Letter of Continued Interest (Meaning, Colleges, Steps to write)

For students on the waitlist or whose admission was deferred, writing a Letter of Continued Interest can be discouraging and frustrating.

The feeling gets even worse when you know that the chances of getting off the waitlist are very slim.

However, even at that moment, you feel helpless, but waiting brings a glimpse of hope when you get to know that there is a little thing you can do to get you off the waitlist or get your admission reinstated.

But how does writing a Letter of Continued Interest help get you off the waitlist? What exactly is a Letter of Continued Interest?

Also, how can one write a Letter of Continued Interest? This article will provide answers to these questions and others alike.

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What is a Letter of Continued Interest?

Suppose you have been deferred or put on a waitlist, which usually points to a few things about you as a candidate.

First off, the good news is that the institution thinks you are worth trying to be a serious candidate.

Of course, this doesn’t happen without warning. Usually, if you are on the waiting list, the admissions committee is not convinced that you will positively contribute to the incoming class.

Although they recognize your potential, they have more compelling or better-qualified applicants, and until they get a response from their first-choice applicants, they just aren’t sure they have a place for you.

You can submit a Letter of Continued Interest if a school puts your application on a waiting list or defers.

Letter of Continued Interest is an optional letter you can send to your ideal program to let them know that you are still interested in admission.

This letter can help the admissions committee to take note of your application and consider it if a spot opens up in the program or when they look at your application later on.

A letter of continued interest informs the college that you are still interested in obtaining its admission, even if it means making you wait longer for it.

It also updates the college with all the accomplishments you may have had since your initial application and hopefully convinces them that you will genuinely make a positive contribution to the incoming class.

What do Colleges want to see in a Letter of Continued Interest?

Generally speaking, there are two pieces of information that can help give you the edge.

Think of it this way; colleges aim at filling their incoming class with qualified first-year students.

They seek to achieve this by filling the incoming class and ensuring that only genuinely successful applicants are accepted.

Usually, colleges seek to know two things about their applicants.

First, are you able to do well in the college you are applying for? and second, will you participate in school activities if you are accepted?

Things you need to include in a Letter of Continued Interest:

A typical Letter of Continued Interest is meant to answer both questions stated above graciously and genuinely.

A Letter of Continued Interest should also express appreciation for being offered a spot on a waitlist or deferred decision, as this is a testament to positive personality traits, such as persistence and the ability to overcome adversity.

Things you should not include in a Letter of Continued Interest:

The Letter of Continued Interest is not the right place to express your disappointment or frustration.

Instead, focus on the positive aspects and do not allow any of those negative energies to find their way into your letter.

Steps to follow in writing a Letter of Continued Interest

It would be best if you considered taking these five steps as a guide in writing a Letter of Continued Interest:

1. Review College guidelines:

Before you begin writing a letter of continued interest, you should probably review the college’s guidelines.

Most colleges make available a FAQ section as regards the process of the waitlist.

Some colleges may restrict applicants from sending a letter of continued interest or only send the letter when they say so.

For such reasons reviewing the college guidelines is important.

2. Write an introduction:

The next step is to work on the introduction. If possible, address your Letter of Continued Interest to the person who sent the initial deferment or list letter.

This may be an admission committee officer or any other important person in the college.

After going past the greeting stage, you can write a short introduction paragraph appreciating them for their time and consideration.

Then also inform them of your continued interest in getting admitted into the college.

3. Fix in Relevant Updates:

This paragraph is where you may let the college know how well you have improved since the last time you sent your initial application.

Such updates may likely include the latest grades, extracurricular activities, or volunteer or standardized test scores.

This will inform the college of how well you have developed since your admission was out on hold.

4. Include a personal story of why you want to attend the College:

Just like other paragraphs, this one should be brief as well. Here, you express why the college is your dream school and how you believe attending it would help you achieve your academic and career targets.

5. Your Letter should have a conclusion:

Your letter of continued interest should include a conclusion, and it is here that you should thank the recipient once more for considering you. In the end, sign your full name.

Conclusion

Be aware that there are colleges that do not accept Letters of Continued Interest.

So before submitting such a letter to a college, be sure to read your decision letter and the college’s admissions website carefully to know if or not the college has indicated anything about submitting additional information.

If the college indicates that further correspondence is not welcome, you should not send a letter of continued interest.

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