How to Write an Outstanding Letter of Continued Interest
Were you waitlisted at one of your top-choice colleges? While the decision may feel disappointing, it’s not necessarily the end of the road for your college admissions process. In fact, many students boost their odds of later gaining admission to their dream school by writing a letter of continued interest.
If, indeed, you truly want to attend a school that placed you on the waitlist, then writing a letter of continued interest is incredibly important. Each year, thousands of students are waitlisted, especially at schools with low acceptance rates. Put simply, more students apply to these schools than they have space for. As such, writing a compelling letter of continued interest –sometimes called a waitlist letter or a college interest letter – could be what pushes you off the waitlist.
To help you write a successful college interest letter, CollegeAdvisor has put together this article full of resources and outlines for a sample letter of interest. In this guide, we will provide everything you need to know about how to write a letter of continued interest, such as:
- How to structure a waitlist letter
- What information to include in your letter of continued interest
- What NOT to say in your letter
- How to make your letter stand out
- Where and how to submit your letter
- A basic outline for a letter of continued interest
Ready to start writing? Let’s begin by looking at the purpose of a waitlist letter.
Understanding the Purpose of a Letter of Continued Interest
Before jumping into an example of a letter of continued interest, let’s explore what purpose these letters serve. As the name implies, a letter of continued interest expresses that you still wish to attend a school.
While a letter of continued interest is sometimes referred to as a waitlist letter, this type of letter is not only used when students are waitlisted. Students who apply Early Decision or Early Action and who are deferred may also choose to write a letter of continued interest. This letter is considered when students are re-evaluated in the regular decision admissions round.
Demonstrated interest
By taking time to write a letter of continued interest, you let admissions officers know that you are serious about attending their school. In other words, your letter can become a form of demonstrated interest.
Demonstrated interest is a term used in the college admissions process to describe when students take actions to show they really like a school and want to attend. Visiting campus, attending the admissions office’s webinars, or speaking with an admissions officer during a college fair are all examples of demonstrated interest.
Some schools consider demonstrated interest when deciding who to admit. Writing a letter of continued interest is a way to give admissions officers confidence that you would accept an offer of admission. With this increased confidence, they may be more likely to admit you. Keep in mind that not all schools, however, consider all forms of demonstrated interest. For example, the University of Chicago specifically notes that they do not consider visits or attendance at webinars in deciding to admit students off the waitlist.
What is a Letter of Continued Interest?
Put simply, a letter of continued interest is a statement of your demonstrated interest in a school. Additionally, a letter of continued interest may give more information about what you have been up to since applying. As such, they help to strengthen your application and make you a more compelling candidate.
Unfortunately, not all schools accept letters of continued interest. Furthermore, some have specific requirements of what they will accept. Some schools will only accept one letter. Others have replaced letters of continued interest with a custom form that allows them to collect the specific information they would like from students.
For example, the University of Michigan has an Expression of Continued Interest (ECI) form for when a student is postponed (their term for waitlisted). Similarly, Georgia Tech has a Waitlist Offer Reply Form that outlines specific information you may provide. Additional letters of continued interest are not read by the Georgia Tech admissions office.
As you can tell, while the letter of continued interest is a common format for demonstrated interest, you will want to research your school’s continued interest requirements in advance of submitting any documents. Indeed, following their guidelines is one way to show you are paying attention and passionate about attending their school.
Now that we know what a letter of continued interest is, let’s explore how waitlisting works and how the letter of continued interest fits into the process.
The Waitlist and Letter of Continued Interest
Each year, thousands of students are waitlisted across the country. While being waitlisted can feel like a rejection, it is not. Waitlisted applicants are those that schools believe could thrive at their campus, but for whom there simply are not enough spots. Here are some other facts about the waitlist process to keep in mind:
Facts about the Waitlist Process
- Getting off the waitlist is rare, but it happens. While you should not give up on a school you truly want to attend, do not count on an admissions offer if you are on the waitlist. Indeed, as Cornell notes on their waitlist website, there are years where only a handful of students are accepted off the waitlist. That said, students who write successful waitlist letters are more likely to be admitted.
