Waitlisted everywhere, need advice regarding LOIs

[SN2reaction]

Hey everybody, thanks for your help in advance. Here is where I'm at. I've interviewed at 7 schools and am sitting on 4 waitlists, 1 rejection, and 2 = no communication. I understand that it's still early in the process and that waitlists haven't even started moving yet, but I am also aware that I need to do certain things at this point to improve my chances of coming off of those WLs.

I have already submitted update letters post-interview to most of the schools that I am WL'd at. I am planning on sending letters of interest/intent to those schools now. I am curious what I should write, especially seeing that I have already communicated my updates and interest to these schools in my previous letter. Should I worry about being redundant in expressing my interest? I see many people on this website advocating sending multiple letters of interest to schools, but what do you say in those letters?

Thank you once again for your responses!

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[theseeker4]

Hey everybody, thanks for your help in advance. Here is where I'm at. I've interviewed at 7 schools and am sitting on 4 waitlists, 1 rejection, and 2 = no communication. I understand that it's still early in the process and that waitlists haven't even started moving yet, but I am also aware that I need to do certain things at this point to improve my chances of coming off of those WLs.

I have already submitted update letters post-interview to most of the schools that I am WL'd at. I am planning on sending letters of interest/intent to those schools now. I am curious what I should write, especially seeing that I have already communicated my updates and interest to these schools in my previous letter. Should I worry about being redundant in expressing my interest? I see many people on this website advocating sending multiple letters of interest to schools, but what do you say in those letters?

Thank you once again for your responses!

Since you don't have any acceptances, I would worry more about your next cycle at this point. You could have a great chance at coming off the waitlist, but if you don't, don't you want to go in and apply next cycle as strongly and early as possible?

Maybe send a letter of interest to any school that you haven't updated in the past three months, with updates of course, and leave it at that. Get ready to apply again, and with any luck, you won't have to and you will be matriculating this year. Good luck!

 

[RedSox10]

Someone suggested this person on MDapps had some good examples of LOI's...

http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=9582

 

[tantacles]

Someone suggested this person on MDapps had some good examples of LOI's...

http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=9582

Imma be honest. I hate those letters. They're too long. You need to find a way to convey your interest without giving them something that will take them an hour to read.

If you're writing a letter of intent, in other words, a letter to your top choice school, the intent sort of speaks for itself. List a few things you love about the school, and leave it at that.

For a letter of interest, you need to spell things out a little bit more so they don't think you're just bull****ting them. But not as much as noshie did. It's just too much.

 

[ghostman]

Hey everybody, thanks for your help in advance. Here is where I'm at. I've interviewed at 7 schools and am sitting on 4 waitlists, 1 rejection, and 2 = no communication. I understand that it's still early in the process and that waitlists haven't even started moving yet, but I am also aware that I need to do certain things at this point to improve my chances of coming off of those WLs.

I have already submitted update letters post-interview to most of the schools that I am WL'd at. I am planning on sending letters of interest/intent to those schools now. I am curious what I should write, especially seeing that I have already communicated my updates and interest to these schools in my previous letter. Should I worry about being redundant in expressing my interest? I see many people on this website advocating sending multiple letters of interest to schools, but what do you say in those letters?

Thank you once again for your responses!

If we assume the worst case scenario - that you are not accepted anywhere, you have to figure out what you did wrong. The fact that you got 7 interviews indicates your application is decent (not sure how many schools you applied to). The dealbreaker seems to come at the interview itself.

Contact the schools where you were rejected and ask for feedback on why you were rejected. They might be able to shed some light on why you were not an ideal candidate. Also, do some mock interviews, ideally with people who are NOT your friends. You need honest, blunt feedback that friends might feel uncomfortable giving to you. It may be something physical (poorly dressed, bad hygiene) or you were too strong/weak on some of your responses.

As for what you can do now, you might want to contact those with "no communication". Figure out if they plan to release decisions soon, as this is already the end of the cycle. As for letter of intent, I think it's fine to reiterate your interests even if you've already done so. Highlight why you love the school and why you think you'd be a good fit there.

