Each year, top students apply to top schools through Early Action and Early Decision admissions programs. In some cases, these students are neither accepted nor rejected. Instead, they receive a deferral letter. Similarly, qualified students who apply through regular decision are often placed on waitlists. It can be difficult to know how to navigate the deferral or waitlist process. That’s where we come in.
Sending a letter of continued interest is often the best way to express interest in a school, despite your current waitlist or deferral status. That being said, it can be difficult to know how to write a good letter of continued interest. In this article, we will outline how to write a letter of continued interest by providing you with plenty of practical tips and insights, as well as several letters of continued interest examples. We will also review reasons to send a letter of continued interest, what details to include, and what topics you should avoid.
So if you have questions about what to put in a letter of continued interest, or are looking for a letter of continued interest template, you’ve come to the right place!
What is a letter of continued interest (LOCI)?
In other words, just because you have already submitted your personal statement, supplemental essays, resume, and transcript does not mean there is nothing else you can do. Rather, the best way to express your passion for the school is to send a letter of continued interest (LOCI). This letter should stress that the school you are writing to is your first choice. By indicating that the school is your top choice, colleges are more likely to pay attention to your application. After all, they want to accept high school students they believe will ultimately enroll in their institution. This is often referred to as “demonstrated interest.”
You’ll also want to use your letter of continued interest to show that you are continuously striving to be the best version of yourself. The best way to convey this is by providing admissions with additional information about your most recent accomplishments. Do not repeat information that they already have or simply rewrite your personal statement. Instead, provide information that is new.
If you’re not sure what to write in a letter of continued interest, don’t worry, we’ll look at some examples of letters of continued interest.
What is a letter of continued interest (LOCI)?
To start, what is a letter of continued interest? A letter of continued interest is a letter that you send to college admissions expressing your continued interest in a school and providing new information, such as recent awards, publications, or an increase in your high school GPA.
In other words, just because you have already submitted your personal statement, supplemental essays, resume, and transcript does not mean there is nothing else you can do. Rather, the best way to express your passion for the school is to send a letter of continued interest (LOCI). This letter should stress that the school you are writing to is your first choice. By indicating that the school is your top choice, colleges are more likely to pay attention to your application. After all, they want to accept high school students they believe will ultimately enroll in their institution. This is often referred to as “demonstrated interest.”
You’ll also want to use your letter of continued interest to show that you are continuously striving to be the best version of yourself. The best way to convey this is by providing admissions with additional information about your most recent accomplishments. Do not repeat information that they already have or simply rewrite your personal statement. Instead, provide information that is new.
If you’re not sure what to write in a letter of continued interest, don’t worry, we’ll look at some examples of letters of continued interest.
What to include in a letter of continued interest
You can use letters of continued interest strategically to prove you are still interested in a school and bring attention once again to your original application. This may be factored into admissions committees’ decisions as they reevaluate your college application during regular decision. There are many things you can include in your letter of continued interest (LOCI) to help convince the admissions committee to reconsider your application.
The best letters of continued interest address the four points discussed below. So if you’re wondering “should I write a letter of continued interest?” consider whether the following factors apply to you:
Your GPA has improved.
If you are wondering when to send a letter of continued interest, an improvement in your high school GPA is an excellent reason to reach out to college admissions, especially if you are currently enrolled in AP, IB, and AICE classes. Not only does an improved GPA prove you haven’t caught senioritis, but it demonstrates your commitment to your education.
You’ve gained new awards or were recently published.
Publications and awards are a great way to highlight your unique and exceptional qualifications. New achievements highlight your dedication to your interests even after the application process. Similarly, if you’ve been working on a passion project, share your most recent progress! Remember, don’t share information that’s already included in your existing application.
You’ve earned a leadership position in an extracurricular activity.
If you choose to highlight a leadership position, be sure to explain your accomplishments. For example, it isn’t enough to say you are now the President of the Science Club. You should explain what work you’ve done to improve the organization.