- Being waitlisted can take a toll on your mental health. Some students experience stress and anxiety while on the emotional rollercoaster of being waitlisted. Be gentle with yourself and try not to obsess over your future and whether you will be admitted off the waitlist. Instead, focus on what you can control, such as writing a successful waitlist letter. The rest you can leave up to admissions counselors to decide. Indeed, there are students who decide that being on a waitlist is too stressful for them. Understandably, they would rather commit to another school and be done with their college process sooner.
How to navigate the waitlist
Throughout the waitlist process, there are additional steps to take than writing a letter alone. Here is a list of helpful steps to take so that you have a healthy and realistic approach to being waitlisted:
1. Consider whether the waitlist is right for you
While you may have been interested in a school six months ago, perhaps your priorities have changed. Before you accept a waitlist offer, seriously consider whether you would still attend that school. Staying on the waitlist if you have no interest in going to a school is not only a waste of admissions officers’ and your time, but it is unfair to the other students on the waitlist who really want to attend.
Secondly, keep in mind that there are other options for trying to get into your dream school. Some students choose to take a gap year and reapply to schools. If you do so, make sure to invest in a lot of personal growth and take on new academic challenges, potentially even college courses. Doing so will give new life to your application.
Alternatively, you can also always opt to go to a school you were admitted to or apply to one with rolling admission. Then, you can try to transfer to another one after a year or two.
2. Make sure you sign up for the waitlist
If after considering all your options, you decide you do want to be on the waitlist for a school, you need to tell that school. Being invited to the waitlist is not the same as being on it. You must formally accept your spot on a waitlist by the noted deadline. Read your emails carefully and check your applicant portal regularly to make sure you don’t miss any steps.
3. Write a thoughtful letter of continued interest
Start by familiarizing yourself with an example of a letter that is formal. Later on in our guide, we will share ideas for what to write about as well as examples of a letter format you can use.
4. Keep performing well
As you finish high school, strive to achieve strong grades and maintain involvement in extracurricular activities. Though it can be a busy time, rocking the second half of senior year can only help your chances of getting off the waitlist.
5. Invest in your deposited school
Schools typically refrain from admitting students off the waitlist until after May 1. However, student deposits are typically due before May 1. That means you need to submit a deposit to a school that already accepted you before this date.
If you are admitted off the waitlist at a school and decide to attend, you will forfeit that deposit. However, it’s still important to operate as though you will not be admitted off the waitlist so that you can be prepared to attend your deposited school. Take action to register for classes, choose housing, submit paperwork, and other needed steps to matriculate at your deposited school.
6. Don’t forget about financial aid
Students admitted off the waitlist are generally still eligible for financial aid. So, be sure to complete any necessary financial aid forms. if you are waitlisted, so that your school can offer you a financial aid package quickly should you be taken off the waitlist.
Usually, students are notified if they are admitted off the waitlist in May or June. Some schools notify students as late as July or even a few weeks or days before the semester starts. Once admitted, students usually only have a few days to review their financial aid package and accept or deny the offer. Keep a close eye on your email to make sure you do not miss any waitlist communications.
Now that we have thoroughly explored what it means to be waitlisted, we will look more in-depth at how much the letter of continued interest matters.
Does my Letter of Continued Interest matter?
In short, yes – your letter of continued interest is of the utmost importance. According to U.S. News, schools are waitlisting more and more students each year. Deciding which students to take off the waitlist can be a real challenge for admissions officers.
By writing a successful waitlist letter, you can absolutely change your odds of admission by showing how much you care. In short, if a school accepts letters of continued interest and you wish to attend, you should certainly write a college interest letter.
Once you have decided that you want to write a letter of interest, the next step is learning how to write a successful waitlist letter. Remember that while looking at letter of continued interest examples can help, you should also focus on taking your own approach. Coming up, we will provide some basic guidelines for how to write a letter of continued interest.
