What should I include in a University of Chicago continued interest letter?
I was deferred from UChicago and want to show that I’m still very interested without sounding repetitive. I know a continued interest letter should be short, but I’m not sure what kind of updates or details are actually worth including.
I’m trying to figure out what makes this letter useful and what should be left out so it feels focused and genuine.
I’m trying to figure out what makes this letter useful and what should be left out so it feels focused and genuine.
2 days ago
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Sundial Team
2 days ago
A strong University of Chicago continued interest letter should do three things: clearly reaffirm that UChicago remains a top choice, provide meaningful updates since you applied, and connect those updates to why you would fit the school. For UChicago especially, the best letters feel thoughtful and specific rather than generic enthusiasm.
Start by thanking the admissions office for continuing to consider your application and directly stating that you remain very interested in attending. If that is true, you can say UChicago is your first choice or one of your top choices, but only be fully explicit if you mean it. Then move quickly into updates that are genuinely new: improved grades, a stronger semester transcript, a new leadership role, a significant award, a research or creative project, a publication, a major performance, or a deeper commitment to an activity.
The most useful details are concrete and recent. For example, saying you became captain, completed a new independent project, or raised your grades in rigorous classes is much stronger than saying you are still working hard. If you visited campus, attended an admissions event, spoke with a student or professor, or learned something new about a program like the Core Curriculum, student publications, research, or a distinctive academic department, mention that briefly only if it deepens your reasons for wanting UChicago.
What to leave out: a full recap of your original essays, emotional pleading, vague praise about prestige, or a long list of minor activities. Avoid trying to sound overly clever just because it is UChicago. The letter works best when it sounds sincere, specific, and academically engaged.
A good structure is simple: 1 short paragraph reaffirming interest, 1 to 2 short paragraphs with updates, and a final sentence tying those updates back to UChicago. If your midyear grades are strong, include that near the top because it is one of the most important updates in a deferred application.
Start by thanking the admissions office for continuing to consider your application and directly stating that you remain very interested in attending. If that is true, you can say UChicago is your first choice or one of your top choices, but only be fully explicit if you mean it. Then move quickly into updates that are genuinely new: improved grades, a stronger semester transcript, a new leadership role, a significant award, a research or creative project, a publication, a major performance, or a deeper commitment to an activity.
The most useful details are concrete and recent. For example, saying you became captain, completed a new independent project, or raised your grades in rigorous classes is much stronger than saying you are still working hard. If you visited campus, attended an admissions event, spoke with a student or professor, or learned something new about a program like the Core Curriculum, student publications, research, or a distinctive academic department, mention that briefly only if it deepens your reasons for wanting UChicago.
What to leave out: a full recap of your original essays, emotional pleading, vague praise about prestige, or a long list of minor activities. Avoid trying to sound overly clever just because it is UChicago. The letter works best when it sounds sincere, specific, and academically engaged.
A good structure is simple: 1 short paragraph reaffirming interest, 1 to 2 short paragraphs with updates, and a final sentence tying those updates back to UChicago. If your midyear grades are strong, include that near the top because it is one of the most important updates in a deferred application.
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