Letter of Intent: How long is too long?

[Doc Andy]

Hey everybody. I'm currently writing a letter of intent and was wondering if anyone had any insight either from adcoms or from their advisors about how long is too long? I have a little over a page (on Word) and am pretty happy with it. Thanks for your help.

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[Rotinaj1985]

A page sounds good to me, but I'd also make sure to get the point across quickly. Also depends on how long their wait list is. Assume they're getting one of these from everyone on their wait list (probably not a fair assumption, but better safe then sorry). The longer their wait list is, the shorter your letter so they actually read it.

 

[Doc Andy]

I'm actually writing it pre-waitlist. The adcom is meeting in the next couple weeks. Can't hurt, right?

 

[notdeadyet]

Try to keep it to three paragraphs, four max, but definitely less than a page. Never more than a single page. Anything more is an essay...

 

[1956Goldtop]

what do you talk about for 4 paragraphs anyways? It seems like it could be a 3 sentence thing and nicely combined wiht an update.

 

[Doc Andy]

I guess it's more than a letter saying "I really want to come here. If you let me in I'm there." It's more of a "this is really what I liked about the school. This is why it's my top choice and this is why I'll fit in nicely." That's why I'm asking if you guys have any experience with info from advisors or adcom.... I'm trying to make it a little more (too?) personal?

 

[alwaysaangel]

Try to keep it under the page but if with the "proper format" of a letter you find you just can't I don't think its that big of a deal. The ones I sent were just over a page.

GoldTop-As far as what you can talk about for 4 paragraphs - all the things about the school and about you that make you a match. An LOI isn't to say "I'll go there if you let me in" its to tell them why you'll go there if they let you in. And its to convince them that they SHOULD let you in. If you just wrote 3 sentences you would be wasting your time - shouldn't even bother sending that.

 

[notdeadyet]

I guess it's more than a letter saying "I really want to come here. If you let me in I'm there." It's more of a "this is really what I liked about the school. This is why it's my top choice and this is why I'll fit in nicely."

Your approach is spot on. That's exactly what an LOI should say.

That said, less is always more with these kinds of things. The longer an LOI is the less impact it will probably have.

When an adcom reads an LOI they want to see that 1) you want to come there above all other schools and 2) why.

But if 2) is too long, it waters down impact. If you have to read dozens of these, you only have so much time for each. The shorter ones you can read, synthesize and make a judgment. If you have a long one that goes on and on, the first paragraph will be read and the rest will get skimmed. Not what you want.

Be specific but be terse.