How early is too early for Letters of Intent?

[Lccjblu]

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I'm expecting to hear back from one of my schools on or a little after October 15th, and its a place that I would really like to go to. I'm hoping that the decision will be an acceptance, but in the even that it is a WL spot, do you think that it's too early to send in a LOI right after getting the decision?

 

[rafflecopter]

I don't think its too early right after the decision. It might show that you're really interested in going to the program. Just don't pre-draft it so you can send it the day of your notice, because that's probably a bit of bad luck and definitely a little gunnerish.

 

[Musclemass]

It's too early. If you're on the WL, they've just considered your app and decided to put you on ice. They're not going to revisit that decision now just because you send them a letter.

There's no need for the schools to fill up all the slots too early, spots are held for applicants coming for later interviews. After interviews, a letter of intent may or may not push you up to upper reaches of the list as they go back and reconsider who's on hold. Better if the letter arrives when the WL review is going on, not now. That's toward the end of the interview schedule.

 

[accidentprone]

Doesn't the LOI depend on if you have offers elsewhere?

If you don't have any other offers, then it's obvious (or will be later in the cycle when schools can see where you've applied and if you have offers) that you'll go to the school that takes your name off the WL and offers an acceptance.

Without any competing offers, it seems like a letter of intent is more like a letter stating your interest in a school and a plea to move you up the WL. I suspect a lot of the action in this area happens in May when applicants are only allowed to hold one acceptance at a time.

If you publish an article, receive a significant award, get new MCAT scores, or do something else noteworthy that an adcom may be interested in, you could send a letter updating your application. Such a letter could move you up a WL depending on the school.

 

[gravitywave]

it's too early.

best way to demonstrate interest is not to say it, but show it. multiple letters, over several months.

persistence is more important than timing. If I were an admissions person, Intent Letters wouldn't be worth anything special anyway (and i'm pretty skeptical as to whether they are)