<p>Here is the template my D found for her letter of interest. I will look for the actually website to link for you, if wanted. I hope it helps @lydiamanglin</p>
<p>What should I include?</p>
<p>Writing a LOCI is similar to writing a cover letter. You want to first address WHY you are writing the LOCI, and then proceed to explain your interest in the school. While there aren’t any definite things that you should include in the LOCI, it’s highly recommended that you only include information that you think would be helpful to the admissions committee.</p>
<p>While you’re writing the letter, it’s a good idea to also explain any changes that have occurred over the first semester. For example, if you had to switch out of a class because of scheduling problems, be sure to make note of that (or at least inform your counselor so that they can include it in the midyear report) so the school will know why you chose not to take a certain class. However, the LOCI is to show the school(s) why you belong there, so if there are things you want to add, go ahead as long as you’re not repeating yourself over and over.</p>
<p>So basically: get to the point by explaining what you can contribute to the school (specifying particular programs is always a plus), what things have changed (if any), and why you’re still interested in attending that school.</p>
<p>How long should the LOCI be?</p>
<p>Similar to college essays, your LOCI should be clear and concise. However, unlike in college essays, the LOCI should only include new information that was not previously mentioned in your application. Therefore, the LOCI should not exceed more than one page, because at that point the additional information you’re offering probably isn’t extremely helpful. Remember, the LOCI isn’t like a college essay; the admissions committee just doesn’t have the time to read a long letter since they already have to review regular and deferred student applications.</p>
<p>Who do I submit the LOCI to?</p>
<p>In most cases, the person you should send the LOCI to is either the admissions office OR your regional admissions officer (who you can find by looking on the school’s official website). Depending on the school’s procedure, you will likely have to email, mail, or fax the LOCI to the admissions office or regional admissions officer. If you’re unsure about who to send the LOCI to, contact the admissions office and they should be able to help you. Some people argue that sending the LOCI through the mail is more professional; in my opinion any method is fine as long as the letter itself looks presentable. Remember, they’re looking at the contents and presentation of the LOCI, not how it was sent.</p>
<p>In terms of who to address the LOCI to, a safe greeting to use is “To Whom It May Concern” or other synonymous phrases. If you want to go into more detail and include a header, you can address the entire letter to the admissions committee so that it would read, “University of X Admissions Committee.” That way you don’t have to worry about incorrect naming since you’re technically using the proper term.</p>