Structuring your Letter of Continued Interest
The first step in learning how to write a letter of continued interest is to learn how to write a formal letter. In general, formal letters are becoming less common with the availability of email and digital forms. However, in this instance, you’ll want to follow the same basic guidelines, regardless of how you actually submit your letter.
As such, look up several formal letter formats to become familiar with how they look and sound. A successful waitlist letter may include the following elements typically found in any formal letter format:
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
- Sign-Off
While you may find an example of a letter online that follows a different format, the core idea is to make sure your letter is clear, concise, and neatly formatted. Later on, we’ll provide a more detailed outline that explains what each section should look like. But first, let’s discuss what topics and details you might want to include in your letter of continued interest.
What to include in your letter of continued interest
There are a few points you will want to cover in your college interest letter:
Gratitude
Thank the institution for continuing to consider your application.
Continued interest
State your interest in attending the school. If you are certain you would attend the school if accepted, then write that! Additionally, emphasize why attending this particular institution is so important to you.
Make sure to name specific reasons why the school is truly the best place for you to experience college. Do not repeat points from the “Why School” essay you submitted as part of your application. Instead, try to provide a fresh perspective on why you want to attend.
New updates
Include any new updates that weren’t captured in your original application. These can include:
- Awards received
- High grades/changes in your class ranking
- New leadership roles you have taken on
- Projects you completed that show your major interest
- Examples of personal growth
- Personality traits not emphasized in your application
As we recommend doing with college essays, have a trusted source review your letter to make sure it is clear, concise, and grammatically correct. Remember, all writing you submit during the college admissions process is representative of your analytical and writing skills. Take this opportunity to show off your best writing.
A note on using artificial intelligence
Understandably, writing a formal letter may feel unnatural and difficult. Using AI or copying an online sample letter of interest may be tempting. While using tools and resources to brainstorm ideas or double-check your grammar is admissible, be careful that you do not lean on them too much.
To truly make a difference, you need to write a genuine letter, in your own voice, that aligns with the materials you already submitted to the school. Avoid copying text directly from another student’s letter of continued interest example, as any form of plagiarism that a college detects could result in an automatic rejection.
In the long run, learning how to write a letter of continued interest is an exercise in letter formats that will aid you in many future life circumstances, such as applying for jobs. Take full advantage of all the growth that the college admissions process can offer by writing your own college interest letter.
Next, we will look at who to address your letter of continued interest to.
Who do I address my Letter of Continued Interest to?
As we shared above, your college interest letter format should open with a formal greeting. Ideally, you can search the school’s website for the name of your regional admissions officer. This is likely the person who will be reviewing your waitlist letter. If you cannot find this person’s name, consider addressing your letter to the admissions committee. For example, a sample letter of interest to Yale may open with “Dear Yale University Admissions Committee,”.
Check the school’s website to determine where to submit your college interest letter. In the past, you may have mailed a physical copy of your letter of continued interest. However, these days, you’ll likely submit your letter via email or by uploading it to your applicant portal. Submit your letter in the correct place to ensure admissions receives it.
Wondering how long your letter of continued interest should be? Coming up next, we will explore how to find the sweet spot for the length of your letter.
How long should a Letter of Continued Interest be?
If you explore letter of continued interest examples, you might notice one trait they all have in common – their length. A successful waitlist letter should be one page, and no longer.
Remember, this is not an essay, but a brief reminder of your continued interest. Admissions officers are very busy people and read thousands of applications. Attempt to make all your points strong, clear, and concise. By keeping your college interest letter short, you can grab their attention without boring them.
However, you also want to avoid having a letter that is too short and feels generic. Do not use the same letter if you are waitlisted at multiple schools. Without a doubt, a successful waitlist letter is school-specific. As such, your letter should include specific details about why you want to attend the school and what you have accomplished since first applying.
