The Letter of Continued Interest: When and How to Send One to Your Top-Choice Boarding School
In This Guide
Being waitlisted from your child’s dream boarding school is not exactly the news that every family is hoping for, but don’t lose hope. Being waitlisted isn’t a rejection. Your next steps could make all the difference.
One way to strengthen their chances is by sending a thoughtful Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) that reiterates your child’s interest in the school, highlights growth, and further reinforces that your child is a strong fit. Understanding when and how to craft it can make a difference in the competitive admissions process.
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
A Letter of Continued Interest should be sent after receiving a waitlist notice or if your child remains strongly interested in the school. The LOCI should reflect your gratitude towards the school, highlight meaningful updates, and reiterate your child’s strong interest. Remember that this is an opportunity for your child to reinforce their perfect fit with the boarding school.
Guide to Crafting a Boarding School Letter of Continued Interest That Gets Noticed
Developing an LOCI that stands out among the competitive applicant pool of the elite boarding schools in the United States requires a strategic approach.
Begin by expressing genuine gratitude to the admissions committee, and then express continued enthusiasm. Next, write a paragraph about how your child embodies the heart and soul of the boarding school while reinforcing alignment with the boarding school’s core values, and put forward new developments that were not mentioned in the original application. The last section should be a closing statement reaffirming a strong interest. And offer to provide any additional materials if needed.
If done right, this brief letter can help your child maximize their chances for admission.
How Can I Personalize the LOCI Without Overdoing It?
To ensure that your letter will stand out among the many LOCI that will be sent by hopeful families, personalization is key.
Talk about the names of certain programs or clubs your child is truly interested in. Note how your child interacted with the faculty or other students during their visit to the campus in a way that has affected them positively ever since. Showcase real-life examples that help create the life setting for how your child will excel in school, and eventually, it will reveal why your child is a perfect fit.
Avoid overwhelming the letter with flattery. Instead, focus on conveying how your child remains enthusiastic and how the school will best support your child’s personal and academic goals.
What Academic Updates or Achievements Should be Highlighted?
Instead of dropping a hearty list, keep the updates focused on where your child improved and how they have been dedicated. Recent accolades, enhanced grades, new leadership positions, and continued engagement in community service may indicate your child’s dedication to personal development and his/her community.
For example, a self-driven research project or an important role at school can indicate an ability to embrace the boarding-school lifestyle, which presupposes independence and self-responsibility.
Top Tips for Writing a Strong Letter of Continued Interest After a Boarding School Waitlist Decision
- Avoid repeating information that was already mentioned in the original application unless you are providing major updates.
- Highlight meaningful updates that demonstrate independence, adaptability, emotional maturity, and intellectual curiosity.
- Tie in specific anecdotes to the school’s core values and residential culture to help reinforce strong alignment.
Best Practices for Crafting a Persuasive Boarding School LOCI
- Avoid overwhelming the LOCI with flattery and generic statements.
- Reference specific moments that demonstrate personal or academic improvements rather than broad or generic statements about improvement.
- Close the letter with a gracious expression of appreciation and offer to provide supplemental materials if needed.
Common Questions Students Ask About Sending a Letter of Continued Interest to a Competitive Boarding School
Q: Should I include every accomplishment I achieved since I submitted my boarding school application?
A: No. Focus on meaningful updates that demonstrate your growth, academic strength, and readiness for the boarding school experience.
Q: Can I mention activities I’ve already included in my application?
A: Only if you are providing new results or substantial progress on the specific activity that will help strengthen your application.
Q: How long should a LOCI be?
A: Ideally, one page or less. Keep it clear and concise rather than lengthy, which affects its readability.
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How a Strong Letter of Continued Interest Can Improve Your Child’s Chances at Their Dream Boarding School
A well-developed LOCI may increase your child’s chances in the very competitive admissions process of the country’s top boarding schools. By showing continued interest, sharing significant updates, and conveying your child’s growth, the letter reinforces your child’s commitment and compatibility with the school community. In this letter, the admissions committee will be able to see that your child is willing to challenge themselves and can recover from a setback.
