Deferred Applicant--Guidance Counselor wants to send additional letter

WesternBlot
Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:18:26 +0000

“By all means, if she is volunteering to send in an additional letter, take her up on the offer – it can’t hurt!”

Actually, it might. Here’s the thing: you were deferred, so they clearly believe that you are qualified to attend Yale and, given a slightly different pool for context, you have a good shot at admission. I do agree that updating them on awards and competitions is a good idea because it’ll bolster you even more in the context of the RD pool (I am assuming you already had an interview, but if you haven’t then that is a good place to pass on any new information).

But as far as having your guidance counselor send another rec urging them to accept you could be a little much. If the letter is devoted solely to: Let this student in! He/she seriously deserves it! Come on, Yale!, then the admissions committee might see it as a plea that actually adds nothing to your application (except maybe a bitter taste). If the letter is devoted to “new insights” into your personal qualities and accomplishments, then the committee might sit their wondering: Why didn’t she talk about this in her other letter? Did this student just undergo a sudden transformation? Again, it might come off as a last-ditch effort that annoys Yale admissions officers more than anything else.

Also, no need to remind Yale that it’s your #1 choice: a) you applied early action, so clearly, Yale’s up there among your top choices (if not at #1) b) how many other students do you think have Yale at the top of their list? Enough that it is really not a remarkable thing - definitely not worth calling an admission’s officer to disclose.

My advice: Be patient. In three months, you will be accepted into a number of universities (fingers crossed, Yale included) and you will have the great pleasure of worrying about which school to choose.

Good luck.