LOCI before Decision Forum

[kommatas]

Is there any harm sending a letter of continued interest before you receive a decision from a school?

I am thinking that it would show that I am very interested and serious about my application. I am a splitter for my school, my GPA's are above the schools median but my LSAT is below. The school I want to send my LOCI to is Berkeley.

[v. dentata]

I am wondering the same. I am a splitter, high LSAT and low GPA. I'm in second review at Santa Clara.

[BruinsFan]

I'm in the same spot with some of my schools. My LSAT is 75% or above and my GPA is 25%. I thought about sending a LOCI now, but here's my thinking...

If I sent a LOCI now and then they waitlist me, what will I send then? Another LOCI? Another Letter of Rec? If I don't send a LOCI and end up getting rejected straight off, I would be willing to bet a LOCI wouldn't have done much anyway. I figure a LOCI alone isn't enough to change a waitlist to an accept. Although, I could most definitely be wrong.

[v. dentata]

I am still in 2nd review, and I have decided not to send an LOCI, for the reason Bruinsfan described. I'll send one if I am waitlisted. Let me know what happens with you two, fellow splitters!

[DOOM]

Unless you are under the impression that the particular school will "move you to the back of the queue" in the review process when they updated your file, i would send a LOCI. The worse that will happen is nothing.

[AngryAvocado]

I am still in 2nd review, and I have decided not to send an LOCI, for the reason Bruinsfan described. I'll send one if I am waitlisted. Let me know what happens with you two, fellow splitters!

I don't know what disturbs me more: your user name or the fact that I know what it stands for.

To the OP, I happen to think that a preemptive LOCI isn't likely to help unless you've been under review and it seems like they may be holing off for YP reasons. That said, if Berkeley is a pretty big reach (and by that I mean you're LSAT is well below the 25th), it may be worth the risk. Otherwise, I'd wait.

[therealellewoods]

I sent an LOCI to a T-30 school where I was a splitter/reach at with a high GPA/low LSAT. I also had a strong fourth letter of recommendation to add, so I requested that the LOR was added to my file.

I was waitlisted within a week of sending the letter. Not sure what it's worth, but I think that the LOCI did put me over the edge and made sure I wasn't outright rejected.

If you haven't heard yet, the Admissions Committee may be mulling over your file. It could be worth the early LOCI.

GOOD LUCK!

[v. dentata]

Hmm, now I'm not sure what to do. My main issue I think is that I don't have any additional information. I've just been doing the same stuff that is on my resume.

@Angry Avocado: What does YP mean though?

[cherryalamode]

Call the school. Ask them if sending them a LOCI before decision is okay. If they say yes, write to your hearts content (but keep to a page lol).

if you have ZERO updates then just write WHY you're compatible with the school and what about the school interests you so much that you're writing a LOCI before decision. BIG risk if you ask me, because if they WL you, then you'll literally have nothing more to write for THAT loci.

[LSAT! Nooooooooo!]

Great discussion you all. I for one really benefited from the opinions. I was just asking myself this same question, and I really enjoyed reading everyone's take on it.

[therealellewoods]

Call the school. Ask them if sending them a LOCI before decision is okay. If they say yes, write to your hearts content (but keep to a page lol).

if you have ZERO updates then just write WHY you're compatible with the school and what about the school interests you so much that you're writing a LOCI before decision. BIG risk if you ask me, because if they WL you, then you'll literally have nothing more to write for THAT loci.

this is the ultimate dilemma with sending an LOCI before a decision...

But since my LSAT was 25th percentile and my GPA was above 75th, I knew that if it came down to a WL, I would prob be facing an uphill battle... probably not solved by an LOCI!!

At this point, I've been WL at two T-30 schools, and am strongly considering a third retake on the June LSAT.

[Mattalones]

I think that you LOCI before decision is called you "application."