Update Letter Question

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doctorshateher

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I read the relevant threads that came up when I searched on update letters, but none of them seemed to be in the same position I am in. So please bear with me as I ask a question that has been asked 1000 times before with a slight variation.

When should I send an update letter? Here's my situation. Since submitting my AMCAS I...
+ Had a summer job doing mobile health fairs this summer (tons of clinical experience)
+ Worked as a staff member at my college's band camp (seems irrelevant, but I have a lot of background in marching band and it was one of my most significant experiences on AMCAS)
+ Will start as an AmeriCorps volunteer next week.

I think I have enough info to merit an update letter, but I'm wondering when and to whom I should send letters. I'm thinking that I should send one for sure to the schools I don't have interview invites from yet. But what about schools I'm about to interview at? Should I send a letter in before my interviews, just talk about it at the interviews, or talk about these experiences at the interview and THEN send a follow-up letter with this info in it as well?

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For schools at which you have already been invited to interview, I would plan on discussing your updates in person. I would also prepare to give your interviewers some kind of page reflecting this updates - whether it's in the form of a letter, a CV or resume, or something else is inconsequential. Print several copies so that you will have one for each interviewer. This is even better than sending a letter after the interview because it guarantees the updates will be reflected in the interviewer's final evaluation of you.

For schools at which you have not yet been invited to interview, I would hold off for now. I realize this takes a lot of self-restraint, but I think the timing is better if you wait until later in the interview season (say November or December) to provide your updates and express your sincere interest in attending the school. If you have an interview scheduled in the same city as another school you're interested in, that might be reason enough to send your update now.
 
For schools at which you have already been invited to interview, I would plan on discussing your updates in person. I would also prepare to give your interviewers some kind of page reflecting this updates - whether it's in the form of a letter, a CV or resume, or something else is inconsequential. Print several copies so that you will have one for each interviewer. This is even better than sending a letter after the interview because it guarantees the updates will be reflected in the interviewer's final evaluation of you.

Thanks, that is a great idea that I didn't think of. I'll definitely do this!

For schools at which you have not yet been invited to interview, I would hold off for now. I realize this takes a lot of self-restraint, but I think the timing is better if you wait until later in the interview season (say November or December) to provide your updates and express your sincere interest in attending the school. If you have an interview scheduled in the same city as another school you're interested in, that might be reason enough to send your update now.

I see your reasoning, but waiting makes me nervous because I think that my application doesn't have a lot of clinical experience and I wouldn't want to be rejected because of that if they don't find out that I got a lot more this summer...

Also, both my UPenn and University of Rochester secondaries had specific questions about whether or not I had been involved in AmeriCorps (as well as Peace Corps, TFA, etc) and I answered no, because I didn't know I was going to get this job.
 
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In general, here is my rationale for encouraging applicants to be patient with regard to update letters:
1. In the interest of efficiency, you want your update letter to be the same as your "I'm really interested in interviewing here" letter. I think your interest is generally more compelling later in the season when you're likely to have seen other places but remain interested in the school to which you're writing.
2. You should only send one update letter, and if you wait until November or December, you're more likely to capture all the relevant updates.
3. At this point in the season, applicants want interviews because they want an acceptance letter! Later in the season, you may already have an acceptance, which enables you to turn down interviews. If you update and express interest now, you may get an early interview at a school that, had they offered you an interview later in the season, you would have turned down (saving you time, money, and anxiety!).

That said, your situation is a little unique, so I would say - go for it. It can't hurt.
 
2. You should only send one update letter

Why?

I'm in a similar situation, and have been wondering about sending an update letter now and a second in November/December (I know I have more stuff coming that I can add at that point). Is there a reason sending two is poor form?
 
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