Need Feedback...Please Respond

[Waiting112]

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I recently interviewed at a school that is my top choice and is still waiting to hear back from them. Should I send them a Letter of Intent now? Or is a Letter of Intent only used in cases where you're wait-listed? Do letters of intent even work? How should I phrase mine? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[IAMS]

You could go ahead and send your LOI, it won't hurt.

Schools will usually decide pretty quickly if they want you, or if they don't, or if they would like you but aren't sure you want them, or if you're qualified like many others are and the most interested should get in. These last two are the waitlisted, and this is usually why people send LOI's, to let the school know their intentions so an acceptance won't be lost on someone who won't end up there either way.

So unless they've decided to admit you already, or to reject you, an LOI won't hurt, and they'll keep it on file if you're waitlisted for consideration. It is not a golden ticket to write an LOI, because they still have you ranked as far as who they want to admit first off the waitlist (depending on the school and your performance). But go ahead and send it if you do intend to go there if admitted.

 

[McOrn11]

Though a letter of intent won't convinvce a school whether or not to accept you, it can tip the scale in your scale. Suppose an admissions committee is gathered and discussing your application. If they see your LOI and that your committed to that school for all the right reason (and won't turn them down) then they may judge you more favorably. You need to remember that it is nice for adcoms to know that they are guaranteed to fill up a spot with a certain competitive student. It relieves them of some pressure. So yes, send your LOI and good luck.