Update Letters Pre-Interview?

[Penguin_Zoo]

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I just submitted a paper (first-author) to a journal. Would this qualify as a meaningful update, and would it be a good idea to notify schools that I have applied to but not yet received interviews from?

Additionally, in an update letter should I also emphasize why I would want to go to a specific school? Or is it a better idea to keep my update letters brief and purely focus on my updates?

Thank you for any advice!

 

[ioniansea]

I was an applicant last year and am not on any admissions team so take this with a grain of salt, but… I would say yes! Congrats on submitting your paper. I would include both the update and a little bit about why you would want to go to that school.

Last year, a school reached out to ask me for an update letter and I talked about submitting a paper. Later they offered me the interview (and later later the A). So I assume update letters factor in to II decisions at least at some schools.