<p>I applied to my dream school that's a slight reach for me (gpa a few points low, SAT scores lower than average median for school) earlier this month, and i was wondering if it would work to my benefit to write a letter to my admissions counselor/admissions committee at the school. I've heard of people that have done this, explaining how much they love the school and basically telling them that if they were accepted they would definitely attend, and they got in. I considered doing this on the common app section for additional info, but decided against it.</p>
<p>In addition to writing about my love for the school, I'm considering explaining my grades a bit. I feel like I have a reasonable explanation for my gpa. It's not due to a sickness or family issue, I just didn't have a clear focus on what I wanted and wasted a lot of my time involved with an EC that was VERY time consuming and demanding. I just sort of had an epiphany halfway through my junior year and I knew exactly what I wanted to do in life. Since then I've been very driven. I don't think that would come off as whiny, especially since my senior year grades have improved significantly and I'm taking multiple APs. While my gpa is actually pretty good (3.7ish weighted) it's still a bit lower than what typical applicants of that school would have. My essays are strong, I have other ECs that demonstrate commitment and leadership abilities, and my recommendations are very good.</p>
<p>Should I write a letter even if the school states they don't consider demonstrated interest (in terms of campus visits, interviews, etc--I don't think the letter would really fall into that category) when reviewing applications? Would it be a waste of time?</p>