Successful letter of continued interest examples also reflect a college’s values back to them. For example, a letter of continued interest example for Carnegie Mellon may reflect the school’s commitment to diversity, self-directed learning, and compassion for others, as stated on the Carnegie Mellon admissions consideration website.
To be successful in mirroring the college’s values or writing a compelling argument for admission, you will need to start with research. In the next section, we will look at how to engage in the right type of research and reflection to help you write a strong letter.
Research and reflect before you write
Before writing any letters of continued interest, pause and engage in some personal reflection. Consider how you feel about being waitlisted. Below are some of the emotions that students feel upon being waitlisted:
Some Feelings About Being Waitlisted
Sadness
Do you feel like you are missing out on your dream school? Or are you upset because you don’t like the feeling of not being admitted? It’s important to think about the why behind your feelings.
Indifference
Did you not feel very strongly about the school or your lack of acceptance? Why? What about the school do you like or not like? Is there another school you’re more excited about?
Anger
Are you feeling resentful that you weren’t immediately admitted? This is very fair, but you will want to make sure this does not come across in your letter of continued interest. Remember, admissions officers must make many tough decisions, and being waitlisted is actually a sign that you submitted a strong application.
Jealousy or Insecurity
Did your dream school admit your friend but put you on the waitlist? It is completely understandable that you might feel jealous or insecure. However, try to remember that the college admissions process can be very arbitrary. In the end, colleges have to make decisions that are outside of your control.
Eagerness
Do you feel extra motivated to write your letter of continued interest because you have so many updates to share?
All these emotions, and others that arise, are valid. Allow them to help guide your decision to write a letter of continued interest. However, keep in mind that an effective letter of continued interest will have a more professional than personal tone. As such, you’ll want to be direct and to the point rather than expressing all of your emotions in your letter.
With that said, honestly assessing your feelings can help you determine which letters of continued interest are worth writing. Once you’ve thought about how you feel, if you still want an acceptance, look into the schools where you’re on the waitlist. See what their policies are on letters of continued interest, including any guidelines they may have regarding them.
Once you have decided that you care about a specific school a lot, get out your pen and paper – or computer – and start writing. Next, we will share tips for crafting a strong opening to your waitlist letter.
Crafting a Strong Opening
The first step in how to write a letter of continued interest is writing a strong opening. Indeed, a successful waitlist letter gets straight to the point. In your opening, be sure to introduce yourself and clearly state your desire to attend this school. After reading your first sentence, your demonstrated interest should be clear to admissions counselors.
My name is Erika Joseph and I am a 2024 applicant to Carnegie Mellon University. I am writing to express my continued interest in attending CMU after being recently waitlisted. I am very excited for the opportunity to share more about how much I admire CMU’s interdisciplinary approach and commitment to research.
Example Opening of a letter of continued interest
Once you have quickly introduced yourself, you can use your body paragraphs to give updates or additional information about your demonstrated interest in the school. Make a list of what points you may wish to cover, and then pick 2-3 to focus on so your letter is succinct and compelling. For example, are you writing about why this school is a crucial stepping stone in your academic career? What kind of updates (academic, extracurricular, personal) are you hoping to cover?
If you aren’t sure what information to provide in your college interest letter, continue reading to learn more about the types of academic updates you might wish to cover.
Highlight Your Academic Updates
Undoubtedly, one of the main purposes of your letter of continued interest is to share academic updates, if you have them. However, make sure that none of your academic updates are ones that you have previously shared with the school in another form. For example, if the school allows you to submit updated test scores, as UChicago does, there is no need to tell them in your waitlist letter that your SAT scores improved. They will receive this information from your score reports.
So, you may be wondering, what kind of academic updates can I share? Here are some ideas:
Academic Updates Ideas
Grade Improvements
Did your AP Physics grade increase from an A- to an A+? Did a grade from the fall term improve due to an extra credit assignment you submitted? Consider highlighting any substantial grade improvements.