Does Demonstrated Interest Matter in Competitive Admissions?
Admissions officers look for students who are truly interested in their school. In addition to essays and interviews, the Letter of Continued Interest provides another chance for your child to demonstrate high regard for the school. Memorable experiences with the faculty and students, visiting the campus, and engaging in school programs can also indicate genuine interest.
For waitlisted students, sustained and meaningful engagement with the school can help distinguish them from the equally qualified applicants.
How Can Updates and Personal Growth Tip the Scale?
Sharing new extracurricular achievements, independent projects, leadership roles, or improved grades shows that your child is consistently evolving academically and socially. These meaningful updates will help the admission officer see that your child is prepared for the academically demanding environment and will help enrich the boarding school community. Highlighting how your child responded to a challenge and the achievement of success can reassure the admissions committee that your child is both prepared and enthusiastic about the boarding school experience.
Top Benefits of Sending a Strategic Letter of Continued Interest After Being Waitlisted
- It helps the admissions officers see that your child is genuinely interested in their school and will contribute meaningfully to the school community.
- It reinforces your child’s strong fit with the school’s mission and values.
- It keeps your child’s application active and competitive without overwhelming the admissions committee with constant follow-ups.
Best Practices for Writing an Impactful Letter of Continued Interest
- Keep the LOCI brief, meaningful, and structured.
- Ensure that the student’s authentic voice is reflected in the letter.
- Proofread the letter carefully before submitting it to ensure that there are no errors in grammar or spelling.
Common Questions Parents Ask About Boarding School Waitlist and LOCI
Q: Should parents review or edit the Letter of Continued Interest?
A: Parents may help review the letter for clarity, but the content and the voice should be from the student so it reflects authenticity and independence.
Q: Will sending multiple updates increase our chances of admission from the waitlist?
A: Not necessarily. A strategic update is more effective than sending multiple updates that do not move the needle.
Q: How can we turn a waitlist experience into a growth opportunity for our child?
A: Use the experience to reinforce resilience and adaptability. Whatever the outcome is, navigating setbacks is an important life skill necessary in a boarding school.
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Maximize Your Child’s Waitlist Chances with Cardinal Education’s Expert Guidance
If you’re not sure how to maximize your child’s admission chances after getting waitlisted and feel uncertain about how to create a strong Letter of Continued Interest, our team of elite boarding school admissions consultants can help you.
At Cardinal Education, we provide tailored strategies to help give your child a competitive edge. From identifying impactful activities to helping your child craft an LOCI that captures their authentic voice, our team ensures that your child’s engagement with the admissions team stands out.
Reach out to us today and approach the waitlist process the right way.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Letter of Continued Interest?
A Letter of Continued Interest is a brief letter sent to a boarding school after a waitlist decision to reaffirm a student’s strong desire to attend the school. Aside from communicating continued interest, the students can also share meaningful updates that were not mentioned in the original application. A well-written LOCI reflects a student’s independence, adaptability, maturity, and commitment to growth. It should demonstrate how the student will help enrich the boarding school experience.
How long should the LOCI be?
Ideally, a Letter of Continued Interest should be limited to one page. The admissions committee reviews hundreds, if not thousands, of applications, and so clarity and focus are more important than length. It is recommended to focus on two or three meaningful updates that demonstrate academic growth, leadership, or initiative. Avoid restating information already shared in the original application unless you are talking about substantial progress.
How can a student improve their chances of getting off a boarding school waitlist?
The most effective step is submitting a thoughtfully written LOCI that communicates the student’s perfect fit with the school. Maintaining a strong academic performance, consistency in extracurricular activities, and genuine involvement in volunteering opportunities can help strengthen the application if reviewed again. The student should maintain a professional and strategic engagement with the admissions team
When should I send a LOCI after getting waitlisted?
Students should typically send their Letter of Continued Interest a week after the boarding school waitlist decision. A prompt response will help demonstrate that a student remains serious about wanting to go to the school.
