The college admission process can leave you feeling overwhelmed. It can seem cruel to students that have been waitlisted or deferred. Thus, you might end up being frustrated and thinking about whether you should give up. However, there is no reason to lose hope. It is perfectly fine if you were not considered a top-choice candidate. But, you might feel that your future has been put on hold. On the bright side, you have still not been rejected and there is a way for you to improve your chances of getting admitted to your desired college. This is where a letter of continued interest comes into place. If you have been waitlisted or deferred, then you might want to write a letter of continued interest. The following top 12 tips for writing a letter of continued interest will come in handy according to CollegeApps.com.
- Address The Letter To The Assigned Admissions Officer
The first and most important tip that you need to keep in mind is that you have to address the letter to your assigned admissions officer. Moreover, you can also address the Director of Admissions. Generally, you will have to write to the person that had sent you the deferral or waitlist letter. The opening of the letter of continued interest should not be “To Whom It May Concern” as it seems rather generic and impersonal. If you want to make an impact, you need to directly address the person who wrote you the letter in order to get them involved and to get them to notice you.
- Restate Your Interest
A lot of the time, colleges expect deferred and waitlisted candidates to take an action and show that they are truly interested in attending the college. Thus, it is crucial that you state specific reasons why you are interested. Does the program challenge you? Do you feel excited about the prospect of studying at the campus? Write about your personal goals and how the college can help you achieve them.
- Be Honest
As Sky Writer points out, when you write a letter of continued interest, you need to be completely honest with the admissions committee. There is no reason to be shy and you should let the college know if they are your first school of choice. Colleges want to admit students that are honest about why they want to study the specific course. Moreover, a strong yield is important to a school and the admission staff strives to meet the enrollment goals.
- Share New Information
If you have recently scored better on your SAT exam, then you need to let the college know. Provide new and important information in order to make your college application stand out. Furthermore, let the college know what you have been doing during the waiting period. Did you volunteer, travel abroad, or win any meaningful award? But avoid including any trivial information.
- Always Thank The Admissions Committee
The best way to get the admissions committee on your side is by thanking them for taking the time to review your college application. Students that are grateful for the opportunity they would be given by studying at the college are highly sought after.
- Include Current Contact Information
When you write a letter of continued interest, you need to include your current contact in order for the college to easily reach you. Never make the mistake of old providing contact information. Moreover, waitlist activity occurs during the summer, this is why you need to ensure that the college can contact you during that time, even if you are traveling.
- Never Show Frustration or Anger
Although this tip might sound a bit contradictory to the one about honesty, but you need to make sure that your letter is positive. Even if you feel angry or frustrated about being put on hold, you cannot vent out your anger or frustrations through your letter of continued interest. Instead, you need to show the college that you are mature and can handle disappointment well.
- Avoid Presumption
Nobody likes an entitled or arrogant person. This is why you need to ensure that you write in such a way that does not come off as arrogant. Do you presume that you will get admitted or be put on waitlist. Just keep things simple and positive.
- Desperation Leads To Misery
Similar to presumption, desperation makes you appear as someone who is not confident. By showing desperation in your letter, you will come off as insecure. There is no need to tell the college that you have no other option and that you would die to get admitted. Only highly your continued interest.
- Send The Letter Early
As soon as you receive a letter from the college stating that you have been waitlisted or deferred, you need to write them a letter of continue interest. When you respond promptly to the letter, it shows that you are eager to attend the college, The key to getting admitted is genuine demonstrated interest. Many schools even create lists for admitting students that know how to respond.
- Single Page Letter
If you want to impress the college committee, you have to ensure that you write a single page letter of continued interest. The letter should never take more space as the admissions staff has a busy schedule and does not have the time to read lengthy letters. Be respectful to their tough schedule.
- Proofread
Finally, you have to keep in mind that your letter of continued interest might be the only thing standing in the way of you getting into your desired college. This is why you need to write a killer letter. Hence, you will have to proofread the letter many times to attend to its presentation, style, and grammar. You will hurt your chances of getting admitted if your letter of continued interest seems likes it had been prepared in three minutes by a third-grader. Spend a good amount of time reviewing the letter.