Challenging Classes
Perhaps you enrolled in a college course at the local community college or a selective honors course for spring semester at your high school. Note any challenging classes you are taking which show your work ethic, especially if it is related to your stated academic path.
Academic Awards
Did you earn a spot on the honor roll? Or win an award for a science project you submitted to a school competition? Awards are an excellent way to showcase your academic achievements.
Projects
Did you complete a research project that reaffirmed your interest in microbiology? Or perhaps you used your new coding skills to develop an application as a passion project. Sharing projects you completed can demonstrate your intellectual curiosity and interest in your intended major.
These are just some of the academic updates you may wish to highlight. However, remember that the recommended length for a letter of continued interest is one page. Therefore, you may not be able to fit all your academic updates in the letter, especially if you have several. Furthermore, you may wish to leave space in your waitlist letter for some of your extracurricular achievements, which we will discuss in the next section.
Showcase Your Extracurricular Achievements
In addition to academic accomplishments, you may wish to highlight your extracurricular achievements in your letter of continued interest. Spend some time reflecting on anything you have done outside of the classroom since you originally applied to college. Some ideas of extracurricular accomplishments might be:
Examples of Extracurricular Achievements
Leadership Roles
Did you take on a new role within a club? Even if you did not have a formal title, maybe you led a special volunteer project or helped run a fundraiser. Highlight these specific roles and your impact within them. For example, if you raised $1500 for a club, make sure to mention that specific dollar amount.
Awards or Honors
Did your job promote you? Or perhaps your church recognized you with an award for being a mentor to younger children. Maybe you received the Presidential Service Award for completing 200 volunteer hours. We encourage you to share any kind of recognition that showcases new or significant accomplishments.
Additional Responsibilities
Did you start babysitting a sibling? Or begin driving an uncle to his regular doctor’s appointments? While you might not view these responsibilities as impressive, they can be valuable if you can connect them to a personal trait like your resilience or caring for your community. Additionally, you could pair them with academic achievements to highlight how even with additional personal responsibilities you were able to thrive academically.
As we just mentioned, personal growth is an important aspect of your life to highlight. Colleges are admitting students for their range of experience, not just their grades. In the next section, we will share what kind of personal growth you might wish to share in your college interest letter.
Sharing Your Personal Growth
Without a doubt, the college admissions process is very personal. Generally, colleges like to know more about the type of person they are admitting, including their personal experiences. If you are comfortable sharing these realizations or moments or personal growth, feel free to do so in your letter of continued interest. Here are some examples of personal growth that you may wish to share:
Personal Growth Examples
Challenges overcome
If you experienced any significant challenges, such as losing a family member or close friend or becoming ill, you might wish to highlight these in your letter. The purpose of doing so is to demonstrate a positive trait that can aid you in your college admissions process. By moving past challenges, you showcase your resilience and dedication to your education.
Behavioral changes
If you highlighted any personal struggles or weaknesses in your application, you might want to highlight what you have been doing to improve upon that. For example, maybe you noted in your application that you struggle with math. In the months since you applied, you have developed new study habits and started getting tutoring that boosted your grades. Highlighting the specific behavioral changes you made can demonstrate your reflectiveness and work ethic.
Realizations about your academic or career path
Perhaps you applied to college naming an interest in engineering, and now have further refined your interest towards chemical engineering. You could explain how and why you had this realization and reaffirm why this school is the best fit to pursue your interests.
As we have noted, sharing personal growth can be another useful update for admissions offers. However, just be sure to connect it back to your path towards college, discussing how these experiences make you even more ready or prepared to succeed at this college.
Reaffirm your interest
To close out a successful waitlist letter, you will want to reaffirm your interest in the school. Assuming your letter is still under a page in length, you could add additional details about why the school is the perfect fit for you.
Regardless, make sure to clearly state your intention. If this is indeed your top school, feel free to say that and be clear that if accepted and moved off the waitlist, you will be attending. These kinds of statements can strengthen your demonstrated interest in the school.
