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According to the current statistics, over 50.000 students apply to medical schools every year. And only about 41% of them get matriculated. Even if you have prepared to enter a profession for a couple of years, the admission process is never easy. There are several stages you should pass out, and a letter of intent is part of the journey. Applicants usually write letters of this kind after the interview in the targeted med school. As some of them get waitlisted, a letter of interest can make difference in enhancing their chances for enrollment. Put it otherwise, a persuasive and distinctive paper can turn out to be the last step to your dream medical school. Even if you see your name on the waitlist, it is not the right time to lose courage.
In many cases, a letter of intent appears to be a real game-changer. It is also known as a letter of interest or acceptance letter. But do not let the terms disconcert you. The point is that it should serve your main purpose – to get matriculated. So, take a deep breath and get ready for a solid piece of work.
Applicants write letters of interest to prove themselves. And you can probably wonder how to convey your good intentions in an appropriate manner. At this point, you must have certain questions. How to write a successful letter of intent for your best choice med school? What does it include? Let’s sort it out in detail!
What is a medical school letter of intent?
If you are dead set to enroll in a medical school, you probably have applied to multiple programs. It is no wonder as most students do exactly the same. So, you wrote several application letters or personal statements, passed exams, and finally had interviews in some med schools. Living all this through, you have probably prioritized one med school. At this stage, you need to write a letter of intent to convey your interest in a preferred med school. The main purpose of this paper is to assure the admissions committee that if you receive an offer of admission, you will definitely accept it. Thus, you should send this letter to the only institution you prioritize.
When the interview season is over, the admissions committee should select the candidates they are going to accept. As they have no idea about students’ priorities, some of them are placed on the waitlists. And it is high time for you to write an acceptance letter. This paper explains why the admissions committee should give you a chance to join the program. Thus, there are some things you should communicate in your letter. First of all, you need to highlight your commitment to this school. If it is your first choice, do not hesitate to make it known. Second, it is important to demonstrate the way you correspond to the program’s requirements. Supposing you are matriculated, then you are expected to attend classes and provide good academic performance. Make clear that you are enthusiastic about doing so. Third, you need to underline how you can contribute to the area of study. Promising candidates are always appreciated by universities. So, do not forget to mention your future plans and objectives.
Despite the low percentage of admitted applicants, medical schools are interested in attracting promising candidates. Thus, by writing a letter of interest you can help the admissions committee to make the right decision. Express your enthusiasm and desire to enroll in a particular med school. In the end, if you have passed an interview, you have nothing to lose, right?
Before sending a letter of intent, you dealt with an application letter or personal statement and passed an interview. Thus, you might think there are not so many issues to address in the acceptance letter. However, you should make sure to answer the following questions:
- Why do you prioritize this medical school among many others?
- What impressed you while passing an interview in the preferred med school?
- What are you going to do for providing good academic performance?
- Did you have new achievements since you passed an interview? Clarify them if they happened to be.
- How do you correspond to the program requirements, its mission, and your future profession?
- How are you going to contribute to the area of study and student body?
- In addition, make sure to include words of appreciation for passing an interview.
In many cases, the letter of intent is not an obligatory requirement. However, it can have a positive impact on the admissions committee’s decision concerning your candidature. Keep in mind that it should be sent at the right time. You can send a letter of interest if you have been waitlisted. Plus, many students do that after the interview. On the other hand, you should not send an acceptance letter before an interview as it will hardly be considered.
How to Write an Impressive Letter of Intent
If you think that the letter of interest is your last opportunity to prove yourself, it is not far from true. Thus, it should be convincing, informative, and consistent. Overall, there are several things that can help you to power up your letter of intent. Let’s take a look at each of these components.
- Your Top Choice
Every letter is meant to communicate one main idea. In the case of an acceptance letter, this idea comes down to the statement that a particular institution is your absolute priority. Have you already been accepted to other programs? Do not hesitate to mention it highlighting that you will wait for the offer from your target med school to accept. This is basically the main reason why students write letters of this kind.
