My D24 got accepted for one of her top choices for theatre programs for Fall 2024. However the theater department wants her to submit a “letter of intent” on 4/15, which is one month before the general university requires a commitment. We are concerned about this deadline, for a number of reasons. First, our financial situation is such that we absolutely need to know what the school’s financial aid package will be and know that there are delays bc of FAFSA. Second, assuming we can find out what the aid package is for this school and depending upon how much it will cost, DD would like to know what her other colleges acceptances are (and their financial aid packages) before we commit to this school. Last, DD has been struggling with a health issue that we are currently undergoing testing for. We’d like to know more about the results before we make college decisions both in terms of the best college environment for her and whether she needs a gap year. This program accepts only a small number (to make a cohort of 12 students each year) and is fairly well known within our community, so we don’t want to burn a bridge both In terms of if we need to apply again next year (if she needs the gap year) or potential future interaction in her career in the theatre world. Recently the professor in charge of the program gave us a tour and afterwards we expressed concern about not knowing the financial picture before the deadline. The director suggested we contact the financial aid office…they basically told us that things are delayed this year and we should know more early April. My question is how binding are these letters of intent? Any advice on how to handle this situation? Thanks!
Hi! Congratulations!! We were in a similar situation last year. My kiddo was given a full scholarship and admission to a BFA program in February that they really loved, they were asked to commit by mid-march but were unsure if they wanted to pursue a BFA, and was hoping to wait until they had all their decisions, as they had applied to some selective schools.
We learned that “letters of intent” are not binding at all. As long as you only write one, and if you pull out do so before or concurrently with accepting another offer. Mine commited to the scholarship and the BFA and then decided to pull out when they were admitted to their first choice school, a BA program, that they thought they had no shot at. When they reached out to this program they got a quick and warm response, wishing them well and letting them know that they were thought of highly.
Super helpful to hear your experience. Thanks for sharing it! Do you mind if I ask how you found out that the “letter of intent” was not binding? We were thinking to ask the program director, but we didn’t want it to sound like we weren’t going to take the commitment seriously. Especially after she had spent so much time talking to us, we know she would remember if DD decided to backout on her decision.
Hi, We asked the program. My kiddo loved the program and let them know that they were honored, that they had not commited to any other school, and at this point this was their top choice, but that they would not be positive until May 1 (which was the deadline for most programs last year) and wanted to know what would happen if they ended up not attending.
I think that if your daughter thinks she may want to defer for a year, or reapply, it is definitely worth reaching out to the program with your concerns/questions, no need to share personal health information, but them know that she loves the program and plans to attend, but there are other factors weighing in to her plans, and it is impossible to make a binding agreement without specific financial information - that is fair.
Good luck!
Deborah
So then if you do write a letter of intent, did you wait to reject other school’s offers until you knew what their financial aid is like? And then we just found out that one of the schools actually has given an acceptance with a a financial aid package…so for that school, would writing this letter of intent, cancel this offer?
Hi,
We only rejected offers that we were sure we did not want. Writing a letter of intent did not cancel anything at any other school. In our situation, we were not waiting on financial aid, we were waiting for admissions information, and to arrange a visit to California. But, this year is different - you need financial aid information in order to be able to make a decision. I know this is so stressful, but it will work out. The good news is that you have acceptances to programs that your daughter likes! Good luck!
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