For students who are waitlisted or deferred from a top-choice college, the application process can seem frustrating or even discouraging. If you’ve received a letter placing you on the waitlist or deferring your early admissions application, you are probably feeling some combination of disappointment and impatience.
You now have to wait even longer to find out if you’ve gotten into the school of your dreams. And worse still, the odds of being accepted off the waitlist are even slimmer than the regular acceptance rate. While you may be feeling powerless, rest assured that there is something you can do during the interim to improve your chances of being accepted.
Writing a letter of continued interest is a smart thing to do if you’ve been waitlisted or deferred. In this post, we’ll explain what one of these letters entails, how you should go about writing one, and even include an example to inspire your writing.
Getting deferred or waitlisted by your dream college can feel devastating. But don’t lose hope just yet! Sending a compelling letter of continued interest (LOCI) can help move your application off the waitlist and into the accepted pile.
A LOCI lets admission officers know that you are still extremely interested in attending their college. It also gives you a chance to update your application with new achievements, test scores, or reasons why you are an even better fit than before. Follow these tips to craft the perfect LOCI:
What is a Letter of Continued Interest?
A letter of continued interest, sometimes called a letter of continuing interest, is an opportunity to update colleges that deferred or waitlisted you. It reiterates your enthusiasm for attending that particular institution.
Admission officers want to see that you will still enroll if accepted later from the waitlist. A strong LOCI also provides new compelling details about why you are a great match for that college.
When Should You Send a LOCI?
In most cases you should send a LOCI soon after receiving your deferral or waitlist notice. Some colleges provide specific instructions about timing. Always follow their guidelines.
If the college invites LOCI’s, send yours as soon as possible. You want admission officers to have your letter as they reassess applications and potentially take candidates off the waitlist.
To Whom Should You Address Your LOCI?
Address your letter of continued interest to the admission officer or admission department listed in your deferral or waitlist notice. If unsure, call the admission office to confirm the best contact.
How Should You Send Your LOCI?
Deliver your letter of continued interest through the method specified by the college. Most often, colleges request LOCI’s be sent by email.
Some colleges provide an online form or portal for LOCI submissions instead. A few may still want a mailed hard copy. Again, carefully follow the directions provided.
What to Include in Your Letter of Continued Interest
- Thank the admission office for reconsidering your application.
- State that you are still very interested in attending their college.
- If it is your top choice school, say so explicitly.
Paragraphs 2-4: Key Updates
- Highlight your significant new achievements and honors since you applied. For example, improved GPA, new test scores, awards won, leadership roles, exciting internships secured, etc.
- Describe any new extracurricular activities or projects started. Admission officers want to see your continued engagement and growth.
- Mention any new college visits, interviews, or contacts with current students/faculty which further inspired your interest.
Paragraph 5: Renewed Explanation of Fit
- Emphasize how your goals align with specific academic programs or opportunities at the institution. Consider citing new conversations with department faculty or students.
- Share additional details about campus culture/activities which draw you in. Convey a vivid image of yourself thriving there.
- If relevant, explain how you would specifically contribute to campus diversity.
Paragraph 6: Closing
- Thank the admission office again for reviewing your letter and application anew.
- Express eagerness at the prospect of joining their academic community.
Keep your LOCI concise at 1-2 pages. Only include your most impressive and meaningful updates. Quality over quantity.
LOCI Writing Tips
Follow these strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your letter of continued interest:
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Showcase passion for the college Convince admission officers this school is still your top choice. They want to see sustained interest.
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Be positive. Don’t complain about being deferred or waitlisted. Maintain a gracious, enthusiastic tone.
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Follow instructions. Strictly adhere to all guidelines provided about LOCI content, length, and delivery methods.
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Proofread carefully. Put the same care into perfecting your LOCI as you did for your original application essays.
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Update thoughtfully. Choose highlights that cast you in the best light academically, creatively, and personally.
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Sell your fit. Help the college visualize you thriving on their campus. Communicate special cultural/social alignment.
LOCI Mistakes to Avoid
Steer clear of these common LOCI pitfalls:
- Repeating exact details from your original application
- Failing to follow the college’s LOCI instructions
- Submitting your letter past the recommended timeline
- Padding your LOCI unnecessarily or going over the length limit
- Sounding arrogant or entitled to acceptance
LOCI Example and Template
Review this strong sample LOCI for inspiration crafting your own:
Date
Admission Officer Name
College Name
Address
Dear [Name],
I am writing this letter of continued interest to restate my strong enthusiasm for attending [College Name]. I was [deferred/waitlisted] in the [Early Action/Regular Decision] applicant pool. [College Name] remains my absolute top choice school, and I would eagerly accept admission here.
Since originally applying, I have continued pursuing my passions and achieving new heights. As captain of the debate team, I led our school to win the state championship last month. We defeated our rival school in the final round, and I was awarded the trophy for Best Speaker. I have also taken on new leadership roles in the Student Government Association and National Honors Society this semester.
