How to Write a Compelling Letter of Continued Interest: Examples and Expert Tips

Getting deferred or waitlisted from your dream school can be disheartening. However, a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) can be a powerful tool to reaffirm your commitment and potentially sway the admissions committee in your favor. This article will guide you through crafting an effective LOCI, complete with examples and expert advice.

Understanding the Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI)

A Letter of Continued Interest is a formal communication sent to a college after you've been deferred or placed on a waitlist. It serves as an update to your application, reiterating your strong desire to attend the institution and highlighting any significant achievements or developments since your initial application.

Why Write a LOCI?

Express Continued Interest: A LOCI explicitly tells the college that you remain enthusiastic about attending their institution.
Provide New Information: It allows you to showcase accomplishments, experiences, or insights gained since submitting your initial application.
Demonstrate Demonstrated Interest: For colleges that track demonstrated interest, a LOCI can further strengthen your candidacy.
Gain a Competitive Edge: If you send a letter of continued interest and other similarly qualified applicants do not, your LOCI may give you the edge.

When Not to Send a LOCI

It's crucial to adhere to the college's specific instructions. If the institution explicitly asks you not to send additional materials, respect their request.

Crafting Your LOCI: Key Elements

Format and Structure

The format of your letter of continued interest should be professional, like a cover letter for a job application.

Brevity: Keep your LOCI concise and focused, ideally no longer than one page.
Professional Tone: Maintain a respectful and enthusiastic tone throughout the letter. Avoid sounding angry, frustrated, or desperate.
Standard Formatting: Use a standard business letter format with left-aligned paragraphs and a professional closing.

Content: What to Include

Express Gratitude and Reaffirm Interest:

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- Begin by thanking the admissions committee for re-evaluating your application.
- Clearly state that the school remains your top choice and that you would be delighted to enroll if admitted.
- Example: "First, I would like to thank you for examining my application and placing me on the waitlist. [School] is my top choice. If admitted, I would be delighted to enroll in the fall or spring cohort and continue my studies at your university for more than four semesters."
Highlight New Achievements and Updates:
- This is the most crucial part of your LOCI. Share significant accomplishments, awards, experiences, or skills you've developed since applying.
- Connect these updates to your aspirations at the university, demonstrating how you would contribute to their community.
- Avoid rehashing information already included in your application.
- Examples:
  - "Since applying to Amazing University, I have received the Silver Garland Award for English/Literature, which is given to one student in my county annually. This award is presented to a student whose record of service “exemplifies the unselfish use of his or her abilities to help others.” This honor means a lot to me, and I feel it demonstrates my passion and commitment to both English and helping others."
  - "I also retook the SAT last month. My math score is now a 730, and my critical reading score is a 780. I’m sending my official scores to Amazing University. In addition, I earned a 4.0 GPA this quarter."
  - "In the aftermath of recent community news, I decided to work toward my certificate as an in-person counseling specialist (IPCS). I spent 20 hours honing my knowledge of risk assessment competencies, as published by the National Group of Mental Health and Well Being. Additionally, I look forward to applying my newfound responsibility by establishing my community venture, The Greatness of Us All."
  - "As the older sibling to my 10-year-old step sister, I have also been spending more time babysitting her since submitting my application, because my mom is working more than ever before. Recently, my sister began to express interest in coding. As an aspiring psychology major, I have little experience, but we have been taking online classes through [Program], and we are in the process of coding a motion sensor security camera for her room using a Raspberry Pi. This is outside of my comfort zone, but we are learning and teaching each other on the weekends. It has been extremely rewarding to spend quality time with her while learning a new skill. Creating our own personal project has made me more interested in exploring how computer science (CS) can be utilized to help diagnose mental health issues and ways to offer more personalized support for those suffering."
Reiterate "Why This School?":
- Reinforce your specific reasons for wanting to attend this particular institution.
- Mention specific programs, professors, research opportunities, or aspects of the school's culture that resonate with you.
- Demonstrate that you've done your research and understand what makes the university unique.
- Examples:
  - "I’m still very excited about the possibility of joining Amazing University’s English Department, working with inspiring professors like Professor X, and studying your extensive and unique collection of books."
  - "Through our meeting, I realized that students at [school name] are go-getters; they want to grow as individuals, and they continuously seek discomfort to do so. This is exactly the type of environment that I would love to contribute to. I believe that people with a growth mindset continuously push each other in a community to achieve their best selves."
  - "His experiences in [a personal anecdote] extremely excite me, as I aspire to do the same; I’d love to pursue [a particular program at the school] by contributing back to the city of [name]."
Showcase Demonstrated Interest:
- Mention any recent interactions you've had with the school, such as attending virtual information sessions, campus visits, or conversations with current students or alumni.
- Highlight what you learned from these interactions and how they further solidified your interest.
- Example: "I recently had the amazing opportunity to speak to [name of alum], a graduate of [school name], to learn more about the school."
Express Enthusiasm and Closing:
- End with a sincere expression of your continued enthusiasm for the school and your hope for admission.
- Thank the admissions committee for their time and consideration.
- Use a professional closing such as "Sincerely" followed by your name.
- Example: "Again, thank you for reviewing my application, taking the opportunity to interview me, and reading this letter."

