Pre-interview letters?

[closertofine]

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Hi, I haven't been able to access the board much lately (my internet is being unpredictable)...so I'm not sure if these questions have been asked before, and I'm just totally out of the loop (that's probably the case, lol!).

But I am wondering about two types of letters I want to, or need to, send before I go to interviews. Anybody have advice on the following?

1. Letter to decline an interview. Would you send this by snail mail or email...and how would you phrase this kind of letter? Oh, for anyone who is waiting to hear from Emory or Tulane, there will soon be at least one more spot free! 😉

2. Letter to beg for an interview. 😛 This one is definitely more questionable. But there is only one school I'm waiting to hear from about an interview, and it has been my dream school for a long time. Especially with my recent trip to (cold) Boston, I am once again dreaming about San Francisco 😍 even though I've never even visited there...so is it at all acceptable (or a good idea) to write a letter, or call, about wanting an interview? Anybody with any UCSF news would be more than welcome to post here too!

As for my dilemma about whether to accept some interview offers, it's gotten even more complicated...the only dates left for Cornell are too close to my Emory date to make it to both...so I'm planning on skipping Emory, and maybe skipping Cornell as well (though I may go, just don't know yet). And today some good news gives me yet another decision to make...I got an interview invite from Yale! (also cold up there, though)...so what to do?

Oh well, I'm so exhausted from my last trip that I've been sleeping literally 12 hours a day, so I guess I should try to limit my school visits to those I'm really interested in. I can definitely see myself at Wash U, so I may decline both Yale and Cornell...although it is hard to say "no" to an interview offer at those schools! They both sound like great places.

OK, enough rambling for now...thanks in advance for any advice on these letters...and anybody who is declining an offer at UCSF, maybe you could tell them to give me the acceptance letter instead?

Karen44

 

[Please!]

best thing to do is call each individual school and ask. Some schools like emails, other schools want snail mail (for a signature). Good luck on everything, BTW when was your Emory interview scheduled for? (I'm thinking about seeing about that empty spot!)

 

[closertofine]

Thanks...my Emory interview is scheduled for Feb. 25th (I haven't canceled it yet)...I hope you do get my spot if you want it!

 

[Taleof50]

I'm sure you can write a letter begging for an interview. Really, what do you have to lose now? It may even help -- it's getting late in the cycle, and maybe something to make you stick out of the thousands of apps they still haven't had a chance to screen may help.

 

[Lochmoor]

I'd recommend taking a closer look at those schools you are thinking about declining interviews from. They may have some tidbits that may interest you. For example, Yale has no exams.

Good luck making your decisions. Hope everything went well with your other WU applications.