Writing Letter of Continued Interest Law School
A LOCI is a Letter of Continued Interest. Usually, you send this to inform a school of your interest in attending despite being waitlisted or put on hold. It also offers an opportunity to update the school on new developments in your application. Are you putting together your LOCI? Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know.
Why Send a LOCI?
If you are waitlisted or held, a school typically wants to make sure you still want to attend their institution. A LOCI is your opportunity to convey your interest despite not receiving an immediate acceptance letter.
Will the LOCI Make a Difference?
It certainly can. If you fail to send a LOCI or send a poorly written one, you're telling the school that your interest isn't that high. This will lower your chances of admittance. On the other hand, a well-written LOCI that reaffirms your desire to attend. It also serves as an opportunity to add new information to your application. This sends a strong signal to the school you're sending it to. Since yields are so important to schools, this can raise your chance of getting in.
When Should You Send a LOCI?
Typically, you send a LOCI in response to a specific action by the school. So, you should send the LOCI soon after receive notice. Don't wait a month! However, do not send a LOCI until you receive a notification that requires action. In other words, don't send a LOCI just because your app is under consideration and you haven't heard anything in a while. Schools can take a long time to make decisions and no news does not equal bad news. Constantly contacting the admissions office can be seen as pestering and no one wants that reputation.
This advice does not apply if some sort of event causes your application status to change. For example, if you receive a new, higher LSAT score, there's no harm in letting the school know! The same would be true if you sent a thank you note for a great interview or school visit.
How Do You Format and Submit a LOCI?
Your LOCI can be written in letter form or as a standard statement, but you must put your identifying information in the document. Your name and CAS number need to be included at a minimum. Preferably include your address and contact info as well if you have room. Don't forget to include the date, as well. The easiest way to make the letter is to create a Word document and save it as a PDF to preserve the formatting. Word can sometimes lose basic formatting if different versions are used in the admissions office. To submit the document, either send the admissions office an email including the PDF or use the submission form if the school has one.
What Should You Say?
There are a number of points that you can make in your letter. Our friends at Spivey Consulting cover many of these in their article, How to write a letter of continued interest. Definitely give the article a read but be sure to include the following.
- A reminder of where you in the process, such as "I am currently on the waitlist at Amazing U…"
- A direct statement that you are still interested in attending. If the school is your top choice or if you'll attend if admitted at any time, say so. The more committed to the school you are, the stronger your case for admission.
- Provide any relevant updates to your application (new LSAT score, new achievement, school visit, promotion, etc). In other words, if you have new info that would strengthen your app, let them know!
- Discuss any relationship or interaction with the school you have that might not have come up before (but do not repeat yourself or other portions of the application). For example, if you recently visited the school and attended classes, and later spoke with professors who impressed you, there's no harm in mentioning that. It shows you are serious about the school, and perhaps one of the profs made note of you.
Source: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/how-to-write-the-best-letter-of-continued-interest-loci/
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