Update Letter

[d72s466]

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What's some advice you have for update letters? When is the best time to send one? Should they be before or after an interview, or both/either?
Obviously I'll check school specific things, like if they even accept updates.

I've done quite a bit since submitting my application, including more shadowing (I had plenty on my app when I submitted though) and a ton of volunteering (hundreds more hours, but I also had plenty on my apps), so I feel like an update letter could really help my chances and show that I didn't just stop doing all of this once my application was submitted.

Should I list all of the things I've done in detail, or just focus on a couple of things, or keep it really vague (i.e. "I have continued to shadow physicians and have volunteered at various organizations for x hours")?

Any advice related to update letters is appreciated!

 

[Goro]

Not the type of thing that will make the Admissions dean run out of his/her office and scream to the Admin "get this kid in here for an interview!!!"

If you must do this, do it only for schools that welcome updates, or like to see candidates grovel.

 

[Catalystik]

What's some advice you have for update letters? When is the best time to send one? Should they be before or after an interview, or both/either?
Obviously I'll check school specific things, like if they even accept updates.

I've done quite a bit since submitting my application, including more shadowing (I had plenty on my app when I submitted though) and a ton of volunteering (hundreds more hours, but I also had plenty on my apps), so I feel like an update letter could really help my chances and show that I didn't just stop doing all of this once my application was submitted.

Should I list all of the things I've done in detail, or just focus on a couple of things, or keep it really vague (i.e. "I have continued to shadow physicians and have volunteered at various organizations for x hours")?

Any advice related to update letters is appreciated!

The updates you've mentioned are not going to make or break your application. I suggest waiting until the end of the term after new grades come out and updating then, including a summary of your grades (with perhaps mention of an A in a med school relevant class), explicit hours added for relevant activities (including a new specialty shadowed, or new responsibilities taken on), recognitions received, etc. You can also take the opportunity to mention something about the school that makes it a perfect fit for you and close with a comment that you look forward to hearing from them (as an expression of continued interest).

 

[d72s466]

The updates you've mentioned are not going to make or break your application. I suggest waiting until the end of the term after new grades come out and updating then, including a summary of your grades (with perhaps mention of an A in a med school relevant class) and explicit hours added for relevant activities (including a new specialty shadowed, or new responsibilities taken on). You can also take the opportunity to mention something about the school that makes it a perfect fit for you and close with a comment that you look forward to hearing from them (as an expression of continued interest).

I'm not in school right now, I graduated in May. However, I am serving with AmeriCorps, which I only briefly mentioned in some apps that asked for gap year plans, so I could talk about my AmeriCorps service?
I wasn't going to send update letters, but I interviewed at a school that said to send an update letter by November 1st and specifically mentioned new shadowing or volunteering as something that should be in an update letter, so now I'm wondering if all schools feel the same and would like those updates as well.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I'm not in school right now, I graduated in May. However, I am serving with AmeriCorps, which I only briefly mentioned in some apps that asked for gap year plans, so I could talk about my AmeriCorps service?
2) I wasn't going to send update letters, but I interviewed at a school that said to send an update letter by November 1st and specifically mentioned new shadowing or volunteering as something that should be in an update letter, so now I'm wondering if all schools feel the same and would like those updates as well.

1) Absolutely!

2) Unless a school specifically prohibits update letters pre- or post-interview, it won't hurt to send them. Some schools practically require them to keep you under consideration. Some like "love letters." Some will take certain items into account if they thought your application had a weakness, but otherwise had their interest. Some don't care. So it isn't possible to state that "all schools feel the same."

 

[bigeman101]

Does anyone have a good example of an update letter? PM me!