Pre-Interview Letter of Interest

[WuMedic]

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Hi Everyone,

I've been searching the site for 2 hours and have surprisingly not found much on my question on here.

Basically, I have decided to send a few letters of interest to giv emed schools some updates to hopefully secure interviews to some of my top choices. My questions are:

1) Who should this be addressed to? The AdCOM or the Dean?

2) Since I want to do it now, before grades are finalized (so I can get it to them before most interview spots fill up in January) what are some updates that medical schools would care about (since I don't want to bore them with details that are not significant).

3) Should I mention acceptances to other medical schools so the letter doesn't come off as part of a shotgun approach being sent to all of the schools I applied to? I wouldn't have to name specifics, but would that help show that I am genuinely interested in the school?

Thank you all so much for your time!

-WuMedic

 

[iniquus]

2 hours?

It took me 2 seconds:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=+sit...AbT9oCJDg&ved=0CBwQrQIwAA&fp=ca05a7bb65e82229

Ironic that I searched your exact thread title too.

 

[WuMedic]

2 seconds?

I guess I'll give you a pass as you didn't actually read any of those results then! I have been able to find very little addressing my three questions above. I found tons of threads (and read them which is why it took me two hours!), but nothing pertaining to the questions. I do appreciate your attempt at helping, however, I am not a newbie who doesn't understand searching! 😀

 

[iniquus]

1) Who should this be addressed to? The AdCOM or the Dean?

2) Since I want to do it now, before grades are finalized (so I can get it to them before most interview spots fill up in January) what are some updates that medical schools would care about (since I don't want to bore them with details that are not significant).

3) Should I mention acceptances to other medical schools so the letter doesn't come off as part of a shotgun approach being sent to all of the schools I applied to? I wouldn't have to name specifics, but would that help show that I am genuinely interested in the school?

Thank you all so much for your time!

-WuMedic

I know the answers are on these forums because your question is not a new one. The reason why I even have an opinion on how to approach your situation is from community answers, learned from browsing the forums. The answers are here and not hard to find. Just on the first page of hits alone, I found posts that addressed your first two questions. You did not search for 2 hours. No one has the patience to do that.

1. I don't think it makes a difference. People sent ones directly to the admissions committee and others thought it would have more impact by personalizing it to the Dean. Either way, I would assume they all go in your general application anyway like all other correspondence.

2. What do you think medical schools care about? They care about things that show your commitment to the medical school track-- these are the same values that were probably the basis of your AMCAS application. These include:

- your dedication to current extracurriculars (volunteering, research, etc.) or your involvement in new ones
- your academic capability - fall term grades, spring course load, academic plans?
- your interest in the school, why you want to go there, which brings me to your third question (which has definitely been asked in update letters thread as well)

The question has been asked before if schools care about how "interested" you are in attending. You shouldn't hold leverage over other schools telling them about your other acceptances. They probably wouldn't care. It's been argued both ways whether or not your interest in a school can impact a decision. Even when people say it is taken into consideration, the effect is only to sway a decision that was probably on the fence. If they were going to reject you, they're not going to do a 180. Schools do like to accept people who have the intention of enrolling.

 

[WuMedic]

iniquiis,

Thank you for your response. I was only able to find very scattered information on the forums. And I have actually been (unhealthily) been on SDN for quite a few hours as the ER I am working in right now has 3 patients in it!

 

[IDreamtIChased]

iniquiis,

Thank you for your response. I was only able to find very scattered information on the forums. And I have actually been (unhealthily) been on SDN for quite a few hours as the ER I am working in right now has 3 patients in it!

IMO, if you apply to a top med school like Columbia or Cornell, you can casually mention something like "even though I have received offers from 10 other med schools, XXX will remain my top/first choice. As such... yadayada"