In addition, I recently completed a coding internship at a local tech startup through the Girls Who Code program. I learned skills in Java and website development by helping design their new customer interface. As an aspiring computer science major, this experience made me even more excited to join [College’s] innovative tech community.
Thank you again for your time reviewing my application. I hope there will be a spot for me this fall in [College’s] incoming class.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
Use this sample as a model for crafting your own compelling letter of continued interest. Personalize each paragraph to reflect your unique background, achievements, and enthusiasm for the college.
Final Tips for an Outstanding LOCI
Follow these final recommendations to take your letter of continued interest to the next level:
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Open with a simple, clear statement reiterating your interest in the college.
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Close by succinctly restating your desire to enroll if accepted.
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Convey passion and paint a vivid picture of yourself thriving on campus.
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Carefully edit for clarity, flow, grammar, spelling, and length.
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Customize details to match each college’s values and community.
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Submit any requested supplemental materials if allowed, such as writing samples, pictures of artwork, or recordings of music performances.
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Follow up with your admission officer contact after submitting your LOCI. Politely ask if they need any additional items from you.
The effort invested in a fantastic letter of continued interest pays off. Use these tips and example to craft an LOCI that gets you off the waitlist and accepted into your dream college!
A General Outline For a Letter of Continued Interest
In your introduction you should thank the admissions committee for reviewing your application and let them know that you are still interested in attending. Remember to formally address the letter to the admissions committee, or even better, if you know the recruiter for your school or region address your letter to them.
Be warm, cordial, and respectful in your introduction—don’t start by berating the admissions committee for rejecting you. While you can mention your disappointment, make sure you counter that with more positive emotions to keep the letter forward-thinking and hopeful.
Here, you’ll provide information about your accomplishments since you submitted your original application. Do not repeat accomplishments or any information already on your application—the admissions committee already has this information and if you submit it again, it will look like you haven’t achieved anything since. Limit your updates to 2-3 topics and be sure to explain briefly what the update is, what level of accomplishment it illustrates, and how it has contributed to your overall character/development.
When considering what you want to update the admissions committee on, try and pick things that relate to your overall application theme. If you wrote about your interest in politics in your essays, tell the school how you recently won a Model UN competition and, as a result, got to visit the UN Headquarters in New York where you got to envision yourself as a diplomat, negotiating treaties on that floor.
Your accomplishments don’t have to be purely academic or extracurricular either. Maybe you lost a family member to cancer and since then you have clarity in pursuing oncology. You could also share an independent project you’ve taken up or a new skill you’ve taught yourself in the past few months.
Just as your college essay needs to be personal, so does your letter of continued interest. After you’ve demonstrated your recent accomplishments, make sure to include some details that humanize you and set you apart from the rest of the waitlist pool. Think about it this way: colleges receive hundreds of these letters, how can you make yours memorable?
Infuse your personality into the letter, whether that be through humor or a personal story that shows qualities like perseverance or curiosity.
At the end of your letter, you want to reiterate your desire to attend the school and your gratitude to the admissions committee for their time and for taking a chance on you. Just as with the opening, you want to end respectfully and positively.
What To Include In a Letter of Continued Interest
Your letter of continued interest should answer these two questions in a way that is affable and genuine. It should also express gratitude for being offered a place on the waitlist or a deferred decision, because this serves as evidence of positive personality traits, like perseverance and the ability to rise above adversity.
You want to convey to the college that you haven’t been sitting around moping over the fact that you weren’t immediately accepted; if anything, you are even more motivated. Tell the school about recent accomplishments like how you worked your AP Physics grade up to an A+ in the third quarter or how you placed first at the state DECA competition in February.
Another good thing to include is a reiteration of why you are still interested in the school. Maybe you visited the campus over winter break and fell in love with the humanities library with original manuscripts from acclaimed writers. If the school has been in the news recently for a scientific breakthrough that excites you, tell them about how eager you are to work with the faculty to further that research.
How to Write a Letter of Continued Interest! Example TEMPLATES and Tips!
What is a letter of continued interest?
That welcome agency comes in the form of the letter of continued interest (learn how to write a letter of continued interest and see examples below). A letter of continued interest allows waitlisted students to reinforce their commitment to a particular university or college.
Should a student submit a letter of continued interest?
Students should submit a Letter of Continued Interest to every school to which they hope to earn admission. If a student applied Early Decision to a school that deferred their candidacy, this school should absolutely receive a Letter of Continued interest. After all, this student earmarked their valuable binding commitment to this institution.
What makes a good letter of continued interest?
But a good letter of continued interest will emphasize things like personality, ambition, and intellectual curiosity, and make a clear case for why this school will miss you in your absence. It’s one last shot to make an impression and convince others of what you’ve been convinced about all along.
Does writing a letter of continued interest increase your chances?
There’s no guarantee that writing a letter of continued interest will increase your chances, but it certainly won’t hurt. A LOCI indicates that you have a strong desire to attend the school, which some schools factor into admission decisions. Adding new information to your application can also increases your chances of making it off the waitlist.