Example LOCI Structure

Salutation: "Dear Mr./Ms. [Admissions Officer's Name]," (If known, otherwise use "Dear Director of Admissions,")
Paragraph 1: Express gratitude for being considered, reaffirm your strong interest in the school, and state your intention to enroll if admitted.
Paragraph 2: Highlight 1-2 significant new achievements or updates since your initial application. Connect these to your goals at the university.
Paragraph 3: Reiterate your specific reasons for wanting to attend the school, mentioning specific programs, professors, or opportunities.
Paragraph 4 (Optional): Briefly mention any recent interactions with the school (virtual sessions, campus visits, conversations).
Closing: Thank the reader for their time and consideration, and express your continued enthusiasm. Use a professional closing ("Sincerely,").

Example LOCI

[Your Name]

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[Your Address]

[Your Email]

[Your Phone Number]

[Date]

Dear Ms. Veronica Lauren,

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My name is Zola Avery, and I’m a hopeful Yalie from Bergen County, New Jersey. Though deferred from the Early Action pool, I remain absolutely convinced that Yale is the school for me. I’d like to thank the admissions department for reevaluating my materials.

This past weekend, I got the opportunity to spend some time up in New Haven for the Yale University Model United Nations Conference (YMUN), serving as part of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Committee (UNISDR) and debating rising sea levels and volcanic eruptions. Speaking with current Yale students made me realize more than ever before that I was with my people-warm, incredibly funny, artistic in their own way, and unabashedly inquisitive. This weekend, I was where I belong.

I would also like to take this time to briefly tell the admissions department about a few things that have happened since I submitted my Early Action application. First, I wrote, illustrated, and published a children’s book centered around gender inclusivity in STEM fields, with all proceeds going towards supporting curriculum development and outreach for the Stereotype Project, an organization I’ve been running for the past four years that focuses on combating stereotypes through art. I very much believe the magic of reading is magnified when the book is in its physical form (and I think my brother and sister, 5 and 9, would definitely agree).

Secondly, I’d like to add the following honors to my admissions file:

Best Delegate, Yale University Model United Nations Conference
Outstanding Delegate, Bronx Science High School Model United Nations Conference
Member of the Andrea Rubino Sheridan Chapter of National Honor Society

My whole life I have worked to draw connections and bridge the gap between science, social justice, and art. Whether wandering through the Yale Art Museum, bringing together feuding nations as part of YMUN, or listening to Dr. Woo-Kyoung Ahn speak about causal learning and the relationship between genetic explanations and psychopathology, I know that no community will help me flourish quite like Yale’s would. I know that there is nowhere else I’d rather create the future.

Again, thank you for taking the time to reevaluate my application.

Sincerely,

Zola Avery

Additional Tips for a Standout LOCI

Be Specific: Avoid generic statements. Provide concrete examples and details to support your claims.
Proofread Carefully: Ensure your letter is free of grammatical errors and typos.
Seek Feedback: Ask a teacher, counselor, or trusted adult to review your LOCI before sending it.
Be Authentic: Let your personality and passion shine through in your writing.

Understanding Waitlist Acceptance Rates

The number of students colleges accept off the waitlist varies significantly from year to year and from school to school. Factors such as the strength of the applicant pool and the college's enrollment goals influence waitlist acceptance rates. Researching a school's waitlist history can provide some insights, but past performance is not always indicative of future results.

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