A letter of application is the most individualized component of a student’s college application. While applications can be similar between students, this letter can set you apart because of the detail you can provide about yourself as a candidate when writing it. Including key information in your letter can improve your chances of acceptance. In this article, we will determine what information makes for a good letter of application.
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What is the purpose of a letter of college application?
Your letter of application tells the admissions office about you in a little more depth than your formal application. It can show your interest in a specific school and why you would be a good fit for that particular program. The letter of application doesn’t have any requirements for length or content, but including enough key information can make an admissions officer feel like they know you as a complete person after reading it.
How to format a letter of application
Be sure that your letter of application is stylized like an actual letter, rather than an essay. This means including a heading, salutation, body and a closing.
Your heading is your full name and your full address, followed by the date and the college’s full address.
Research the name of the head of the office of admissions so you can address them specifically in your salutation.
Example:
[Your name]
[Your street address]
[Your city], [your state], [your ZIP/Postal code]
[Date]
[Recipient’s Name]
[Name of the college]
[Address of the college]
Dear [name of admissions officer],
Message body
Sincerely,
[Your name]
A letter cleanly formatted in this way can be easier for the recipient to read and help keep your writing organized.
What to include in a letter of application
Here are some key components to include in your letter of application to make it stronger and help you get accepted:
Why did you choose to apply to this school
Colleges want to know that their school is special to you, so try to include reasons why you chose the exact school you applied to. If they have a reputable program in your field of study, mention that you would like to be a part of it. There could be extracurricular programs they offer that no other school does.
If you have an interest in any of these things, make it clear in your letter. Including more specific information about the school you’re applying to showcases your knowledge and makes your desire to attend that school appear more genuine.
Example: “The University of North Carolina has an award-winning student newspaper and I feel that the best way to continue to hone my skills as an aspiring journalist is to be a part of it.”
How you plan to participate on campus
Extracurricular activities are a great way to show that you’ll be an asset to a college. Interest in a sport, the marching band, student government, or another school-sanctioned activity can indicate that you like to get involved. It can help to mention what groups you hope to be a part of in your letter.
Your long-term goals
College is often a means to reach your larger goals in life, so tell your admissions officer what those are! Most people are looking to get a degree to advance in their profession. Explain exactly how attending this college and getting that degree can help you achieve your goals.
Who you are as a student
Your application will give the raw numbers that tell a college who you are as a student, such as your GPA and standardized test scores, but try to share some more information about who you are academically. Express how diligent of a learner or researcher you are and how hard you’re willing to work on your studies.
It also helps to write about the things you’re most interested in as a student. If certain subjects interest you more than others (maybe science is your favorite subject), express your passion for those topics.
What makes you stand out
Besides your grades and your study habits, other qualities about you can make you a more attractive applicant to admissions officers. What are your core values? What type of person are you? If the answers to these questions align well with the college you’re applying to, talk about them in your letter.
If you achieved something impressive like an award for your writing or athletic ability, emphasize those things. If you were fortunate enough to do work in your field before applying to college, that’s especially good to include here. College admissions are competitive. Your letter of admission is one of your best opportunities to gain an advantage with any achievements you had before applying, particularly if these are things that could carry over into your college career.
Example: “Service to my community is very important to me. I completed over ‘X hours working to fight food insecurity in my hometown in my four years of high school and I hope to continue my efforts in the Chapel Hill area with the Inter-Faith Council while attending UNC.”
Any special connections you have to the college
If you have a close friend or sibling who attends the college you applied to or a parent who attended in the past, include it in your letter. Personal connections to the school show how genuine you are about your interest, as well as how much an acceptance would mean to you. Both of these things show an emotional connection to the school, which can make you look good to admissions officers.
Details about the rest of your application
It is a good idea to let the admissions officer who you’re writing to know where the other components of your application are and when to expect them. Indicate other documents you’re including with your letter as well. This information may fit best after your letter.
A conclusion
A conclusion shows appreciation to the admissions officer for their time and for considering your application. This is a good place to provide additional contact information in case they have questions or concerns about your letter or other documents before you sign your name at the bottom.
I hope you find this article helpful.
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