(Pre-interview) Letters of Interest?

This is my first application cycle, and so far I’ve had one interview, and put on “hold for interview” at 2 schools (out of 23). Of the rest, there were a bunch of rejections and some which aren’t likely to contact me, but there are a few where I think I’d be a good fit and would really like to attend.


Everyone advises sending updates and letters of interest after an interview while you’re waiting for a response, but what - if anything - should I do if I haven’t yet been extended an interview? I don’t want to be passive, but on the other hand, I don’t have any academic updates to offer.


Any suggestions?

My two cents…be interesting to hear what others think.


I think it’s OK to jot a quick e-mail to the dean of admissions and express that you are very interested in the school and that you are interested in where they are in reviewing your file and whether there is any supplemental information you could provide that may help in their decision to offer you an interview.


Also, I think a personal touch is important. For example, when saying you’re interested in the school give a concrete example of why you’re interested (i.e. it’s emphasis on rural medicine).

I totally agree. It can only help to send a follow up email or letter (I think a brief email is best for this type of informal follow up) There has to be something you have been doing since last June that you can update them on. Volunteering, research, anything? And like the previous poster said, say briefly why you are specifically interested in X school and why you are a uniquely good fit for the school. I sent these out to the schools I hadn’t heard back from and got three interviews within a week. Possibly a coincidence but it sure can’t hurt to show interest. BTW, it also doesn’t hurt to send a reconsideration request for each rejection. Good luck!

I have been doing the very same thing, I’m still “on hold for Interview” at 4 schools and starting to think that it is just another way to say “rejected”. I would much rather just hear yes or no instead of playing the waiting game. Gook Luck to everyone still waiting to hear!

Joy!


Definitely e-mail them or call the admission office and ask! I like what MD2B2010 said. Just say that you really want to go there and still haven’t heard from them, and would like to know where your file is in the review process and if there is anything else that you could do to get the interview.


When I was applying, I hadn’t heard from one of the state schools that I assumed was a ‘sure thing’; I called them to ask what was going on and was told that they had extended an interview offer to me several weeks prior to that and never heard back from me so they just assumed that I wasn’t interested any more. It turned out that the e-mail had gone straight to my junk mail folder and hadn’t I called them, I would have never known about that. I ended up getting accepted to that school, although in the end I chose another school.


Good luck,


Kasia

Hi Kasia I did send out Letters of Update about a month ago, but I will call the offices as well to see if there’s anything else I can offer to entice an interview. It’s actually VCU I’m pestering (stuck on the “further interest” list), but the assistant to the Dean said the slots are full. I just got invited for an interview at EVMS (in March), though, so that’s something!


Jaysun, unfortunately “on hold” more often than not means “rejected by default”, but there’s a lot of things that go on behind the scenes which inform their decision, and I’ve known people to be pulled up for interviews in March. Everyone wishes they were more transparent with their process, but education is a business, and while you’re courting them they’re courting those with 4.0s, etc. While it broke my heart to be rejected instantly from UVM (a school where many advisors said I had my best shot), I guess some people would consider that preferable to the schools that never even bother to respond (as one who lives on perpetual hope, though, I am not so sure ).

Often “interview hold” is just that - not a necessary prelude to rejection. The committee wants to see more of the applicant pool before extending an interview invitation to someone who is a good applicant but not at the top of the school’s list.


Cheers,


Judy

I understand the importance of being optimistic, but I am curious about this. For instance, if a school interviews through March, and you haven’t been contacted by the beginning of March, is it really likely that the school is still reviewing its applicant pool and extending additional interviews? I contacted several of the schools where I was on hold in late January, and while unable to disclose my status, they did confirm that they had scheduled all of their available interview slots. If I was not selected for an interview before they filled the schedule, how can my application still be under consideration? I know you have far more insight into this process than I, Judy, but I’ve known several applicants who were never contacted by schools even by June (well after interviews were completed), so unless they extend an interview early, it’s difficult to determine when there really is a slim-to-none chance of being accepted in a cycle.

My guess is that they may extend offers to students who will turn them down. So you never know. I’d be patient and see.



Rude as it is, some med schools never let you know that you’ve been rejected. :frowning: Once you’ve let them know that you are strongly interested, there isn’t much else to do but be patient. It’s a waiting game, unfortunately.


Cheers,


Judy