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How to Write a Letter of Continued Interest

So you’ve been deferred or waitlisted from a school you had your heart set on. There’s still something you can do: write a Letter of Continued Interest. Below, you’ll find a complete and essential guide to letters of continued interest (LOCI) to answer your questions about what to include and what not to include in your letters, including examples of letters to inspire your own.

What is a Letter of Continued Interest?

A Letter of Continued Interest (or, if you’re Notre Dame, a “letter of desire”) is a formal letter to a school expressing that you still want to attend their school, despite being waitlisted or deferred. It’s a good way to remind the school that you still exist, you take initiative, and above all, you’re someone they will want to accept in the next round of admissions or take off the waitlist.

While the LOCI is generally written at a time when you have negative emotions swirling from the sting of initial rejection and uncertainty going forward, this letter should remain positive and upbeat, keeping the school updated on your achievements in a polite and professional manner.

The skills you have cultivated throughout the process of writing supplemental essays, composing an Activities List, and preparing for college interviews can all come in handy when writing your LOCI. However, it is important to note that this letter is not a space to reiterate your application—instead, you should provide the admissions committee with new information about your candidacy and interest in a school. While your original application gives admissions officers a comprehensive picture of your academic and extracurricular profile, a Letter of Continued Interest offers a brief snapshot of who you are now.

What do Colleges Want to Know About Students Who are Waitlisted or Deferred?

When admissions officers revisit a deferred or waitlisted application, they’re looking for new, concrete information that strengthens an applicant’s candidacy. The letter of continued interest can be helpful in this regard, providing insightful information about what a student has accomplished in the time since applying. Some of the most helpful and relevant updates for students to provide are:

Upward Trends in Grades

Whether a higher GPA or an improvement in a core class, positive changes to a student’s GPA are important to note in the LOCI. Particularly for deferred students, sharing mid-term grades can offer admissions officers a fuller picture of your academic preparedness in the regular decision round.

New Awards or Honors

If a student has earned awards or honors—such as academic or subject-area awards, placement in competitions (science fair, debate, robotics, writing contests), or national or regional recognition—they should be sure to highlight these for admissions officers.

Positive Changes in Extracurriculars

Perhaps a student took on a new leadership role or met a fundraising goal in one of the clubs included on their Activities List. These types of accomplishments show admissions officers that students haven’t let senioritis get the best of them.

Recently Published Papers

Whether a STEM student who has published the findings of their independent research or a creative writing student whose poetry made it into the school’s literary journal, publications show admissions officers that a student’s work is highly regarded by others in their field of interest.

Passion Project Achievements

Spearheading an independent initiative in your community shows admissions officers the kind of student you’ll be on campus. If you have scaled your initiative or accomplished a win since you initially applied, be sure to let admissions officers know.

Advice from a Senior Mentor

“The letter of continued interest is the last opportunity students get to speak directly to admissions officers in their own voice. I encourage students to stay authentic to themselves while also getting creative with the format of their letter. It should be professional and polished while also showcasing what makes them unique.”

– Michael, Senior Mentor

What to Include and Avoid in Your Letter of Continued Interest

When admissions officers revisit a deferred or waitlisted application, they’re looking for new, concrete information that strengthens an applicant’s candidacy. The letter of continued interest can be helpful in this regard, providing insightful information about what a student has accomplished in the time since applying. Some of the most helpful and relevant updates for students to provide are:

3 Things to Include:

3 Things to Avoid:

What to Include and Avoid in Your Letter of Continued Interest

Who should I address my letter of continued interest to? What should I include in my letter of continued interest? What should I not include in my letter of continued interest? These are common questions students have regarding letters of continued interest. Here is some guidance for you to follow as you write and address your letter of continued interest:

1. Introduction

Introduce yourself, thank the school for reviewing your application, and reiterate your interest in the college. If there are any specific interactions you’ve had with the regional admissions officer that you can mention to establish some sort of personal rapport, now’s the time to do it.

2. College-Specific Portion

Write about the reasons you have for wanting to attend the college, and why you’d be a good fit. Make sure, as with everything else, to be specific. Every school has a beautiful campus and a fun sports mascot (okay, maybe some schools don’t have the second one—looking at you, schools that have colors as mascots). Not every school has a cutting-edge cancer research department, or a world-class drama program. Find the thing that makes this school so important to you and emphasize it in the letter. After all, that’s why you’re sending it in the first place.

