A letter of continued interest (LOCI) is a short, focused message you send after being waitlisted or deferred by a college to reaffirm your enthusiasm and share meaningful updates since you applied. It’s one of the few tools you have to strengthen your candidacy after the initial decision, and writing a strong one comes down to being specific, genuine, and brief. The same principles apply if you’re writing a follow-up after a job interview or graduate school deferral.
When to Send It
Timing depends on the school and the situation. For undergraduate and law school waitlists, there’s generally no rush to submit a LOCI until after seat deposit deadlines, which typically fall in April. Some schools turn to their waitlists before those deadlines, and a few provide specific guidance on when and how to submit your letter. Check the waitlist notification itself and the school’s admissions website for instructions before sending anything. If no timeline is specified, sending your letter within one to two weeks of your waitlist notification is a reasonable window.
For job interviews, the calculus is different. A follow-up expressing continued interest works best within 24 to 48 hours of the interview, while the conversation is still fresh for both you and the hiring manager.
What to Include
A strong LOCI has three parts: a clear statement of continued interest, one or two meaningful updates, and a brief closing. That’s it. The entire letter should fit on a single page or in a concise email.
Your opening should get to the point. Thank the admissions office for the update, and state clearly that the school remains a top choice. Then move into updates, which are the core of the letter. These don’t need to be dramatic achievements. Admissions officers care less about the “wow factor” of your updates and more about what those updates reveal about who you are when you’re no longer performing for the sake of college admission. A few examples of updates worth mentioning:
- Intellectual growth: You’ve been reading about the field you want to study and found your thinking deepening in a specific way.
- Shifted perspective: A class discussion challenged an assumption you held when you wrote your original essays.
- Ongoing projects: You’ve continued working on something since the application deadline and expanded its scope, even in small ways.
- New accomplishments: An updated GPA, a new award, published research, or a recent leadership role.
The key is connecting these updates to your intentions at that specific school. Don’t just list what happened. Explain why it matters and how it reinforces your fit with the program, a particular professor’s research, or a campus community you want to join.
How to Show Genuine Interest
The difference between a forgettable LOCI and a compelling one is specificity. Generic enthusiasm reads as hollow. Statements like “I have dreamed of attending since I was a kid” or “your university remains my first choice” are filler that admissions officers have read thousands of times.
Instead, demonstrate introspection. Describe how your attitude toward the school has evolved as you’ve gone through the application process and awaited decisions. Maybe you revisited notes from a campus tour and a particular conversation stuck with you. Maybe you followed up with an alumnus and learned something that deepened your interest. Maybe the waitlist notification itself prompted reflection about what you actually want from your education. These are the kinds of details that feel real because they are real.
For job seekers, the same principle holds. Rather than writing “my visit to your company was very informational and interesting,” share a specific impression from the interview. Reference a challenge the team described, a project that excited you, or a detail about the company culture that confirmed your interest. Include any new qualifications or relevant developments since the interview. The goal is showing you listened, you reflected, and you have something to contribute.
Keep It Short and Focused
Brevity is a feature, not a limitation. A LOCI should be simple, clear, and straightforward. You are not rewriting your application. Admissions officers have already read your essays, your activities list, and your recommendations. Trust that those materials will stand on their own during the second review process. Your job now is to add new information, not repeat old information.
Avoid the temptation to rehash your entire résumé or list every minor activity you’ve participated in since applying. A couple of well-chosen updates told in a succinct way carry more weight than a sprawling inventory. Close with a brief, positive sentence expressing gratitude and your hope to join the community. Nothing fancy, just thank you and goodbye.
What Will Get Your Letter Dismissed
Three behaviors consistently hurt applicants. The first is rambling. A LOCI that runs multiple pages or tries to relitigate every aspect of your candidacy signals poor judgment, not enthusiasm. The second is redundancy. Reproducing your activities list or repackaging your essays wastes the reader’s time and suggests you don’t have anything new to say.
The third, and possibly most damaging, is excessive correspondence. Send one letter. After that, do the hard work of waiting. Yale’s admissions blog puts it plainly: you should not inundate your admissions officer with weekly emails and cards. Continuing to flood the office with follow-ups will not reflect favorably on you, no matter how polished each individual message is.
A Simple Structure to Follow
If you’re staring at a blank page, this framework will get you started:
- Opening (2-3 sentences): Thank the reader, state that you remain enthusiastic about the school or position, and briefly set up your updates.
- Updates (1-2 short paragraphs): Share one or two meaningful developments. Connect each one to the specific school or role. Explain what the update reveals about your growth or goals.
- Why this school or role (2-3 sentences): Tie your updates to something specific about the institution, whether it’s a program, a professor, a research opportunity, or a team. This is where specificity matters most.
- Closing (1-2 sentences): Express gratitude, restate your interest, and sign off.
The whole thing should take about 250 to 400 words for a college LOCI, and can be even shorter for a professional follow-up. If the school specifies a format or word limit, follow those instructions exactly. When in doubt, err on the side of shorter. A letter that leaves the reader wanting more is always better than one that makes them skim to the end.