Letter of Intent Pre-interview/Preliminary Screen

[DocCallaway]

Is it a bad idea to send a letter of intent before any decision has been made on whether to interview, hold you, or reject you? I am a resident of Michigan but only have average stats 3.7, 31 MCAT, and I would like to attend Michigan, but am unsure if I'll make thier first screen. My "diversity" I wrote about is the fact that I am a twin.

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[bruinator]

I've got the same question...good idea/bad idea? What if it's in the form of an update?

 

[Phoenix.]

My opinion is that it may or may not help (depending on the school and the rest of your app), but I doubt it'll hurt you in any way. If I were you, and it were your first choice school and you're worried about making the cut, I'd send it. At least, I wouldn't want to regret not sending it after I got cut and wonder if it would have made any difference then.

 

[drizzt3117]

Personally I wouldn't send a letter of intent pre-interview. The wording of a LOI makes it clear you will drop all your other schools if you're admitted.

99.9999999% of the time this is done post interview because if you haven't even been offered an interview how do you know enough to know it's your absolute first choice? It's also a bit presumptuous to talk about being accepted when you haven't even been offered an interview.

A letter of interest or update letter is absolutely something you can and should send if they are one of your top choices, unless the school specifically requests that you not send them (Stanford).

 

[etf]

if you haven't even been offered an interview how do you know enough to know it's your absolute first choice?

what if you're a reapplicant who did interview at the school before, told them then that they were your first choice, and are now trying to get a second chance?

 

[drizzt3117]

what if you're a reapplicant who did interview at the school before, told them then that they were your first choice, and are now trying to get a second chance?

I think if you're a reapplicant, a LOI is probably acceptable, but I am not sure about its efficacy if you haven't been granted an interview.

 

[MassTransport]

It's a tough letter to sell, since you haven't been there before and can't speak legitimately as to why you'd pick that school over others. If you have connections or history with the school, though, perhaps maybe even the medical school, then that'd be better. Mention these things heavily.

 

[Phoenix.]

Ah, my bad. I skimmed and didn't see it was a letter of intent, not interest, that the OP was asking about. I'd send a letter of interest, but if you really want to, I think you could mention in it that their school is your top choice. I would view it as a letter of intent+. It is a little tricky (and probably not worth it) to write a "real" letter of intent without having interviewed there yet....

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

How about a letter of intent if I interviewed, called, and found out I was waitlisted?

I guess there have been threads on here about the best way to write such a letter / what they even include?

And for a letter of interest - do you think I should send those to all the schools i have yet to hear from?

 

[drizzt3117]

How about a letter of intent if I interviewed, called, and found out I was waitlisted?

That's exactly what a letter of intent is for, BUT it shouldn't be used unless the school is absolutely your top choice.

I guess there have been threads on here about the best way to write such a letter / what they even include?

LOIs have different shapes and forms, but the one thing they all have in common is a phrase like "XXX medical school is my top choice and I will withdraw from all other medical schools if I am accepted." If it doesn't contain that phrase, it isn't a letter of intent.

And for a letter of interest - do you think I should send those to all the schools i have yet to hear from?

If you're interested, yes. That's what they are for. The efficacy of sending LOIs is debatable, at some schools, though.

 

[bullishMD]

LOIs have different shapes and forms, but the one thing they all have in common is a phrase like "XXX medical school is my top choice and I will withdraw from all other medical schools if I am accepted." If it doesn't contain that phrase, it isn't a letter of intent.

So this phrase has to be in a letter of intent? because i wrote a letter of interest and i was worried that it would sound like a letter of intent.. In the Letter of interest i just updated the school in the first paragraph and then wrote why i was interested in the school in the second paragraph. but i did have a sentence like "i would be a great fit for school X" and all my sentences were like "this part of the school will make me blah blah blah"... does that sound like it is to presumptous?

 

[DocCallaway]

Right, I meant letter of interest really, I'd save the intent for post-interview.

 

[drizzt3117]

So this phrase has to be in a letter of intent? because i wrote a letter of interest and i was worried that it would sound like a letter of intent.. In the Letter of interest i just updated the school in the first paragraph and then wrote why i was interested in the school in the second paragraph. but i did have a sentence like "i would be a great fit for school X" and all my sentences were like "this part of the school will make me blah blah blah"... does that sound like it is to presumptous?

