Writing Appeal Letters

[BlackPuma]

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Hi guys,

Watcha wants to write an appeal letter to a school he got rejected....do you guys have any advice on what to do?

thanks

 

[Papa Smurf]

Pre or post-interview? If it's post, good luck, cause most schools won't reverse a decision made my the entire committee. Pre-interview appeals are a bit easier. Just point out why you like the school, what you have to offer, and ask 'em to take another look.

 

[mpp]

Do not refer to yourself in third person...

 

[Papa Smurf]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by mpp:
•Do not refer to yourself in third person...•••••But Bob Dole.....

 

[imtiaz]

hahahahahaha, "i am watcha's leaky gall bladder."

 

[Cambrian]

watcha,

I wrote an appeal to UCLA, expressing my disappointment at my rejection. I told them how I want to go to their school. Everything I said I meant. Because I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go to UCLA. I called the admissions office and asked to whome should I send it. After a long wait, they said send it to the admissions office. I don't know if my letter ever went through. Since I did not send it directly to the Dean of Admissions, do you think that my letter was torn up the minute it got the admissions office. I sent it 2 weeks ago and haven't heard anything. I think you are really LOW LOW priority when you are trying to appeal. What do you think?

 

[praying4MD]

Do a search both in pre-allo and allo under "appeals." I believe there's a very inspirational story about one applicant with a below average GPA & MCAT who appealed a Yale rejection-- simply telling the Dean how much he desired to go to that institution, yadda yadda yadda-- very emotional, heartfelt & TRUE letter. Voila! Rejection was overturned. Behold the power of appeals. However, if you are appealing make certain you would go to this school! No one likes an indecisive applicant who turns the adcoms at their whim and then doesn't even matriculate there. Good luck.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Cambrian - No, they won't just tear it up...don't worry. I would wait about 2 to 3 weeks after sending it then call them to check up on it.

 

[praying4MD]

You sparked my interest and I found the story I was looking for. Sorry, it wasn't an appeal. Here's the link if you're interested:

<a href="http://www.studentdoctor.net/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=001387" target="_blank">Spacecadet22's Story of Getting Her Dream School: Yale</a>

The point to take home from it is to definitely be proactive. For some reason, the link wasn't working when I first attempted it, so I pasted the post that I am referring to. Hope this helps:

"... I had a 3.38 cum GPA and 3.39 science GPA and I got into several first tier schools. My secret to success, however, is the pitch...which involves more than just selling yourself. You have to be persistent and you have to do some work. For example, I hadn't been granted an interview at a school that had been my first choice for as long as I can remember. It was January...the clock was ticking so I went on line, found out the email addresses of the director of admissions and dean of admissions and wrote them a 1.5 page mission statement/request for an interview/explanation of why the program best suited me. Really heart felt stuff... explained my GPA was indicative of my academic or professional potential...3 weeks later... interview. Don't get me wrong, everything I wrote was true, but often those pesky applications don't paint us in the best light.

I subsequently was wait listed....then I wrote some more...called some more....In June, I got into my dream school...I'm a first year at Yale.

You can do anything if you are willing to work...the same tactics worked at two other schools. The key is the email, that way you don't have to deal with secretaries who screen calls or read mail for them. It's a little ballsy but I think it works out if your letter is well-worded and genuine. If you need more advice on this, feel free to send me a private message--good luck."

 

[brickmanli]

I'm not too optimistic about the success rate of the appeal letter. If it works, then everybody will be writing them to every school they were not considered at, and schools will start giving everyone second looks as a rule. I would only write something if I'm waitlisted and a damn fine writer. Otherwise, I think it's a waste of time. But if you're doing something big now that you didn't mention in AMCAS, then go for it and write the letter. The single exception with the Yale student probably happens 1 in a thousand and under very special circumstances.