For instance, you may decide to write something like this: “Since your decision, I became the President of the Science Club, where I spearheaded a recycling project on our school’s campus. The initiative collects nearly 100 soda cans a week.”
Remember, extracurricular activities are an important element of your college applications. This is because college admissions officers want to admit students who will be an active participant on campus.
You’ve completed the requirements or instructions stated in your waitlist or deferral letter.
Some colleges and universities ask students to perform certain tasks before gaining acceptance. One of the most common waitlist stipulations is achieving a higher test score. Once you have the ACT scores or SAT scores they require, be sure to send them in as soon as you can, along with an additional letter of continued interest. Notify the college that you achieved the scores necessary and are still interested in attending the school.
What to avoid when writing a letter of continued interest
As you can see, there are lots of factors to focus on when you’re learning how to write a continued letter of interest. Now that we’ve discussed some of the topics you should prioritize, let’s review some topics you should avoid:
Do not rewrite your personal statement.
Your letter should focus on the new strengths you bring to the table, as well as your continued interest in the school. In other words, do not include information the school knows. Include new information that makes you look more competitive. Although it may be helpful to review components of a strong personal statement, do not simply rewrite your personal statement.
Do not mention other schools.
Mentioning other choice schools does not make you look more competitive. Instead, it may come off as if you are bragging or underscoring the fact that you have options. Mentioning other schools can actually work against you, as the college may believe you will ultimately choose to enroll at another university. Instead, focus on why the school you are writing to is most important to you.
How to format a letter of continued interest
Now, let’s discuss the letter of continued interest format.
First, begin with “Dear [the name of the college admissions officer you are writing to].” Then, thank them for their consideration. Explain that you are still interested in attending their school and that this school is your first choice. After that, highlight recent developments — such as an increased GPA or award — to prove that you are improving your profile to be a more competitive applicant. Be respectful and thank the admissions officer for their time.
Your letter should be no longer than one page. Admissions officers are busy and may not take too kindly to long-winded letters. Try to stick to the point as much as possible. Similarly, use a clear and concise letter of continued interest email subject line, such as “letter of continued interest.” Again, you want to be respectful of the college admissions officers’ time, so do your best to be kind, succinct, and professional.
Wondering “should I send a letter of continued interest to several schools?” In general, it’s better to focus your energy on your top choice university. It may complicate your process if you send multiple LOCIs and every school accepts you. Try to be strategic when sending these types of letters. More isn’t always better!
Letter of continued interest sample
Reviewing letters of continued interest examples is a great way to learn more about what to include in a letter of continued interest. It can also help give you ideas in terms of potential letters of continued interest templates. In addition to reviewing the letter of continued interest example below, check out our article How to Write an Email to a College Admissions Office. This will help you get an even firmer grasp on how to format your letter.
Dear Dr. Smith,
My name is Alyssa Rodriguez and I applied Early Action to Prepory University on November 1st, 2021. Firstly, I would like to thank you for your time in reviewing my application. Although I am currently deferred, I would like to formally declare my continued interest in Prepory University. I know that the PU is an excellent fit for me.
Although I have received other acceptances, Prepory University is my dream college. As I mentioned in my application, no other school has a Journalism major with a concentration in Reporting in Applied Science. I recently read a report by Dr. Tao about the data visualizations in journalism and was reminded why this school perfectly embodies all of my interests.
Since I submitted my application in November, I raised my GPA from a 3.66 to a 3.84 in a single semester by earning As in my AP Statistics, AP Literature, and Newspaper Publishing classes. I hope to finish my senior year with a strong GPA and even stronger AP exam scores.
In addition to improved academics, I also published my third op-ed article in the San Diego Chronicle. Titled “Misunderstood, Misguided, & Misused,” the article focused on the misinformation campaigns caused by poor journalism and misinterpretation of data. I am excited to share that the article has over 1,500 views this month alone and over 25 shares via social media. I have linked the article to my email if you would like to read it.
