Writing Withdrawal Letters Forum

[I am Hydrogen]

Does anyone have any comments on what to include in one? Since I'm withdrawing from the school, I guess it's not that important to impress them with my writing ability anymore, but I'd rather do it right.

Should I just mention that I would like to withdraw, or should I mention where I decided to attend?

[themillsman22]

Here's a general format...

To (potential contact person) and the Admissions Staff at Law School:

After careful consideration I have decided to withdraw from admission to Law School.

I am honored to be one of the applicants accepted to your law school. I appreciate the time and consideration you have given my application, as well as the subsequent materials you have sent to help me make an informed decision. If applicable: To turn down such an amazing scholarship is a remarkably difficult decision, but one I feel is best for me. While I am certain I would receive an excellent legal education from Law School, I am weighing several offers more heavily at this time. To be fair to other applicants, as well as your staff, I believe now is an appropriate time to withdraw my admission.

If there is a formal procedure (a letter or form), please let me know and I will do so immediately. I wish you the best of luck in finding excellent candidates for Law School.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

It's probably more than is necessary, a "I'd like to withrdaw my admission, thanks for the consideration" would be enough, but so many of the schools admissions offices are so nice I feel compelled to write a little more.

[underdawg]

Take a poop on a piece of paper????

[themillsman22]

Take a poop on a piece of paper????

That would be hard to transmit in e-mail form. I suppose you could scan it. If you did it snail mail, depending on how much, it might cost more than the 41 cents, too. I wouldn't recommend this idea.

[underdawg]

Just go to Kinko's, fax it, and get the hell out of there before any employees notice what you're doing.

[rabbit9198]

This is one variation of what I've sent so far:

To Whom It May Concern:

Thank you very much for your offer of admission and the very generous scholarship. At this time, I am writing to request that you withdraw my application to the entering JD class. I will also send by mail tomorrow the official response form.

I appreciate all of the kind words and friendly communications over the past few months on behalf of your faculty, staff, alumni, and current students. The alumni [and/or current students] with whom I was able to speak at the recent [admitted student event] had fantastic things to say about the school, and their excitement seems to be contagious. Truly, [law school name] is clearly a special place to study law.

Kind regards, and best of luck with what is sure to be a talented enrolling class,

me

[themillsman22]

Yea, that's a nice one rabbit. I like the mention of the alumni/current students.

[I am Hydrogen]

Thanks millsman and rabbit. Both of those letters were very helpful.

[Golgothan]

I plan on the following,

Dear _______,

I respectfully decline your offer of admission.


Sincerely,
Golgothan.

I bet that admissions people prefer that over anything else.

[Hitachi]

I wrote a very simple one like the above. It seems almost like mockery of the school's rejection letters to be so consoling ("it's not you, it's me"), and they aren't as emotionally invested in the result as we are. I did include the information they asked for on the hard-copy form though (some asked for LSAC #, SS#, which school you were attending instead etc.)

[zeezoo]

lol I wrote one sentence via e-mail.

[rabbit9198]

I wrote a very simple one like the above. It seems almost like mockery of the school's rejection letters to be so consoling ("it's not you, it's me"), and they aren't as emotionally invested in the result as we are. I did include the information they asked for on the hard-copy form though (some asked for LSAC #, SS#, which school you were attending instead etc.)

Fair enough. I only wrote "nice things" in instances where I had actually had very nice interactions with their reps (be they students, alumni, faculty, whatever).


A question to the crowd: what are you saying when they ask "where are you going instead" if you don't know yet? It seems kind of snide to say, "I'm still deciding between x, y, and z...I just knew I don't want to go to ABC Law School." I ended up writing:

At this point, I haven't decided where I will be in the fall quite yet, but I have narrowed down my list to between [a, b, c, and d]. I was blessed with an abundance of great options, and it has been and continues to be a tough decision-making process to find just the right "fit" for me.

...but I'm not sure that's the best option.

[gedmem2]

Most schools seem curious about where you plan on attending instead of their school, so you could include that.

[themillsman22]

I don't know. If they asked that I'd say I am currently leaning towards A & B. If you don't end up going to either one, oh well, you said you were leaning. While I tend to write a slightly less perfunctory withdrawal, the other posters were correct in saying that schools are less invested in the process. They are mainly just curious where you are headed, so I wouldn't sweat this.

[Origin]

Dear <Law School>

I'm not coming.

That's what she said.

Sincerely,
<Applicant name>

[CampbellRh]

I wrote a very simple one like the above. It seems almost like mockery of the school's rejection letters to be so consoling ("it's not you, it's me"), and they aren't as emotionally invested in the result as we are. I did include the information they asked for on the hard-copy form though (some asked for LSAC #, SS#, which school you were attending instead etc.)

Fair enough. I only wrote "nice things" in instances where I had actually had very nice interactions with their reps (be they students, alumni, faculty, whatever).


A question to the crowd: what are you saying when they ask "where are you going instead" if you don't know yet? It seems kind of snide to say, "I'm still deciding between x, y, and z...I just knew I don't want to go to ABC Law School." I ended up writing:

At this point, I haven't decided where I will be in the fall quite yet, but I have narrowed down my list to between [a, b, c, and d]. I was blessed with an abundance of great options, and it has been and continues to be a tough decision-making process to find just the right "fit" for me.

...but I'm not sure that's the best option.

I've just been saying that I have yet to make a final decision. But, if it is important for their records, I will let them know at a later date.

[themillsman22]

Good call, Campbell.

[t00i]

I haven't withdrawn from any places I've been accepted yet, just places I've lost patience with. I was wondering, would it be in poor taste to include a hand-written note at the bottom of a withdrawal letter? Maybe something like "You could have had me if you hadn't been so damn slow. Take care."

[underdawg]

I haven't withdrawn from any places I've been accepted yet, just places I've lost patience with. I was wondering, would it be in poor taste to include a hand-written note at the bottom of a withdrawal letter? Maybe something like "You could have had me if you hadn't been so damn slow. Take care."

Yes. Was that really a question?

[kn6542]

Dear <Law School>

I'm not coming.

That's what she said.

Sincerely,
<Applicant name>

Oooooh. I'm actually going to use this one.

[underdawg]

^
jerk

[mathec1]

Dear kn6542,

Are those two naked dudes in your avatar? I really can't tell. I think if someone assured me that one of them was not, in fact, a dude, I would be a lot more comfortable glancing at it from time to time.

Sincerely,

mathec1

[underdawg]

^
homophobe

[kn6542]

Dear kn6542,

Are those two naked dudes in your avatar? I really can't tell. I think if someone assured me that one of them was not, in fact, a dude, I would be a lot more comfortable glancing at it from time to time.

Sincerely,

mathec1

Why do you need assurance?

They aren't naked, but their pants got cropped.

[kn6542]

^
jerk

I'm not really gonna do it.