Any success with a bold letter of intent?

[rratsa]

I just finished writing a letter of intent to my first choice school and also included an update on my recent activities. It's a good letter, very well written, but it's just a bit cookie cutter. It might help but I also think it could just get thrown in my file and not even given a good look.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever written a letter of intent that was bold or out of the ordinary and had success? I am tempted to do it, but obviously don't want to hurt my chances by doing this.

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[mmmcdowe]

The boldness doesn't matter, the emphasis on committment is what they look at.

 

[Goro]

You do realize the schools ignore LOI?

Also, it's not about what you want; it's about what he school's want.

I just finished writing a letter of intent to my first choice school and also included an update on my recent activities. It's a good letter, very well written, but it's just a bit cookie cutter. It might help but I also think it could just get thrown in my file and not even given a good look.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever written a letter of intent that was bold or out of the ordinary and had success? I am tempted to do it, but obviously don't want to hurt my chances by doing this.

 

[rratsa]

You do realize the schools ignore LOI?

Also, it's not about what you want; it's about what he school's want.

I know but as a neurotic pre-med it's not easy to sit back and wait. At least this makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something.

 

[Goro]

Patience is a virtue, the need for instant gratification is not.

I know but as a neurotic pre-med it's not easy to sit back and wait. At least this makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something.

 

[referee3]

Patience is a virtue, the need for instant gratification is not.

Take Goro's advice OP. he has far more wisdom on these matters than you.

 

[rratsa]

Patience is a virtue, the need for instant gratification is not.

Ok guess i'll just try to sit back and relax. Thanks.

 

[mik30102]

Ok guess i'll just try to sit back and relax. Thanks.

I'll have to disagree with @Goro since I feel its more school dependent. For example one school straight up told us during interview day that they take letter of intents seriously if you were wait listed and to send one if you were serious about attending the school. I'm sure some schools basically just throw them out though.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I just finished writing a letter of intent to my first choice school and also included an update on my recent activities. It's a good letter, very well written, but it's just a bit cookie cutter. It might help but I also think it could just get thrown in my file and not even given a good look.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever written a letter of intent that was bold or out of the ordinary and had success? I am tempted to do it, but obviously don't want to hurt my chances by doing this.

How bold are we talking? Are we talking something like, "If you accept me I would go to your school no questions asked. If you don't I will burn your school to the ground."

Because i did that and I ended up being a re-applicant, after I got out of jail. I'd recommend against it.

 

[Amba]

I'll have to disagree with @Goro since I feel its more school dependent. For example one school straight up told us during interview day that they take letter of intents seriously if you were wait listed and to send one if you were serious about attending the school. I'm sure some schools basically just throw them out though.

Agree completely. I had success with an honest, well-written LOI to my top choice school. Other classmates of mine had similar results.

 

[breakintheroof]

Agree completely. I had success with an honest, well-written LOI to my top choice school. Other classmates of mine had similar results.

Thirded. There are at least a handful of schools that solicit LOIs. Listen to what they tell you on interview day. For example, @mmmcdowe posted above something that matches what I have heard consistently about his alma mater:

The boldness doesn't matter, the emphasis on commitment is what they look at.

 

[itsogre]

Thirded. There are at least a handful of schools that solicit LOIs. Listen to what they tell you on interview day. For example, @mmmcdowe posted above something that matches what I have heard consistently about his alma mater:

Fourthed. At several school, they very much emphasized the importance of commitment. I think LOIs are actually very helpful at schools that mention them during interview day - the admissions people might not say "letter of intent," but they will definitely let you know that update/interest letters are appreciated if you're waitlisted (Georgetown is notorious for waitlisting many, and requiring what essentially is an LOI to activate your application), or deferred admission (Boston University looking at you pal). I think private schools are more likely to appreciate an LOI since they want to draw a cohesive class that didn't "settle" for that school (at least in outward demeanor).

Some schools (especially state schools) do not care much for LOIs/updates, especially if they rank the waitlist. At those schools, it's unlikely that an LOI would have an impact on the application. State schools are probably more likely to have a numerical score for each applicant, and admit applicants in that way.

 

[blueharbor]

Fifthed. At my interview day at a top 15 school, my interviewer straight-up instructed me to send a letter of intent to admissions. (I don't know if it helped, but my interviewer has been interviewing there for a long time.)