That sounds fine. As long as you don't say right out that they're your top choice and you would rather go there than any other school then you should be fine.

 

[emquiksilver]

I find the idea of a letter of interest rather silly. Why would anyone apply to a school they're not in the least bit interested in attending? Before interviews, everyone is interested in any medical school.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

I find the idea of a letter of interest rather silly. Why would anyone apply to a school they're not in the least bit interested in attending? Before interviews, everyone is interested in any medical school.

It seems to me that a letter of interest could serve a very valuable purpose in some circumstances. For example, as I am a Virginia resident applying to New York schools in addition to Virginia schools, if there are no questions on the secondaries about why I'm interested in that school, they would have no idea why I'm applying there. With a letter of interest, I could explain my ties to the area, which are extensive, and differentiate myself from those who have no particular interest in said school except that it's just another school with which to improve his odds.

 

[drizzt3117]

Why tell your significant other that you love them? They should know, I mean, you are together, right?

 

[doinmybest5840]

I have a similar question to the OP. There are a couple schools that I am REALLY interested in, but haven't heard from since I sent in my secondaries (pre-interview hold or otherwise). I want to send a letter of interest with an updated transcript but I am not sure when to do it. I took some spring classes after I submitted my AMCAS and got A's in both, but they weren't BCPM classes. Otherwise, I am graduating in December, so I could wait and send my final transcript then. I'm worried that late December/early January (depends on when I get my grades and whether the registrar's office is open to send my transcripts) is too late, though, and that by that point, it wouldn't make much difference. Thoughts?

Sorry for the thread hijack, OP.

 

[ADeadLois]

It seems to me that a letter of interest could serve a very valuable purpose in some circumstances. For example, as I am a Virginia resident applying to New York schools in addition to Virginia schools, if there are no questions on the secondaries about why I'm interested in that school, they would have no idea why I'm applying there. With a letter of interest, I could explain my ties to the area, which are extensive, and differentiate myself from those who have no particular interest in said school except that it's just another school with which to improve his odds.

Honestly, I don't think they'll really care. They know the competitiveness of the process and that people have to apply broadly. This is certainly good fodder for a secondary/interview question about "Why (this school)", but offered on its own in a letter interest is unlikely to pique their interest.

In general, I doubt the efficacy of a letter of interest pre-interview. You really don't know enough about the school at that point to really come up with reasons that will distinguish you from other applications. It's a much better strategy to wait post-interview.

 

[ADeadLois]

I have a similar question to the OP. There are a couple schools that I am REALLY interested in, but haven't heard from since I sent in my secondaries (pre-interview hold or otherwise). I want to send a letter of interest with an updated transcript but I am not sure when to do it. I took some spring classes after I submitted my AMCAS and got A's in both, but they weren't BCPM classes. Otherwise, I am graduating in December, so I could wait and send my final transcript then. I'm worried that late December/early January (depends on when I get my grades and whether the registrar's office is open to send my transcripts) is too late, though, and that by that point, it wouldn't make much difference. Thoughts?

You're probably better off sending them some sort of update right away.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

Honestly, I don't think they'll really care.

You may be right, but they should care.

 

[doinmybest5840]

Thanks, ADeadLois.

 

[ADeadLois]

You may be right, but they should care.

My point isn't that they shouldn't care, but at this point in the process the information is relatively moot.

I'm not trying to diminish your desire to attend these schools, but this information is of very little relevance pre-interview. At this point, you're a small fish in the Pacific Ocean.

Post-interview, it's a whole different ball game, where your regional ties will be good fodder for a letter of interest and intent.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

My point isn't that they shouldn't care, but at this point in the process the information is relatively moot.

I'm not trying to diminish your desire to attend these schools, but this information is of very little relevance pre-interview. At this point, you're a small fish in the Pacific Ocean.

Post-interview, it's a whole different ball game, where your regional ties will be good fodder for a letter of interest and intent.

Understood. I guess I'm just desperate to somehow get noticed and even get that interview. I guess I'll just have to leave that to the interview gods.