To help you avoid pitfalls admissions officers have seen in prior letter of continued interest examples, we will next discuss what not to write about in your college interest later.
What NOT to write about in your Letter of Continued Interest?
Now that we have gone over how to write your letter of continued interest, we want to be clear about what you should avoid doing in your waitlist letter. Here are some common mistakes you might find in some letter of continued interest examples:
Common Mistakes in Letters of Continued Interest
1. Repeating information from your original application
Remember, admissions officers have access to your original application. Sharing repetitive information not only wastes space but could be perceived as lacking effort. Make sure you cross reference your waitlist letter with information presented in other parts of your application.
2. Mentioning other schools you have or have not been accepted to
To write a successful waitlist letter, keep the focus on the school you are writing to. Do not mention other schools; admissions officers only care about whether you will be a good fit for their school.
3. Complaining about being waitlisted
One key for how to write a letter of continued interest is to strike the right tone. Do your best to stay positive and express gratitude for being considered on the waitlist. This type of attitude conveys emotional maturity, a trait most college admissions officers are looking for.
4. Sounding entitled
Like complaining, sounding entitled does not demonstrate the emotional maturity admissions officers are seeking in candidates. Entitlement can sound like stating that you deserve to go to a school or demanding special treatment because a family member graduated from the school. Instead, focus on your accomplishments and your gratitude in your waitlist letter.
Understandably, the stress of being waitlisted or deferred may lead someone to make some of these statements. However, once you have given yourself time to process these emotions, it is important to strike a positive and gracious tone in your college interest letter.
Next, we will share some tips for how to write a letter of continued interest with clarity and conviction.
Writing with clarity and conviction
Like any college application essay, a successful waitlist letter must be clear, concise, and polished. That means making every sentence meaningful and impactful, and proofreading for any spelling and grammatical errors. Here are some other tips for how to write a letter of continued interest:
Tips for Writing a Letter of Continued Interest
1. Review letter of continued interest examples
Reading a sample letter of interest can give you a sense of the kind of tone and content you can include in your letter. However, be careful not to copy ideas from these letters. Also, cross reference letter of continued interest examples with advice from trusted sources like CollegeAdvisor. If, for instance, a sample letter of interest takes an entitled tone, you will want to disregard that example of a letter. Keep in mind, not everything you find on the internet is reliable and accurate.
2. Read your letter out loud
After you have written your letter, read it out loud to yourself. This tactic can help you find grammatical errors or identify places where you could be expressing an idea more concisely.
3. Have a trusted advisor review your letter
It is always helpful to have a trusted advisor, like someone from CollegeAdvisor or a school counselor, review your letter. Many professionals have read hundreds of letter of continued interest examples. They can help you strengthen your arguments, letter format, or tone.
With limited space to get your point across, you don’t want to rush the writing process. Taking the time to edit your letter will ensure your final draft is as clear and effective as it can possibly be.
More writing resources
If you are looking for more resources on how to write effectively for your college interest letter, check out some of CollegeAdvisor’s writing resources:
- This article gives advice on how to approach writing for the college process, including tips for making your writing stand out.
- This webinar on how to write about extracurriculars can help you express the value of your achievements in your college interest letter.
- This webinar on college essay mistakes when writing about yourself gives several tips that also apply to writing a successful waitlist letter.
As you may recall, earlier on in this article we listed some of the key elements of a letter structure. Up next, you’ll find a more detailed basic outline to follow.
Letter of Continued Interest – Basic Outline
To further help you write a successful waitlist letter, we have drafted an outline for a sample letter of interest. While there is some flexibility in your letter format, the important point is to write clearly and keep a formal, professional tone. Here is the general outline for an example of a letter:
Letter of Continued Interest Format
1. Greetings/Salutations
Consider opening with a greeting such as “Dear Mr./Ms. [Regional Admissions Officer Last Name]”. If you cannot find the name of your regional admissions officer, you can simply write “Dear [School Name] Admissions Committee.”
