Should I write a LOI?

[Fritz]

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I had an interview this Friday, and I really liked the school, the people, the surroundings. It seemed like the perfect place for me to be at. But during my two half an hour interviews I did not really have the chance to tell my interviewers how much I liked the school etc. Also, I had the first interview of the day, and the interesting stuff, the tours, talking to students, happened after my interview.
Should I write them something like a LOI, saying how much I liked the school? The adcom meets next Thursday.
Thank you very much.

 

[hale-bopp]

I think that if you have seen enough places that you know this really is the one for you, and you can write a specific letter explaining all of the reasons that it is right for you, then you should. (Although I think that how much of a difference it makes varies from school to school.) Another option is to say this in your thank-you letters to your interviewers (which you send in care of the admissions office, who photocopies them and adds them to your file), although I think a letter of intent might mean more.

 

[mlw03]

i'm in a similar situation, towards the end of my interviews and have reached a definite conclusion about which school is my top choice. so i sent them a letter of intent. i don't see how it could hurt. put it this way: schools don't like to get rejected either (i think it factors into the us news rankings), so if a school knows you'll attend and they think you're qualified, then it can only increase your liklihood of acceptance.

on the other hand, while not legally binding i don't think, it would be in very poor taste to send a letter of intent to more than one school.

 

[loomis]

fritz
i think if you've interviewed at places that you were weighing this school against and found that you were really set on this school, then an "explicit" LOI might help. however, be sure to be clear that the LOI is clear in your intention to matriculate..not the more soft version "i really love this school and will strongly consider it". i remember at one of my interviews (penn), my student intervewer said that LOIs do help but the committee reads right through the vague sentencing and that such vague Letters don't really carry much weight.

Sounds like you had a terrific time at that school. nice! best of luck to you and hope it works out!

 

[Fritz]

Thanks guys,

I think I am going to write the letter and send it out. I think I am going to send it through e-mail, since the regular mail might not get there until Thursday.

Thanks again.