LOI - Any real evidence it makes a difference?

[bearintraining]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi all,

I'm curious as to whether there is anyone out there that has solid evidence that a letter of intent (LOI) made any real difference to their application. What I mean by solid evidence is, for instance, an adcom telling you that the LOI played a role, OR an adcom directly telling you they take LOIs into account (not just that they accept them).. something more than just "I sent an LOI and a week later I got an interview/acceptance". Also, it would be helpful if you could state at which point in the process you sent the LOI (pre-interview, post-interview, waitlist, etc.)

thanks!

 

[Doctor Strange]

Yes. Georgetown.

It's about fifty shades of gray at most other schools.

 

[bearintraining]

Yes. Georgetown.

It's about fifty shades of gray at most other schools.

Thanks AiyaTuc -- can you expand on what exactly happened? hoping to turn that 50 shades of gray into maybe 3 🙂

 

[tarheel1408]

I also know that Wake Forest is very receptive to LOIs. I don't know first hand, but I've heard that a large percentage of the people accepted off the waitlist were the ones who did send LOIs, and that a far lower percentage were accepted when they didn't.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Thanks AiyaTuc -- can you expand on what exactly happened? hoping to turn that 50 shades of gray into maybe 3 🙂

At your interview, Georgetown's admissions officials will tell you explicitly that if you are waitlisted, you should send them a letter (it doesn't have to be a specific letter of intent, just something showing your interest) and they will only offer acceptances off the waitlist from the pool of people who have sent letters. Note that they do offer outright acceptances to applicants regardless of whether they have sent a letter, but about 50% of their 1100 interviewees are waitlisted. Sending a letter is your only chance of getting off the waitlist.

One other school I know that highly regards post-interview LOIs is Creighton. Any contact whatsoever (letters of interest, updates, transcripts, etc.) is encouraged. Wake Forest, as the poster above me stated, also encourages pre-interview letters of interest.

 

[LaughingMan]

One other school I know that highly regards post-interview LOIs is Creighton. Any contact whatsoever (letters of interest, updates, transcripts, etc.) is encouraged. Wake Forest, as the poster above me stated, also encourages pre-interview letters of interest.

Wait pre-interview?

Meaning a bit after the secondary?

Just want to confirm you didn't mistype.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Wait pre-interview?

Meaning a bit after the secondary?

Just want to confirm you didn't mistype.

Yes, pre-interview. If you send a letter of interest they will be more likely to give you an interview. Post-interview I don't know because they rejected me. 😀

 

[mmmcdowe]

Columbia is receptive.

 

[NickNaylor]

Pritzker is also receptive of update/interest letters generally, but I'm not sure about specific letters of intent.

 

[darkjedi]

LOI's were directly responsible for getting me 3 interviews and additional LOI's post-interview/waitlist got me an acceptance to my current school.

 

[MedPR]

Hi all,

I'm curious as to whether there is anyone out there that has solid evidence that a letter of intent (LOI) made any real difference to their application. What I mean by solid evidence is, for instance, an adcom telling you that the LOI played a role, OR an adcom directly telling you they take LOIs into account (not just that they accept them).. something more than just "I sent an LOI and a week later I got an interview/acceptance". Also, it would be helpful if you could state at which point in the process you sent the LOI (pre-interview, post-interview, waitlist, etc.)

thanks!

No, but they aren't very hard to write (provided you are actually interested) so there's no reason not to send them. Post-interview/waitlist, of course.