After interviewing at my top choice, I was hoping to gain some insight and guidance on what is best to include in a letter of intent. I have 1 other interview in-state, but prefer the out of state school much more in several different respects.
My question is: are these all appropriate points to bring up in a letter of intent? If not, please let me know which are not appropriate and what your rationale is if possible. Thank you once again for your time.
- Academic opportunities tailored to my interests within the informatics space (scholarly concentration program in this space within the first year of medical school is available); they also are well-known pretty much internationally for their work in this space.
- Curriculum structure, resources, support, and scale is unprecedented. This point is pretty self-explanatory and would be weaved in throughout the letter.
- I'm not entirely sure yet how to include this portion but I'll basically come up with a more eloquent way of saying that I had good vibes with everyone I interacted with? Like I had quite a bit of laughs with current students as well as was really surprised by how nice/helpful everyone was. Very laid back experience overall. They're dealing with us week to week and I think it takes a special kind of team to deliver a consistent and positive interview experience for each group.
- Cost of living and area. This is pretty significant to me. My in-state tuition might be cheaper, but the cost of living is astronomical in comparison. The school the area was in was beautiful, weather was great, and overall I could see myself living and thriving at both the medical school and city. I really don't see myself where I currently live in the future.
I'm sure there are some suggestions in the forums and articles archive about letters of intent. While all the above points have been included, I suggest you emphasize the summary of your strengths articulated in your application, updates since your interview, and your assessment in how the program fits your ultimate career goals. Don't make any bold statements like "if you give me an offer, I'll promise to attend"... if this is an allopathic school, you'll get your chance with the Choose Your School tool. Review the school's policies on CYMS and make sure to adhere to their preferences.
Detailed:
I'm not sure #3 really adds to your LOI. You probably should have mentioned this in followup post-interview earlier. I don't know if you had any memorable conversations that you could bring up and highlight as being impactful, but that would be better than just saying "I got along with everyone, and I had a good time" in essence.
#4 I don't think adds to your LOI. Any admissions and student services staff probably already leverages its low cost of attendance as an advantage in its promotion and recruitment.
