Do the right thing or play the game?

Parent Cafe
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<p>See also this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1217996-do-right-thing-look-out-number-one.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1217996-do-right-thing-look-out-number-one.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Interesting question. DD wrote one to her first choice of medical schools and got a call taking her off of the WL within days. Does it happen often?..I doubt it, but a well written letter couldn’t hurt. IMHO, the way to go would be a letter to one school with a guarantee and letters to any other schools strongly re-expressing interest. I would not encourage a student to write to multiple schools saying that if accepted they would definitely attend.</p>

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<p>Good point Nrdsb4.
That said, I think that admissions is something of a game. Colleges certainly game the students. The level of dishonestly amazes me sometimes. In particular, I am thinking of the letters from colleges that state the financial aid package. The student (and many times the parent also) reads it as having gotten a full-ride when in fact, what they have gotten is a small grant and a packet of loans. </p>

<p>In the case of my kids, this issue never came up. They applied early (October) and got their acceptance letters early (rolling admissions schools). This question was never asked so may kids never answered it. I had no idea that some schools ask.</p>