Keep in mind that all medical schools aim at accepting the best students. But all of the applicants have different priorities. So, there is no guarantee they will accept an offer from your preferred school. Thus, even if you were waitlisted, you still have a chance. - Explanation of your interest
There must be a reason why you have prioritized one particular medical school. You have probably written about that in your personal statement or application letter. Since then, you have passed exams and interviews. So, you had time to sort out your priorities. Discuss things you have learned during the interview season. It will help you to explain your interest in the program and why you prioritize it among others. Apart from that, it is important to highlight the way the preferred program can help you achieve your objectives. You can talk about your future plans (for example, summer internship), how you plan to develop your skills, and what experience you can gain to become a professional.
Take into account, that the letter of intent should not be a repetition of what you have already written or said in previous letters or interviews. Instead, you’d better focus on what you did not mention during previous contacts with the admissions committee. - Your contribution and perspectives
In the letter of interest, it is important to explain what contribution you can make to the area of study and student body. Do not hesitate to mention if you have any practical experience in research, voluntary work, or event management. However, your specific skills and experience should be addressed from med school’s persuasive. In other words, you need to answer the question of how the school can benefit from admitting you. Mention if you have leadership qualities and can improve the academic experience of other students. Community-minded people are highly appreciated by universities.
- Updates in your current activities
Since you first applied to the med school, things could change. Some students succeed to stay productive despite the interview season. If you are one of them, mentioning this is a good chance to stand out. For example, you might have had new publications, learned something interesting, or had training related to your future profession. Goal commitment is the personality trait the admissions committee is often looking for in the students.
When your letter of intent is done, do not forget to edit and proofread it removing all grammatical errors and unnecessary details. Asking a peer or a tutor to review your paper might be a good strategy to refine your letter of intent. Apart from that, this is an opportunity to check if there are any inconsistencies in your work.
Conclusion
Professions related to healthcare stand at the head of the most prestigious professions. Along with that, being a med student is a great responsibility. Thus, it is quite reasonable that medical schools aim at accepting the most promising and enthusiastic applicants. The letter of intent provides you with an opportunity to show that you are exactly this kind of student. However, it is not recommended to write more than one paper of this kind. Of course, you want to increase your chances of admission as your central goal is to enter a profession. But if you promise every school to accept its offer, in the end, you can receive more than one. And it will be confusing for both sides.
However, if there is no doubt that one particular program corresponds to your specific needs, you should make it known. It is not that tough to produce a good letter of interest if you know the basics to be emphasized. Besides, providing you have already passed some stages of admission, you know what to expect. So, the acceptance letter is supposed to be the last blowout to the medical school you prioritize.Nonetheless, the admission process is just a step on the road to professional self-actualization. Being a student means you will have to deal with a lot of assignments and academic challenges. Thus, it is important to stay one step ahead. If you want to make your papers a success, you can check this article – Tips for Writing a Biology Paper.
A letter of intent is the confirmation of your commitment to your preferred medical school. Writing a letter of this type you guarantee to accept an offer from the school you prioritize. As medical schools aim at accepting the most enthusiastic students, applicants write acceptance letters to demonstrate that if they are accepted they are going to do their best to meet the program criteria.
FAQ
What is a letter of intent?
A letter of intent is the confirmation of your commitment to your preferred medical school. Writing a letter of this type you guarantee to accept an offer from the school you prioritize. As medical schools aim at accepting the most enthusiastic students, applicants write acceptance letters to demonstrate that if they are accepted they are going to do their best to meet the program criteria.
When should I write a letter of intent?
Students usually write letters of intent after they have been interviewed in the preferred medical school. It is recommended to send the letter a month after an interview. By doing so, you let the university board know that you have taken time off, passing several interviews, and still prioritize this particular school.
3. When should not I send a letter of intent?
There are several cases where it is not recommended to send a letter of intent. First, you should avoid doing this right after the interview. In this situation, your choice can be considered too hasty. Second, sending letters of interest to more than one institution is definitely not a good idea. If you cannot come up with a preferred option, you’d better avoid sending any acceptance letters. Third, it is unnecessary to send a letter of intent before an interview. In this case, it will hardly be considered.
Does a letter of intent guarantee me an offer from a preferred school?
While the letter of intent enhances your chances of enrollment, it cannot guarantee that you will receive an offer. The main purpose of this letter is to persuade your preferred med school that you prioritize it and will attend classes if they give you a chance.
