute the effect of the letter for everyone else. One letter doesn't make much difference, but collectively they all do.

That's why, again, I'd recommend a strongly worded letter of interest. I really feel that you can convey without any doubt that this one school alone is your top choice and you'd make a wonderful addition to their class without unequivocally stating you'll go there.

OP is completely sincere about his letter of intent. It's not a binding contract to never change his mind or stay faithful to this school until matriculation day (by your logic, if his school's he's accepted to has an earlier matriculation day than school B than he should withdraw from the accepted school so he's available until school B's matriculation day). It's a statement that if offered an acceptance, he will attend the school. OP wants to attend B, but logistically he has to make a decision to attend school A by "x" date. He will do this by withdrawing from the waitlist on "x" date. This nullifies his previous LOI in a completely appropriate and above board manner. It's not school A's matriculation day, but for him it's the rubicon crossing day when it's no longer feasible to attend school B. I honestly don't understand what is seen as unethical about this.

 

[Shirafune]

I don't see what the fuss is about. As @xffan624 said, it's a promise with a conditional statement built in. (If accepted,) I will attend your school. Isn't it obvious you have to be accepted to matriculate to a school? If a school hasn't accepted you by a certain point, then you can withdraw from the school. It's not breaking any promises you made.

Send letter of intent and reevaluate later, but if accepted to said school, you should commit to going. It's only disingenuous if you send the letter of intent, become accepted, but still choose to matriculate elsewhere because your circumstances have improved at another school. The only exception, for example, would be if your parents became gravely ill and you needed to rescind your intent to matriculate because you need to live close to them. That is a reasonable, unpredictable situation to nullify a letter of intent.