How to Write a Letter of Continued Interest for a College Waitlist (With Examples)

You got waitlisted. Now what? The single most important action your student can take in the next week is sending a well-written letter of continued interest to the admissions office. A strong letter confirms your student will enroll if admitted, provides specific and authentic reasons for wanting to attend, and shares any meaningful updates that strengthen the application. Here is the exact structure that works, what to avoid, and example language you can adapt.

What a Letter of Continued Interest Is and Is Not

A letter of continued interest, sometimes called an LOCI, is a formal written message to the college admissions office that does three things: confirms your student is still interested in attending, provides specific, authentic reasons for that interest, and adds any meaningful new information that has developed since the original application was submitted. It is not a plea for reconsideration of the admissions decision. It is not a restatement of your student’s resume and accomplishments. It is not a grievance about being waitlisted rather than admitted. Framing matters enormously. Letters that read as complaints or arguments are counterproductive. Letters that read as genuine, specific expressions of continued interest get attention from admissions counselors who are reviewing a large waitlist pool.

The Four-Part Structure That Works

Paragraph 1: Gratitude and confirmation of interest. Thank the admissions office for the waitlist offer and confirm that your student remains genuinely interested in attending. If your student will enroll if admitted, state that directly. Schools want to admit waitlisted students who will actually enroll. A clear statement of intent lowers the risk for the admissions office. Example: “Thank you for the opportunity to remain under consideration at [School Name]. I am writing to confirm that [School Name] remains my top choice, and I would enroll if admitted from the waitlist.” Paragraph 2: Specific reasons for wanting to attend this particular school. Name at least two to three specific things about this school that are relevant to your student’s academic interests and goals. These should be things that are genuinely specific to this school and not interchangeable with any other school. A professor whose research aligns with your student’s interests. A specific program or center. A campus culture feature your student experienced on a visit. The more specific and authentic these are, the more effective the paragraph. Generic statements like “the strong academics” and “the welcoming community” add nothing and signal that the letter was not written with genuine knowledge of the school. Paragraph 3: Meaningful updates since the original application. Share any genuinely significant updates: a new award, a completed project, a course you took that reinforced your interest in your intended major, an accomplishment in your activity that is relevant to your application profile. Do not exaggerate. A new honor roll mention does not belong here. A published article, a regional competition result, or a completed independent project does. If there are no meaningful updates, skip this paragraph rather than padding with minor information. Paragraph 4: Closing reaffirmation and contact information. End with a brief, confident restatement of interest and provide your name, student ID if available, and contact email. Keep the closing clean and professional.

Length and Format

One page maximum. Three to four paragraphs. No bullet points or lists. Proofread carefully. Send as a PDF attachment in an email to the admissions office. The subject line should read: “Letter of Continued Interest: [Student Name] – [Application ID if known].” Address the email to the regional admissions counselor assigned to your student’s high school if you know who that is. If you do not, address it to the general admissions office. Do not send the same letter to multiple contacts at the same school. One letter, one time, to the correct address.

What Not to Do

Do not mention other schools that admitted your student as leverage. Do not reference your student’s GPA, test scores, or awards in a way that suggests the school made an error. Do not use emotional language or describe how devastated your student was by the waitlist decision. Do not have a parent write the letter. Do not submit the letter the same day decisions came out. Wait 24 to 48 hours to write it thoughtfully. Do not send follow-up emails every week asking for an update. One strong letter, followed by one brief update in mid-April if there is genuinely new information, is the professional approach. More than that reads as anxiety rather than enthusiasm.

When to Send It

Send the letter within five to seven days of receiving the waitlist notification. Writing it quickly but thoughtfully is better than waiting two to three weeks. Admissions offices begin reviewing waitlisted students after May 1, when enrolled students’ deposits are due. A letter that arrives well before May 1 gives the admissions counselor time to note your student as an actively interested waitlisted candidate. For related guidance, see College Waitlist Strategy 2026: What Actually Works.

Frequently Asked Questions: Letter of Continued Interest

How do I find out who to send the letter of continued interest to?

Most colleges assign regional admissions counselors who cover specific geographic areas or high schools. Check the admissions office website for a regional counselor directory or contact the admissions office directly to ask who handles your student’s high school. If you cannot identify a specific counselor, send the letter to the general admissions email address. Many schools also provide guidance in the waitlist notification email about where to direct correspondence.

Should I include attachments or additional materials with the letter?

Only if you have genuinely significant new materials: a published article, a new award certificate, or official documentation of a significant accomplishment. Do not attach a full resume, additional essays, or reprints of application materials. The letter itself is the primary communication. Attachments should only be included if they directly support a specific update mentioned in the letter.

Can my student send a letter of continued interest even if the school said it does not consider them?

Some schools explicitly state that they do not consider letters of continued interest and that waitlisted students should not send additional correspondence. If the school’s waitlist notification says this, respect it. Sending a letter after being told not to reflects poorly on your student’s ability to follow instructions. Check the specific school’s waitlist policy before sending anything.

What is a realistic chance of getting off a college waitlist?

Waitlist admission rates vary by school and by year. In competitive years, some schools admit very few students from the waitlist. In lower-yield years, schools may admit hundreds. The College Board does not publish standardized waitlist data, but many schools include waitlist statistics in their Common Data Set. Search for “[School Name] Common Data Set” and look at Section C2 for waitlist data. The range across schools is enormous, from 0 percent to 50 percent in some years at some schools.

Should my student email the admissions counselor directly or use the portal?

Email to the admissions counselor is the standard approach for letters of continued interest. Some schools also have a portal function for submitting additional materials after the waitlist decision. If the school’s portal has an “update” or “submit additional materials” option, use that in addition to or instead of email. When in doubt, call the admissions office and ask what the preferred method is for submitting a letter of continued interest. That call is itself a professional touch that can make a positive impression.