I have also expanded my leadership skills by heading a new section of our school newspaper. The new section will be focused on new discoveries in the science field. I am tasked with pitching story ideas, overseeing the section layout, and editing stories. My editing skills and interpersonal skills have significantly improved since assuming this role. I am confident these new personal and academic developments will make me an even better fit at Prepory University.
I hope this letter reaffirms my interest in becoming a Prepory University student. I am happy to provide more information to help prove my interest and qualifications in PU. If there is any other information I can provide, please let me know. I hope to hear from the admissions committee soon.
Best,
Alyssa Rodriguez
What else you need to know about deferrals and waitlists
The waitlist means the admissions committee read your application and is still unsure of your application. There is no guarantee that waitlisted students will gain admission to the college or university. If you are wondering, what are the chances of getting accepted after being waitlisted?, you should do some research on the school to learn more about your chances of coming off of the waitlist.
Some schools often pull from the waitlist, while others are less likely to select students placed on a waitlist. This means that the answer to the question, how often do waitlisted get accepted?, is highly variable and depends on the specific college in question. If you have additional concerns about what to do if you’ve been waitlisted, you may want to reach out to the admissions office directly to get a better idea of what your options look like moving forward.
In some cases, deferrals may mean you have to meet a few requirements before your official acceptance. In this case, you know exactly what you need to do to be accepted. If this is not the case, neither decision is better or worse. Both mean you have an opportunity to attend the school, but the admissions committee needs more time.
The best thing you can do is put your best foot forward! Use your letter of continued interest to highlight your strengths as an applicant and show why you have the traits that college admissions officers look for in an applicant.
What else you need to know about deferrals and waitlists
While sometimes used interchangeably, deferrals and waitlists are different. Deferrals mean that admissions officers are choosing to make a decision about your application status at a later date. If you apply Early Action or Early Decision, you will most likely be deferred to the regular decision pool. A deferral may also mean the college wants more information to consider you. This may mean grades from the spring semester of your senior year or additional test scores.
The waitlist means the admissions committee read your application and is still unsure of your application. There is no guarantee that waitlisted students will gain admission to the college or university. If you are wondering, what are the chances of getting accepted after being waitlisted?, you should do some research on the school to learn more about your chances of coming off of the waitlist.
Some schools often pull from the waitlist, while others are less likely to select students placed on a waitlist. This means that the answer to the question, how often do waitlisted get accepted?, is highly variable and depends on the specific college in question. If you have additional concerns about what to do if you’ve been waitlisted, you may want to reach out to the admissions office directly to get a better idea of what your options look like moving forward.
In some cases, deferrals may mean you have to meet a few requirements before your official acceptance. In this case, you know exactly what you need to do to be accepted. If this is not the case, neither decision is better or worse. Both mean you have an opportunity to attend the school, but the admissions committee needs more time.
The best thing you can do is put your best foot forward! Use your letter of continued interest to highlight your strengths as an applicant and show why you have the traits that college admissions officers look for in an applicant.
Key takeaways and moving forward
Sending a letter of continued interest can be a great way to reaffirm your interest in attending a particular school while bolstering your application. Remember to be respectful, professional, and succinct while providing only new information. Colleges want to admit passionate students intent on bettering themselves. A letter of continued interest is a great opportunity to share your most recent accomplishments, which in turn, will further highlight your potential. If crafting such a letter seems daunting, our expert coaches at Prepory are here to guide you through the process.
Although gaining admission to your dream school is still a possibility, you may also want to use this time to explore the possibility of transferring colleges. Lots of students transfer colleges and if you earn good grades during your first semester of college and really apply yourself, you may still be able to gain a spot at your dream school. If you have any additional questions or concerns about moving forward with your college applications, reach out to learn more about our services and how we can help you meet all of your college-related goals.
In the meantime, check out some more of our college admissions articles, such as College Admissions Committee Review: What Actually Happens.
