Comments on Letters of Intent/Interest

[SanDiegoSOD]

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I'm sure that many of you are currently considering writing a letter of intent to your #1 choice as the interview season begins to wind down. Before you start a thread inquiring about how to write a letter of intent, take a look through the first few pages of threads here on SDN, as you're bound to find at least a few threads relating to the topic, and use the search function for a look at older threads. This is one of those topics that has been discussed to death on SDN, and there are loads and loads of information and opinions on both letters of intent and letters of interest. In case you don't know the difference between the two, a letter of intent is sent to your top choice school post-interview to express your explicit interest; it is considered by many to be ethically binding (that is, if you are accepted by the school that you sent the letter to, then you will attend that school - hence the letter is called a letter of "intent"). Letters of interest are sent pre or post interview to remind the school that, yes, you are still hoping to hear positively from them, and that the school maintains your fascination. Letters of interest can be sent to many schools, but should only be sent to schools that you are actually interested in .

Good luck 👍

 

[RangerD]

I'm sure that many of you are currently considering writing a letter of intent to your #1 choice as the interview season begins to wind down. Before you start a thread inquiring about how to write a letter of intent, take a look through the first few pages of threads here on SDN, as you're bound to find at least a few threads relating to the topic. This is one of those topics that has been discussed to death on SDN, and there are loads and loads of information and opinions on both letters of intent and letters of interest. In case you don't know the difference between the two, a letter of intent is sent to your top choice school post-interview to express your explicit interest; it is considered by many to be ethically binding (that is, if you are accepted by the school that you sent the letter to, then you will attend that school - hence the letter is called a letter of "intent"). Letters of interest are sent pre or post interview to remind the school that, yes, you are still hoping to hear positively from them, and that the school maintains your fascination.

Good luck 👍

I sent a letter of interest to all schools and a letter of intent to my #1, as stated above. However, I really don't know how much, if any, it affects things. Within a few minutes after each interview, the interviewer scored me based on the interview. The committee has some score assigned to my application shortly thereafter. By the time the letter is received, all that has been done. So, did it really make a difference that I sent a letter or not? I don't know. I did get one acceptance already, but I don't know if the letter had anything to do with it. Perhaps I'll never know. I guess it is better to be safe than sorry! 🙂