Update letter close to 2 pages w/ header and sig?

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Hey guys, I know that a 1-page letter is the target, but if mine is a little over 1.5 pages, including header and sig (which total over a third of a page themselves =/), that won't hurt its impact, right? Or is it actually a significant deal to get it down closer to 1 page?

No clue, but just IMO, if you wrote 1.5 pages of actual update (meaning not just a lot of filler), that's actually impressive lol. I really doubt that they would hold it against you unless they specifically stated for update letters to only be one page max

I'd definitely stick to a page total. Do you really need more than that? Even with multiple updates I can't see how it would be necessary to use that much space.

Originally Posted by Pattycake25

I know that a 1-page letter is the target, but if mine is a little over 1.5 pages, including header and sig (which total over a third of a page themselves =/), that won't hurt its impact, right? Or is it actually a significant deal to get it down closer to 1 page?

It depends on whether you want it skimmed or read thoroughly. Maybe you could make the font a little smaller, but not too small.

Originally Posted by Catalystik

It depends on whether you want it skimmed or read thoroughly. Maybe you could make the font a little smaller, but not too small.

Maybe it's just your avatar but for some reason I picture you as a sweet little old lady surrounded by cats, wearing reading glasses (or maybe bifocals), sitting in a rocking chair with a MacBook. Am I close??

Originally Posted by Catalystik

It depends on whether you want it skimmed or read thoroughly. Maybe you could make the font a little smaller, but not too small.

I think this is the key. A lot of my update letters were over a page and I didn't get any responses to any of them. That's just my personal experience, so take that as a n=1 grain of salt, but I think it probably would have been better if I had kept it to a single page.

Remember, they read hundreds and hundreds of update letters/letters of intent. Short, sweet and to the point is the way to go.

Yeah, you guys all make a very good point. I didn't know if this was another case of the overobsessive premed, but it actually sounds pretty critical, so I will be trimming it down. Thank you guys!

Originally Posted by dmf2682

Maybe it's just your avatar but for some reason I picture you as a sweet little old lady surrounded by cats, wearing reading glasses (or maybe bifocals), sitting in a rocking chair with a MacBook. Am I close??

You got the glasses right.