Have you been waitlisted or deferred? Consider writing a letter of continued interest!

As admission results are released, among the acceptances and rejections, many students receive deferrals from early applications as well as placements onto the waitlist. While waitlist acceptances vary a lot from college to college and from year to year, one way you can help your chances is to write a letter of continued interest.

Before starting your draft, check your admissions portal and/or email for information about what to do next; some schools specifically request that you do not submit a letter of continued interest (such as USC). 

What to include in your letter

The College Essay Guy has created a really helpful, paragraph-by-paragraph outline of what to include in your letter of continued interest. Let’s break this down further:

1. Thank the admissions reader for reviewing your application and reaffirming your interest in the college, especially if it’s one of your top choices. If it is your #1 choice, let them know that if accepted, you will attend

Because you’re asking the admissions reader to reconsider your application in this new context of applicants, being polite doesn’t hurt!

This is also where you need to do self-reflection because staying on a waiting list can make the process last even longer. If you’ve already received acceptances to some amazing choices, or the school has a low waitlist acceptance rate, consider moving past this college and focusing on the other colleges on your list. 

2. Share any updates that the admissions team may be interested in from your life.

As you know, whether it’s academic or extracurricular, the admissions teams often take a holistic view of your student profile, and it’s valuable to share what they may have missed in the months since you submitted your application. Many students have completed another semester of high school after early applications, perhaps improving their GPA, or completed another season of sports or other extracurricular activities. You can also share any awards, projects, or triumphs that provide additional information about you. 

Remember: You should send all colleges your first-semester senior year grades, even if you applied early!

3. Show your (continued) demonstrated interest. 

College engagement should continue until you receive a final decision. Did an admissions rep recently come to your school? Attend an info session? Chat with an alum? This is your chance to, first, explore the school more by doing a campus visit (virtual or in-person), reaching out to current students to ask questions, or seeing what exciting content they share on their social media or website, and then, second, write about it in your letter! Being specific here is key: you should mention the admission rep, faculty member, or student(s) you talked to. You should also note places on campus you loved such as The Composites Design and Manufacturing HUB or the Capital Markets Lab with the real-time LED stock ticker.  

4. Describe what you like about the school, and why they should like you!

Keep it brief (admissions readers often have thousands of applications to read!), but based on your continued research and experience with the university, share your “why us” with the university, and connect it to yourself, your experiences, and your values. Briefly tell them how you intend to make an impact on campus or how you plan to get involved. 

5. Thank the reader (just once more!) 

Where should I send it?

Check the admissions portal or your email. They may provide a specific email address or a form. If there isn’t a form provided, try contacting your admission rep, who is often listed in your admission portal. If all else fails, contact the admission office and ask for your admission rep’s contact information.