Question about sending letter of interest

[lakun]

Has anyone here actually done this and gotten a positive result (ie. interview after a long wait, acceptance letter, or got off waitlist)? I've been waiting since early November to hear from the other seven schools that I applied to and I'm thinking about writing just a letter of interest since there's nothing interesting going on in my life at the moment. I guess for some people a two month wait really isn't that long ( I've heard some stories of people waiting since September....Geez!!) but...well I kinda feel like if I don't hear back from these schools (ie. NYU, Cornell, Columbia, and yes "Haw-Verd") in the next few weeks I can pretty much expect a rejection.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[doepug]

If your applications were complete in November, they're at the bottom of the pile. Most applications are complete in September at the schools you listed. If you're waiting to interview, be prepared to wait another month or two.

Even though schools say that their deadlines are in December (or whenever), applications that aren't complete by September are late, and getting interviews becomes harder since schools start filling their interview schedules. If you're stellar across the board, you'll be fine... but if any of these schools (e.g. Harvard) is a stretch, your chances are significantly reduced by applying late, no matter what other people may tell you.

Filing a "letter of interest" prior to interviewing won't get you anywhere. It's more of a letter of desperation.

If you've been interviewed and waitlisted, letters become very important, and that issue is a whole new ball of wax.

Cross your fingers and be patient.

Good luck,

doepug
MS III, Johns Hopkins

 

[DrBlueDevil]

Last year I applied to Baylor early in the cycle (but not early decision), got an interview on their first interview day (in Sept), then got waitlisted in March. I kept sending follow up letters throughout the year, but when they got my last followup (including my spring semester grades), they accepted me. I think they're a good idea. In any case, they can't hurt.

 

[Bob Dole]

btw, do letters of INTENT really help?

 

[siempre595]

I think they do. It was suggested to me by two deans and one student at WashU. I think it's a great clarifier for the school as to who is REALLY interested and who is just checking out the school as a 5th or 6th choice. It means a lot at some schools.

 

[Bounty]

can anything be done PRE-interview?

 

[johnstoner]

isn't it always better to keep the adcoms updated on what you are doing whether or not you are pre or post interview?

I don't care what others say...i'm going to send them letters and new recommendation and such and such.

 

[cg1]

Originally posted by doepug

Filing a "letter of interest" prior to interviewing won't get you anywhere. It's more of a letter of desperation.

IMHO, if it's getting really late in the game and there's no notice of an interview, then one would have nothing to lose to send in a letter of intent because it would appear that they're not going to get an interview anyways (and a letter of intent may change that).

 

[sunlover]

I have also heard from current students that letters of interest can really help. Is letter of intent different from a letter of interest? Does anyone have an opinion about sending letters of interest to more than one school?

 

[doepug]

Originally posted by sunlover
I have also heard from current students that letters of interest can really help. Is letter of intent different from a letter of interest? Does anyone have an opinion about sending letters of interest to more than one school?

Letters of interest are crucial AFTER you've been interviewed.

Letters of interest prior to interviews are futile, and you'll have a hard time finding a med student who says otherwise.

Good luck,

doepug
MS III, Johns Hopkins

 

[sunlover]

For me, sending LOI pre-interview isn't the question. I was wondering about sending them after the interview, like for the ivies and for schools that don't accept people until the spring. Is it better to wait and see if I get waitlisted first? There are other schools that accept rolling, but haven't notified me of a decision yet, and I was thinking of sending those ones letters, too. I would only tell my top choice school that they are my top choice. For the other schools, I would just say that I liked it and I'm still interested. What do you think?

 

[souljah1]

I sent a letter of interest that implied intent a week after I interviewed at my number one choice. I explained in the letter how impressed I was on the interview day and that I strongly felt that their program was best equipted to suit my needs as a student. I wound up getting in, but who knows if the letter had anything to do with it? I don't think there is anything wrong with strongly expressing your views if they are sincere.

If you are waitlisted, it is very important to send letters of intent, extra letters of recommendation, and any updated transcripts. Many schools do factor in a students desire when considering who to take off the waitlist. Consistently showing strong interest will definitely not hurt you.

I agree with doe-pug and don't think that pre-interview letters of interest will have much influence. It is pretty difficult to express any sincere interest prior to the interview, atleast from an adcom's perspective.

 

[MGoBlue13]

Also, is there a problem with sending letters of interest to more than one school (pre-interview)? There are 4 schools that I am very interested in attending, and they are all non-rolling... could I send a similar letter to all?

 

[lilycat]

Originally posted by MGoBlue13
Also, is there a problem with sending letters of interest to more than one school (pre-interview)? There are 4 schools that I am very interested in attending, and they are all non-rolling... could I send a similar letter to all?

Look at it this way -- the more letters of interest/letters of intent you send out (meaning to multiple schools), the more it loses its power. I think this is becoming an increasingly common trend among applicants, and as a result, I think the letter of interest will lose whatever marginal influence it may have had.

As for sending letters of interest or intent to multiple schools, I think it really depends on how strongly you word the letter. If you write to all the schools that they are "your number one choice, and you would absolutely attend if you were accepted," that could be compromising, and personally I find it somewhat unethical. There is always the chance that you could get accepted by a couple of those schools and then have to go back on your word to one of them. Sure, your letter is not necessarily a legal, binding contract, but going back on something that definitive doesn't exactly make you look good (you never know when you might cross paths with those people again).

If it's a more vague, general, "I really would appreciate the opportunity to interview at your school because...," there probably isn't an issue sending that sort of letter to multiple schools, but my personal feeling is that the more vague the letter is, the less it will matter or make any difference.

My feeling (based on personal experience and that of friends) is that there are really only two scenarios where a letter may actually make a significant difference -- one is the letter of intent following an interview or a waitlist notification; the second is a strongly worded letter of appeal following a pre-interview rejection. In both cases, I believe such letters should be used very sparingly, and ideally, only sent to one school (ie, don't appeal ALL of your pre-interview rejections, but maybe just the one or two schools you have your heart set on AND where you feel you could be a competitive applicant).

Above all, be sincere and specific if you are going to go to the trouble of writing such letters.