2. Introduction
Open your letter with a few brief sentences that explain why you are writing this letter. Express gratitude that the admissions committee is still considering your application. State that you are still very interested in attending the school and share a reason why the school is the perfect fit for you.
3. Body
In 2-3 short paragraphs, clearly and concisely provide any relevant additional information. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that gives a sense of what the paragraph is about. Include relevant details that strengthen your points.
Remember, only include details not previously stated in your application. Avoid recycling information that was in your application, yet remember to be specific. This information should include compelling reasons why you want to attend the school and what you have accomplished since applying. Describe any new awards you have received, high grades, extracurricular accomplishments, or relevant personal growth.
4. Conclusion
Thank the admissions committee for reviewing your letter and reiterate your interest in attending the school. Tell the school that you would absolutely accept an offer of admission, if that is truly the case.
5. Sign-off
End your letter with a formal closing statement, such as, “Sincerely,” “Best Regards,” or “With appreciation,”. Include the following contact information below your signature:
- First and last name
- Phone number
- Email address
Now that you know how to write a letter of continued interest, let’s discuss how to make sure your college interest letter stands out.
How to make your Letter of Continued Interest Stand Out!
On average, top universities admit less than 5% of students off of their waitlists each year. This number fluctuates depending on how many students decline their offers of admission. Moreover, it isn’t guaranteed that any students move off the waitlist in a given admissions cycle. It might surprise you to know that some years, certain Ivy League schools don’t admit any students from their waitlists at all.
While the odds are slim, they are certainly not impossible. Here are some tips for making sure you write a successful waitlist letter that stands out from the pack:
Tips for a Standout Letter
1. Be authentic
Focus on genuinely expressing your interest in a school. Highlight aspects of the school you are excited about. Your genuine expression will translate much more than forced statements. Honesty goes a long way. If the school is not your first-choice school, don’t say it is.
2. Focus on the “why”
For each new accomplishment you share, be clear about why the admissions committee should care. Express why the accomplishment was important to you, what you learned, and how it demonstrates your preparedness for college.
3. Polished letter format
Your letter format should be professional and clean. Proofread your letter several times and ask someone else who is a strong writer to do so as well. Your letter format is as important as the content because it shows how serious you are approaching your letter of continued interest.
With these tips, and by paying attention to each school’s guidelines, your college interest letter is more likely to yield the positive result you are hoping for.
Letter of Continued Interest – Final Takeaways
In this guide on how to write a letter of continued interest, we highlighted several key approaches to writing a successful waitlist letter. The same principles apply if you are writing a college interest letter after being deferred from Early Action or Early Decision admissions. While a minority of students are admitted after being waitlisted or deferred, you can increase your odds of admission by writing a powerful letter of continued interest.
To write a successful waitlist letter, you will want to be thoughtful and careful in your tone and content. You’ll want to take the time to review formal letter formats and letter of continued interest examples to get familiar with this type of writing. Also, spend time reflecting on why you want to go to a school and what admissions officers might not know about you even after reading your application.
Here are a few more key takeaways from this article to keep in mind:
Key Takeaways
Write honestly, specifically, and with great attention to detail
A strong example of a letter of continued interest has a clean letter format, excellent grammar, and compelling arguments.
Stay positive
While being deferred or waitlisted can bring up many emotions, we encourage you to focus on the positive. These decisions may not be the end of your journey. And, there are always more options such as taking a gap year, transferring, or applying to other schools with rolling admissions deadlines. Which approaches you take will depend on how important a specific school is to you, as well as your intended college start date.
Be you
In your letter of continued interest, as well as in your college essays, being yourself is always a better approach than trying to impress.
No matter what route you take in this process, remember that CollegeAdvisor is here to help. We can provide one-on-one coaching, additional resources, and feedback to help you write the strongest possible letter of continued interest.
Courtney Ng, a senior advisor, wrote this article. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.