 

[SN2reaction]

Hey thanks guys for the responses. I am currently not looking at reapplying because I AM a reapplicant and have decided that if I were not to be admitted this year, I'd take some time off doing something else to improve my chances. Which is also why I am going to go down swinging this time around so I can evade that circumstance.

I do agree that letters of intents should be short. My question is mostly this: Would it be a waste to send a second letter of interest if its just reiterating what I said in the first one? I know there is no way of really know this, but I'm hoping to get some feel at least of what might make a successful LOI.

Also, I read somewhere that people email their interviewers. Is this a good tactic or would it seem like I am pestering the person?

Thanks again so much everybody, this is a very frustrating process, and I appreciate all of the advice and knowledge that is offered on this website.

 

[EBTrailRunner]

From my experience, a LOI should communicate to a school that it's either your top choice or one of your top choices, what's drawn you to their program, why you'd be a perfect fit, and kept to one page. Depending on the school, a LOI may not have much of an effect, but you should treat every WL like it's your last chance this application cycle. I think you absolutely should send a second LOI. It's expected that you won't have impressively original material for every LOI you send to a school, but I think with multiple letters content is not as key as showing persistence. Do realize, however, that there's a fine line between being persistent and being annoying (in other words, don't call or email the admissions office every day asking for a status update).

 

[1289]

Hey thanks guys for the responses. I am currently not looking at reapplying because I AM a reapplicant and have decided that if I were not to be admitted this year, I'd take some time off doing something else to improve my chances. Which is also why I am going to go down swinging this time around so I can evade that circumstance.

I do agree that letters of intents should be short. My question is mostly this: Would it be a waste to send a second letter of interest if its just reiterating what I said in the first one? I know there is no way of really know this, but I'm hoping to get some feel at least of what might make a successful LOI.

Also, I read somewhere that people email their interviewers. Is this a good tactic or would it seem like I am pestering the person?

Thanks again so much everybody, this is a very frustrating process, and I appreciate all of the advice and knowledge that is offered on this website.

I don't know which schools your WLed at, but I have spoken on the phone with the director of admissions at one particular school who told me that writing them once a week is "not too often." again this is only for this particular school, but my 2 cents is that it's much better to go down "swinging" as you said rather than sitting around 6 mo from now wondering "what if I had.."

 

[elblackwell]

Hey thanks guys for the responses. I am currently not looking at reapplying because I AM a reapplicant and have decided that if I were not to be admitted this year, I'd take some time off doing something else to improve my chances. Which is also why I am going to go down swinging this time around so I can evade that circumstance.

I do agree that letters of intents should be short. My question is mostly this: Would it be a waste to send a second letter of interest if its just reiterating what I said in the first one? I know there is no way of really know this, but I'm hoping to get some feel at least of what might make a successful LOI.

Also, I read somewhere that people email their interviewers. Is this a good tactic or would it seem like I am pestering the person?

Thanks again so much everybody, this is a very frustrating process, and I appreciate all of the advice and knowledge that is offered on this website.

It's hard to know since each school has different policies but I did contact my interviewer after I was waitlisted and I felt like it helped. I would say if your interview went well, send them a short email. It probably won't negatively affect you even if they are annoyed, but if you dont contact them, it can't help you either. About the letters, I would keep them coming to your top choices or to the schools that are known for having a lot of waitlist movement.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

No communication from two schools? Which ones? I don't think there are schools that do post-interview silent rejections. That seems horribly rude given that you traveled all the way out to interview. When DID you interview at these two places?

 

[SN2reaction]

Thank again guys for the responses, I definitely appreciate them. I think I am going to go ahead and send some more letters out.

To those who are curious about the two schools I have not heard back from, they are UCLA and Charles Drew/UCLA. So essentially one school but two programs I guess? But I interviewed at both places in January. UCLA Geffen basically said we if we are not accepted off the bat, we won't hear anything until May 15th. Drew/UCLA has barely said anything at all. I will probably call them to find out what's up soon enough.