3. Personal Update

Briefly update them on what they need to know about any changes to your status or viability (if these exist—if not, forget it), or offer to provide them with additional information if they would like. This second part is important. They may want to clarify some piece of your essay or application in the future, and it can be good to keep that door open here. You should also mention those best-fit qualities between you and the school—not only what makes it a good school for you, but you a good student for them.

Recently Published Papers

Whether a STEM student who has published the findings of their independent research or a creative writing student whose poetry made it into the school’s literary journal, publications show admissions officers that a student’s work is highly regarded by others in their field of interest.

4. Conclusion

Thank them again and end the letter by wishing them well. You’ve made your point, so no need to belabor it. Sign your name, and tell them where they can reach you.

Example Letters of Continued Interest

To help you get started, here are some examples / samples of a composite letter of many letters we’ve seen: (Disclaimer: do not copy and paste this letter into an email. You’ve made it this far doing your own work—we hope—so you can use this as a guide but not a template.)

Dear Mr. Julou,

My name is Sabrine Cross and I recently applied for admission to Emory University through the Regular Decision application cycle. First, please accept my sincere thanks for considering my candidacy at your university. As a student with multiple interests and a passion for public health education, I know that Emory is the ideal school for me to lay an interdisciplinary foundation before I go on to pursue a graduate degree. I would be thrilled to have the opportunity to attend this coming fall. Since I submitted my application, I have been recognized as a regional finalist by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation for my work leading Food for Thought, my non-profit which has brought a nutrition education program to over one hundred elementary schools in southern Indiana. I would look forward to continuing my work as a member of Emory’s Healthy Eating Partners organization on campus. Outside of this work, I have recently completed my IB extended essay about the intersection of public health education and socioeconomic status. Writing the essay has allowed me to further refine my interests in public health and nutrition, and I would love to take advantage of the opportunities offered by Emory’s Human Health major, Predictive Health minor, and then by the joint Health Innovation concentration as a junior and senior. I would be particularly interested in joining Professor Rachel Hall-Clifford on her research concerning oral rehydration therapies in Guatemala for children younger than five years old. I am confident that Emory’s opportunities and resources would afford me the unique opportunity to grow as both an individual and an intellectual. Thank you again for taking the time to review my application.

All the best,

Sabrine Cross

Dear Ms. Rose,

My name is Julia Ilin and I recently applied for early action admission to Yale University. Thank you so much for taking the time to consider my candidacy for Yale. As a prospective political science major fascinated by international relations, I am confident that Yale would be the perfect school for me to pursue my undergraduate studies.

Since submitting my application, I have ranked 3rd in the NYC District Qualifier for the 2022 National Debate Tournament, and will be attending Nationals this June. As founder of my organization, Debaters, I have devoted much of my time to teaching middle school students speech and debate practices. I trained nine of my high school’s Speech and Debate members in how to use the debate curriculum I developed to teach middle school students, and we welcomed sixty seventh graders to our 2nd Annual Christmas Debate this past December.

As a service-oriented, intellectually curious student, I have felt that Yale is unique among its peers, particularly for a student with the intention to study political science. I would be particularly keen to work with Professor Sarah Bush on her research concerning policing boundaries in human rights and democracy promotion. The research opportunities available for a student like me, who hopes to gain hands-on experience in the field, would allow me not only to learn from eminent professors within the field, but also to see the real-world applications of what I’m studying for myself.

Thank you again for your thoughtful and comprehensive consideration.

Best,
Julia Ilin

Personalized Guidance For a Standout Letter

The letter of continued interest is the last action step that students can take to secure their spot at their dream school, which means that every word counts. With stakes this high, expert guidance can make all the difference in a student’s odds of acceptance. Every admissions cycle, Command Education Senior Mentors work one-on-one with students to craft eye-catching and dynamic letters after deferral and create a tactical plan for their regular decision applications.

If your student is navigating the uncertainty of waitlists and deferrals, give them the personalized support they need to make their next move count.

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