How and when do you send update letters or LOIs?

[UserName]

Hi

 

When can we send letters to universities updating our status if something important happened? what about Letters of Intent?

 

Pre interview decision? post interview?

 

I don't really know the etiquette of the process

 

for example, I just got my research accepted (without reviews!) into a good journal after 2 rough rejections and I'm a first co-author.. is this significant enough? I mention in my primary that I have submitted my manuscript and it's pending decision

 

what should I do in this case?

 

thanks very much!

[Riskbreaker]

While that's certainly good news, I don't think it's "significant" enough to be the focus of an entire letter, especially this early in the game. I would recommend that you send letters post-interview, and only if you're truly interested. You need to talk (convincingly) about your interest in the school, and then mention how your accomplishments have progressed since your initial application. Since you mentioned the submission in your primary, it's an easy follow-up and a good addition to your letter of interest, but again, it shouldn't be the focus.

 

There's nothing stopping you from sending letters at any time, but doing so this early may make you out to be a bit too keen. Talking about letters of intent is a whole different ball game, as you're basically saying: "I wish to come to this school regardless of any other offer". Now, of course that's not binding, but it's a pretty big commitment to make on paper. Unless you're crazy about a specific school, I would keep to letters of interest, unless it's already into the next year and time is running out. I would say the same time frame is appropriate for letters of interest pre-interview, again, unless you have an obsession with a specific school.

 

Regardless, I found letters of interest to be very helpful, and they were definitely instrumental in securing some of my acceptances in the USA. Best of luck!

[UserName]

Thank you Riskbreaker that was useful. I guess I'm too excited right now about the paper

[UserName]

So I just sent each school a quick email saying hey what's up i just published would u kindly consider it into my profile etc.. nothing too formal... and pretty much all schools were VERY nice and they said they added it to my electronic file.. only 2 or 3 said they won't accept any updates (Albany, which already says that on their secondary, and MSU.. maybe another one too)

 

so if you guys have something interesting that just came up.. drop them a line.. it can't hurt.. it's not like they were thinking of interviewing you and then got offended by the email and decided to reject you..

 

 

Two of the schools used the C word in their reply.. yes.. they said Congratulations.. and my eyes lit with hope for a second.. but it was just saying Congratulations on your publication.. and another was saying Congratulations, we have accepted this update.. .. they should be banned from using this word inappropriately like that.

[musicaldna]

So I just sent each school a quick email saying hey what's up i just published would u kindly consider it into my profile etc.. nothing too formal... and pretty much all schools were VERY nice and they said they added it to my electronic file.. only 2 or 3 said they won't accept any updates (Albany, which already says that on their secondary, and MSU.. maybe another one too)

 

so if you guys have something interesting that just came up.. drop them a line.. it can't hurt.. it's not like they were thinking of interviewing you and then got offended by the email and decided to reject you..

 

 

Two of the schools used the C word in their reply.. yes.. they said Congratulations.. and my eyes lit with hope for a second.. but it was just saying Congratulations on your publication.. and another was saying Congratulations, we have accepted this update.. .. they should be banned from using this word inappropriately like that.

 

Thanks for sharing this! and Congratulations...lol

[ChicoMaki]

I just sent a letter to all the schools I applied informing them that the 2 abstracts I submitted (which is what I put in my AMCAS) have been accepted for poster and oral presentations at an international conference. They were very responsive as well.

[VTeight7]

Question about LOIs .. if we get waitlisted in october, should we send a LOI now, or wait until the new year? I already sent a general thank-you card to my interviewer and I definitely don't think she even received it until after the decision was made for me to be waitlisted.

[Rach]

Question about LOIs .. if we get waitlisted in october, should we send a LOI now, or wait until the new year? I already sent a general thank-you card to my interviewer and I definitely don't think she even received it until after the decision was made for me to be waitlisted.

 

Are you asking about letters of intent, or letters of interest? Apparently letters of intent are best sent in the new year (march-may) if you have been placed on a waitlist. I don't think letters of interest are as clear-cut, it seems you can send those whenever. There's a thread that came up today on sdn's main pre-allo page that seems to have some good advice.

 

I also don't think the thank you notes make a difference wrt decisions. Most schools have interviewers fill out forms right after the interview, or they meet with the committee pretty soon after the interview so I don't think it matters.

[VTeight7]

Are you asking about letters of intent, or letters of interest? Apparently letters of intent are best sent in the new year (march-may) if you have been placed on a waitlist. I don't think letters of interest are as clear-cut, it seems you can send those whenever. There's a thread that came up today on sdn's main pre-allo page that seems to have some good advice.

 

I also don't think the thank you notes make a difference wrt decisions. Most schools have interviewers fill out forms right after the interview, or they meet with the committee pretty soon after the interview so I don't think it matters.

 

I actually didn't realize there was a difference btwn intent & interest, but I found all the threads on SDN. Looks like not much difference. Thanks.

[Rach]

I actually didn't realize there was a difference btwn intent & interest, but I found all the threads on SDN. Looks like not much difference. Thanks.

 

Well you could send letters of interest to basically every school. You should only be sending one letter of intent though (it's not binding but I think you should probably be prepared to attend the school you send a letter of intent to as opposed to other US schools).