Letters of Intent

[bufer1]

I have been placed on the waiting list by my first choice, Umich. any ideas on how I should go about writing a letter of intent letting them know that their #1 on my list? what should i include in such a letter and when is it most effectively sent to admissions? i remember them saying at the interview that they take people off the waiting list all year, but does that really happen?

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[bufer1]

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[futuredrswife]

same predicament here, different school (my husband). maybe you should wait until your fall grades come in and forward your letter of intent along with updated transcripts?

 

[clayito]

i'm also curious about letters of intent. anyone have any advice on this matter?

 

[clayito]

i'm also curious about letters of intent. anyone have any advice on this matter?

 

[dan0909]

I don't have any evidence for this, but for some reason i highly doubt that letters of intent actually do anything for you. "letters of intent" seem more like "letters of desperation."

I can't imagine an adcom letting someone in just because they sent a leter of intent....but i dunno...someone here on SDN has some examples, im sure.

Good luck,
Dan

 

[jlee9531]

Letters of Intent are helpful in the fact that they let Adcoms know that if they take you, you will definitely go to their school unlike a lot of other people who get accepted off the waitlist and decide not to go there anyway.
So I am sure that it is somewhat beneficial. Maybe they can be more confident in taking you off the waitlist once they start moving them.
My friend wrote LOIs for the school he is attending now (not Umich) telling them how much he liked it etc... and how even though he has acceptances to schools (that were higher ranked) he still wanted to go to theirs etc...

and I think in the end, it was a factor in the adcoms picking him off the list of people they had on the waitlist.

I am sure other people here who have actually written them can give you more advice on the content of the letter. I'll ask my friend later this weekend when he is done with his tests.

 

[Amy B]

I also used to think that letters of intent were good, but after going through this process and knowing how some schools handle things, I'm no longer sure if they are useful.

Here's why I think that. At a lot of schools you are given arating score after your interview. The committee meets, talks about you and then votes on a rating number. This number is then entered into their records and NEVER changes. It places you in a order. If you are lucky and your rating is high enough, you will get an acceptance. If it is too low you will be rejected. If it is medium then you will be waitilisted. If you get off the waitlist it will be because your rating value came up.

Here is where the letter of intent can help you. If they have 10 applicants with the exact same rating, MCAT and GPA then they look to see if there is a letter of intent. If there is you may be chosen above those who have the same rating and stats.

That is the only case where I think a letter of intent can help you. All this was actually explained to me by the dean of admissions at VCU/MCV.

 

[Eraserhead]

So really you never write a letter of intent unless you are on the waiting list at your first choice school and even then it probably won't matter?

Is it appropriate to write a letter of interest if you are strongly interested or more interested after interviewing etc.?

 

[Amy B]

Originally posted by DoctorKevin
So really you never write a letter of intent unless you are on the waiting list at your first choice school and even then it probably won't matter?

Is it appropriate to write a letter of interest if you are strongly interested or more interested after interviewing etc.?

I think if you write it right after the interview so they have before they meet about you, that would be ok. Maybe a thank you for interviewing me, I was very impressed about your school, it's my first choice, etc.........

 

[clayito]

thanks for the comments, they could prove to be very useful.

 

[spumoni620]

DEFINITELY write a letter of intent if it's your #1 school or if you really want to get in. At UMich, I stayed with a student who was a member of the admissions committee. She basically told me that if you're on the waitlist and write a letter, you get "bumped to the top". her words, not mine. she had also written a letter after her interview expressing her interest in umich.
same with columbia. they really want people who want to go there, and the students i talked to had nearly all written letters expressing their interest in the school. michigan in particular has an "active" waitlist, as opposed to vanderbilt (they told us they basically review the waitlist only one-two times until May). i think baylor's process is also very active (every two weeks they review candidates). in any case, it certainly isn't going to hurt you. if you're sincere and have more than just b.s. to say on your loi, i would definitely go for it.

 

[docmemi]

any suggestions on what to include on the loi?

how bout writing a letter of interest pre-interview?

thanks.

 

[docmemi]

bump

 

[jlee9531]

i dont think preinterview loi is a good idea.

its just something you dont do.

 

[Sprockette]

To the OP: DEFINITELY write an LOI to Umich if it is your first choice school.

Michigan likes students that SHOW INTEREST. If I were you (which I was, two years ago), I would send them an update letter with your fall grades and any new activities, once your fall semester ends. This of course assumes you are still a student, but if you aren't, keep reading anyway. In the update letter, mention your continued interest in the school, but hold off on committing yourself to the school until AFTER you have completed all of your interviews. That way, you can be sure that Umich is truly your first choice, and your letter will hold more weight. At that point, if Michigan is still your number one choice, send them a letter, tell them how impressed you were with the school (elaborate a bit here if you want), why it is your first choice, and that should you be accepted there, you would definitely attend. And if for some reason you are still on the waitlist in May, you could try supplementing your application again; always update on new activities and grades, and you could even have an additional letter of recommendation sent if it is from someone who really knows you and can give a fresh perspective on your character.

These are just my suggestions; I have to say they worked pretty well for me, as I'm now an M2 here at umich. And most importantly, don't get discouraged that you are on the waitlist; you interviewed very early in the game, so Umich already likes you. And what they told you on interview day is true: the waitlist DOES move a lot, so you are most definitely still in the game. Hang in there and hopefully everything will work out for you! PM me if you have any questions.