How to write a letter of intent?

[Elysium]

Hey ya'll,

Currently attempting to get off the waitlist at one of the TX med schools and was hoping for some guidance from those of you that have managed to successfully get off waitlists (anywhere!).

How does one write a letter of intent? What should it state? I have been accepted somewhere else, but I really, really do not want to go there. Should I call them? Write them? Park myself outside the admissions office until they get tired of looking at me?

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.

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[DrDRE]

I wrote one for a UC...

Basically I restated my strong interest in the school. I spelled out what was it that attracted me to the school and why I thought I would be a good match.

Then I stated that this UC was my unequivocal first choice and were I to be offered a position I would accept it, attend the UC and withdraw from consideration from all other schools.

I also inserted a brief summary of the latest developments I felt would be significant to them, in my particular case the progress I was making in a couple of papers.

Good luck!

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by DrDRE
I wrote one for a UC...

Basically I restated my strong interest in the school. I spelled out what was it that attracted me to the school and why I thought I would be a good match.

Then I stated that this UC was my unequivocal first choice and were I to be offered a position I would accept it, attend the UC and withdraw from consideration from all other schools.

I also inserted a brief summary of the latest developments I felt would be significant to them, in my particular case the progress I was making in a couple of papers.

Good luck!

but.. did you get IN?

 

[Cydney Foote]

It's getting late, but don't give up hope yet. Have you had any contacts with your preferred school? I'd normally recommend sending an update letter every 3 weeks or so, but at this point I'd try to send something every 10-14 days. Here's a schedule that's been successful for many of my clients:

1st contact: Simple email saying that UT is your #1 choice because... Include very specific reasons that tie your particular interests to their program.

2nd contact: A lengthier letter (1 page) thanking them for continuing to consider you and providing additional information on some aspect of your application that's changed since you applied. This could be a new class, new research results, a new volunteer opportunity, whatever.

3rd contact: A new recommendation that sheds a different light on your application. If you can get one from a graduate of the program, so much the better.

4th contact: Another email, again brief, restating your interest.

5th contact: Another letter talking about another aspect of your application.

6th contact: Another recommendation.

And so on and so on. If you have a transcript from a new class, send that as one of your contacts. And in each letter/email, be sure to thank them for continuing to consider you and offer to provide any additional information they might require.

I highly recommend writing instead of calling because you'll have a better chance of reaching the people who make the decisions, rather than their admin staff. I don't know whether your program has ranked their waitlist -- even if they have, rankings are not set in stone. The best way to get off the waitlist is through name-recognition. As they review the waitlist pile, the names that stick out in the committee's minds are the ones that will move into the accepted stack.

Best of luck getting in!

 

[Yogi Bear]

i'd suggest writing a letter to them or email, describing how much u liked the school and how it complements ur profile. describe specific events or give specific names: i.e. "joe showed me around", "jane" did that...."these two students really left a positive impact on me, and i'm sure that i'd thrive in such an environment"... blah blah

 

[DrDRE]

ExMike...

Yes...I got in, my number one choice school.

I hesitated to mention that fact because I do not think that the letter of intent was the main reason nor a big one in getting me off the waitlist.

It was a combination of factors...timing, update letters, extra letters of rec from a different people. The question had to do with the contents of a LOI.

I think a LOI should be sent sometime at the end of March, after the 15th. If possible, one of your letter writers should send an update of your activities (rather than yourself) to give it more weight. In my case it was the person I was doing research with; the extra LOR was from one of our collaborators.

Side note: my LORs were from people in the Biochemistry, Human
Genetics, Physiology and History dept. Later on, another from the dept of Mathematics was sent. I think the variety here had some impact.

It is getting late so send the LOI today...I guess depending on the school this may have more than an impact at some than others. I mostly agree with Ms. Foote's advise but I think it may be a bit too much...maybe instead of 6 contacts or more cut it down to 3 or 4?

Quality not quantity.

Best of luck!

 

[kmnfive]

LOI = personal statement right?!?!

 

[....]

LOI letter of Intent

 

[kmnfive]

im not really sure that i understand.

you have to write 2 seperate essays?

a personal statement and a LOI?

 

[Cydney Foote]

First you write your personal statement (or AMCAS essay).

Then you write secondary essays for the various schools (if required).

Then, if you are waitlisted, you write a number of letters/updates (not essays) that hopefully will help you get off the waitlist. Your first letter is the Letter of Intent (LOI) that just says you'll go there if you're accepted (if this is truly your intention). The other letters take various forms (as I mentioned above).

 

[drakkan2001]

someone told me an LOI is basically a but-kissing letter. He said that the letter basically glamorizes the school by saying how good it is and how well you match along with the school. I don't see how this helps your chances of getting in. Any answers?

 

[merovingian]

Im sure a little butt-kissing cant hurt...

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by drakkan2001
someone told me an LOI is basically a but-kissing letter. He said that the letter basically glamorizes the school by saying how good it is and how well you match along with the school. I don't see how this helps your chances of getting in. Any answers?

Maybe you're some kind of studly applicant, but I am willing to kiss a hairy, dingleberry hanging, zit-covered ass 100x if it means I can get into med school.

 

[kmnfive]

lmao exmike... thats the spirit... . although i would do the same.. sadly.

 

[Jtak]

Originally posted by drakkan2001
someone told me an LOI is basically a but-kissing letter. He said that the letter basically glamorizes the school by saying how good it is and how well you match along with the school. I don't see how this helps your chances of getting in. Any answers?

you only send a letter of intent to ONE school: the school that you will go to above all others. it's attractive to the school because they have a student that will automatically accept a spot in their class. this way, they wont be sending acceptances to students that may reject them anyways

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

Assuming you're on multiple waitlists, wouldn't this just mean that you stand a chance at the school you sent your letter of intent to but you risk getting rejected by the other schools that waitlisted you? In addition, you could just not make it off any waitlists and just get rejected by all the schools...including the one that you sent your LOI to. So wouldn't it just be logical to just send update letters/LOIs to ALL the schools that waitlisted you just to maximize your chances of admission to A school? In addition, how would the other medical school that waitlisted you know that you sent update letters/LOIs to another medical school that waitlisted you? If anyone could clear this up for me, it would be much appreciated.

 

[Jtak]

you can and should send updates to all of your waitlisted schools. however, you can only send one LOI to one school. if you sent an LOI to two schools and got into both of them, then you end up lying to the school that you reject because you previously told them that you would surely attend their school if you got in. i suppose you can send LOI's to all schools but that would make you a liar. I guess it's just a moral issue.

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

Ah, I see what you mean. Yeah, that is a moral issue and I guess I would side with the cautious and just send one LOI. In addition, I guess they could verify this information by communicating with the other schools that waitlisted you (assuming you're required to disclose this information). Thanks for clearing that up.

Berkeley '05

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by BerkeleyPremed
Ah, I see what you mean. Yeah, that is a moral issue and I guess I would side with the cautious and just send one LOI. In addition, I guess they could verify this information by communicating with the other schools that waitlisted you (assuming you're required to disclose this information). Thanks for clearing that up.

Berkeley '05

They won't communicate with each other about your status. You will not get penalized in any way shape or form(whether now or 4 years from now when you apply for residency, or 10 years from now when you apply for fellowship) by the school you sent a LOI to but decided to withdraw from in order to go to another school you sent a LOI to. With the amount of people that are on every school's waitlist if they get a withdrawal letter from someone who wrote a LOI they would care less. They'll just pull another Joe off the waitlist. They aren't gonna waste their time trying to penalize you. However, yes, it is an issue of integrity or lack thereof if you send a LOI to 12 schools.