Letters of Continued Interest Explained
Letters of Continued Interest Explained
Level 2: Admissions 101
Welcome! As college decisions are mailed, some may find themselves either deferred or waitlisted from the colleges that they applied to.
For students that find themselves in this situation, there is an option to submit a letter of continued interest.
Although the level of impact varies based upon the college, they can be helpful in at least expressing interest and some of credited them as getting into the college they wanted.
Part 1: What is a letter of continued interest?
A letter of continued interest is a letter sent by a student to a school that has waitlisted them expressing that they are still interested in attending the college.
To put it another way, you are letting the college know you still are interested in attending the school, but also providing them an update on why the college is a good fit for you.
Good letters of continued interest:
Affirm that you are still interested in attending the college
If possible, state whether you will attend the college if pulled off the waitlist
Provide a substantive update
Thank them for the consideration
Some will tell you that you should also provide real life updates (e.g., Prom went well, brother won the state championship), but in our experience, that detracts from the purpose of the letter.
Affirm that you are still interested in attending the college.
This is simple - you need to let them know upfront that you are still interested in attending the college or university.
Remember, waitlisted students are pulled based upon how many admitted students choose to attend the college. Low matriculation means pulling more off the waitlist. Admissions offices want to know that if they need to fill a spot to complete their class that the person they call is really interested in coming and will likely attend.
If possible, state whether you will attend the college.
When you state your interest, if you know this is your top choice and you would attend, this is the time to openly state it.
Again, the purpose of this letter is first and foremost to communicate that you want to go to this school. When you say that you are going to attend if they pick you off the waitlist, you are telling them that choosing you means the college is adding someone directly into their class.
If this is not true, DO NOT lie. Just state that you are “very interested” in attending.
Provide a substantive update:
This is the time to provide a substantive update. When we say substantive, it needs to be:
Quantifiable in impact - it must be something concrete
Example: I won a state championship
Differential - it needs to be something that differentiates you from other applicants
Example: I am a National Achievement Scholar
Provides an example of how you will make a significant contribution to the campus
Example: Publication of a research document
The best updates will have all three, but even one of the above will qualify as a substantial update. There are some that would say you should provide an updated SAT score, but our view is different.
A change in SAT score is nice, but college admissions are holistic. Having a high SAT score is not a guarantee you will get accepted upfront, so it is not a guarantee you will get off the waitlist. College admissions is about identifying people with a high probability to make a positive impact on the college, and the above speaks to that.
If you do not have that as an option, then use any improvement, but know you are diminishing the strength of the letter.
Thank them for consideration:
At the end of the day, you need to be graceful. Make sure you think them for the consideration. Now is not the time to start discussing negative things.
Some students use it as a time to insult the school or question why they are on the waitlist. All you are doing is showing a lack of intelligence and situational awareness.
Thank them for the consideration and send the letter.
Part 2: When should I send a letter of continuing interest?
Not every school will accept a letter of continuing interest and if they do, some restrict what can and cannot be sent.
The first step is evaluating whether the college accepts the letter. If they do not, DO NOT send it. Follow instructions.
If they do accept it, determine how much you want to get into the college. Just because you are on the waitlist does not mean you really feel you must go.
Our general rule of thumb is: If you were asked to come off the waitlist, what is your immediate response?
An immediate yes means send the letter of continuing interest
A delay means perhaps
Any other response is a no
Once you have decided to send it, then you can move forward with writing a letter knowing that the letter is coming from the right place, conveying the right information.
Hopefully this helps with navigating the waitlist. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions!