Update Letters / Letters of Interest

[Perkinjeboy]

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Are post-interview update letters / letters of interest necessary? I am specifically talking about PRE decision (acceptance/rejection/waitlist).

 

[Catalystik]

Are post-interview update letters / letters of interest necessary? I am specifically talking about PRE decision (acceptance/rejection/waitlist).

There is a small subset of med schools that actively encourage frequent updates. For all others, pre-decision update letters are not required. That is not to say, however, that such letters might not affect decision-making, where a decision might be on a cusp. While some schools discourage them, and others ignore them, there are those remaining that take them into account. The problem is, you don't always know which schools lie in the latter category.

 

[Goro]

Are post-interview update letters / letters of interest necessary? I am specifically talking about PRE decision (acceptance/rejection/waitlist).

Read this:
How would you interpret a nonbinding promise from a desperate applicant?

Here’s one Adcom member’s thoughts on the matter:

“We only invite amazing students to interview. It is quite unlikely that further good deeds or achievements will have an effect since only the students who have already wowed us are interviewed.”

“One serious thought for a moment. You want to become a physician, a profession that highly values ethical behavior. Yet even before you start training for this profession, you want take the unethical act of making promises to two different schools that you will attend over any other school?” -gonnif

From the wise Med Ed: [What med schools…] accept and desire are two different things. My institution, for instance, will accept practically anything a given applicant wants to forward along, but only rarely do we consider it a worthwhile addition to the package.

And yes, some of us have gotten a little jaded about LOI's. I could fill a barrel with all the post-interview correspondence I have received that has not translated into a single matriculant. This has all gotten mighty complicated and burdensome for what is essentially a zero sum game.

It's generally not burdensome for an applicant to upload something to the portal, and once in a great while it does tip us off with some useful info. I can think of one individual who had a stellar application, like Harvard/Yale/Stanford-worthy, and a superb interview, who sent us several updates and a LOI. We were somewhat perplexed by this person's tenacious interest in our program. Turns out there were family/geographical reasons behind the whole thing, the applicant just never felt comfortable directly playing that card.

When it comes down to waitlist time I will scan through what folks have uploaded post-interview. The vast majority of times it has no impact. Occasionally I have seen it hurt people's chances. Come to think of it, in my experience this is probably more likely, than such correspondence having a positive impact.

See the following for classic examples of why most Admissions deans treat these as lies.

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/loi-and-interviews.1252832/#post-18849958

I told a school I'd go if accepted, now not so sure

And if you still don’t believe me, read these:

HomeSkool's Guide to Letters of Intent

Second letter of intent? Help!

 

[freelancePsychic]

Read this:
How would you interpret a nonbinding promise from a desperate applicant?

Here’s one Adcom member’s thoughts on the matter:

“We only invite amazing students to interview. It is quite unlikely that further good deeds or achievements will have an effect since only the students who have already wowed us are interviewed.”

“One serious thought for a moment. You want to become a physician, a profession that highly values ethical behavior. Yet even before you start training for this profession, you want take the unethical act of making promises to two different schools that you will attend over any other school?” -gonnif

From the wise Med Ed: [What med schools…] accept and desire are two different things. My institution, for instance, will accept practically anything a given applicant wants to forward along, but only rarely do we consider it a worthwhile addition to the package.

And yes, some of us have gotten a little jaded about LOI's. I could fill a barrel with all the post-interview correspondence I have received that has not translated into a single matriculant. This has all gotten mighty complicated and burdensome for what is essentially a zero sum game.

It's generally not burdensome for an applicant to upload something to the portal, and once in a great while it does tip us off with some useful info. I can think of one individual who had a stellar application, like Harvard/Yale/Stanford-worthy, and a superb interview, who sent us several updates and a LOI. We were somewhat perplexed by this person's tenacious interest in our program. Turns out there were family/geographical reasons behind the whole thing, the applicant just never felt comfortable directly playing that card.

When it comes down to waitlist time I will scan through what folks have uploaded post-interview. The vast majority of times it has no impact. Occasionally I have seen it hurt people's chances. Come to think of it, in my experience this is probably more likely, than such correspondence having a positive impact.

See the following for classic examples of why most Admissions deans treat these as lies.

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/loi-and-interviews.1252832/#post-18849958

I told a school I'd go if accepted, now not so sure

And if you still don’t believe me, read these:

HomeSkool's Guide to Letters of Intent

Second letter of intent? Help!

Do you think there is more of a place for letters of interest after the rule changes? I was thinking of using them if I get waitlisted at a couple schools high on my list.

 

[Goro]

Do you think there is more of a place for letters of interest after the rule changes? I was thinking of using them if I get waitlisted at a couple schools high on my list.

Nope. They'll be as useful as any guy saying to a hot chick "I'll still respect you in the morning!" That's because words are easy, doing is harder.

Watch for schools to figure out a way to charge large deposits, or make EDPs more common.

 

[ellia]

There is a small subset of med schools that actively encourage frequent updates. For all others, pre-decision update letters are not required. That is not to say, however, that such letters might not affect decision-making, where a decision might be on a cusp. While some schools discourage them, and others ignore them, there are those remaining that take them into account. The problem is, you don't always know which schools lie in the latter category.

There are anecdotal posts on the school-specific threads that might help you get a better idea of where each school stands on this. A lot of schools seem very receptive and others don't care so much.

 

[initialize]

Are a semester's worth of grades worth updating schools for (assuming the grades are good, of course)?

 

[ellia]

Are a semester's worth of grades worth updating schools for (assuming the grades are good, of course)?

I think so! What classes?

 

[initialize]

I think so! What classes?

Philosophy, Psychology and the Law, Physics 2 and Lab, Evolution. A couple of these classes are still pending grade-wise lol

 

[Goro]

Are a semester's worth of grades worth updating schools for (assuming the grades are good, of course)?

Yup. One of the few good reasons for updates.

 

[Catalystik]

Are a semester's worth of grades worth updating schools for (assuming the grades are good, of course)?

Yup. One of the few good reasons for updates.

I agree with @Goro . This would also be the time to add significant activity updates.

 

[Perkinjeboy]

If one already has straight A's would it even be worth updating on previous semester grades? Or would it be good enough to just say "continuing to do well etc."

 

[Goro]

If one already has straight A's would it even be worth updating on previous semester grades?

Yes. A show of continued excellence is always good.

 

[DameJulie]

I will add one other type that is rarely used any more, the Reconsideration Letter: This is an applicant rejected pre-interview who has a large anomaly in their academic background that can be viewed through mitigating circumstances and asks to be reconsidered. With the non-screened/minimally pre-screened secondaries, there are plenty of opportunities for an applicant to express these circumstances.

Hi gonnif,
can you elaborate on how to successfully compose a reconsideration letter with Fall Semester grade update? I have a list of schools that rejected me pre-II or pre-secondary throughout the last month. But now, I have a strong semester of post-bacc courses to update. Knowing that GPA is a major deficit on my app, I hope another strong semester of grades will be helpful in the application process.

Not that I expect such updates will overturn the rejection, but I want to try all options possible. If PM is a better option, let me know. Thanks!

 

[initialize]

I finally graduated... dumb question but can I update schools with an unofficial transcript or should I purchase an official transcript?

 

[Master Thinker]

I finally graduated... dumb question but can I update schools with an unofficial transcript or should I purchase an official transcript?

I think for most schools, you can just tell them your grades in writing. They get your official transcript by matriculation anyways so they can just check then