Admissions Interactions: LOCIs
Admissions Digest, 04.18.22
What's Going On in the Admissions Cycle Right Now?
Many admissions offices are slowing the rate of decisions until they get beyond their commitment deadlines so that they can assess how their classes are filling up and what more is needed to reach their goals.
FAQs from Law School Applicants
I am considering several law school offers and want to consider their employment statistics. Where do I find this information?
The most comprehensive place to find basic employment data is within the ABA Required Disclosures aggregate data, which you can pull up by school. Check here.
Helpful Link
Hear 7Sage Tutor Henry describe his journey from a 167 to a 180 on our podcast here.
Discussion
This week, our continuing discussion on interactions with the law schools will resume with a discussion on letters of continued interest (LOCIs).
A letter of continued interest is a supplemental material that can be added to an application file in a number of instances. If a candidate has submitted their application and the school has exceeded their standard review time, a LOCI can be an effective tool to update AOs and provide a gentle nudge that may help the school reach a final decision. If a candidate has been placed on a hold or a waitlist, a LOCI can provide updates to AOs and reiterate interest and intention to commit. It is important to check with schools regarding their policies on LOCI submission, as not all schools will accept a LOCI, and the schools that do may have specific instructions on how to submit these documents.
The LOCI does not have to be in a separate, attached document unless the school’s submission policy is to have the document uploaded. In that case, formatting your document as a letter makes sense. When that’s not the requirement and an email will suffice, the LOCI can be in the body of the email you send so that you don’t have to write additional introductory information for an attached version.
When AOs review their waitlist, they’re often searching for specific factors—they may be looking to see which files contain recent updates, which candidates have credentials that can help stabilize their medians or other percentiles, or which materials include other strong indicators of fit and likely success should the candidate be offered a seat. Sometimes, a LOCI can be the piece that helps an AO get to a positive decision if they’ve been on the fence—especially if the AO was unsure of the candidate’s level of interest and commitment. This letter could help the AO champion a specific candidate if there happens to be an opening in the incoming class.
The worry is always that a LOCI will feel like a repeat of a Why X School statement, but the LOCI can be easily distinguished by including the following segments:
Important Updates
If you’ve gotten a new job, received honors or award recognition, had something published, or been selected as a finalist for a national scholarship opportunity or fellowship, this is information that you’ll want to include within your LOCI. While a LOCI is meant to express continued interest, you can also use this document to help highlight the things that make you an attractive candidate. You don’t need to remind AOs of information already within your application materials, but any new information would be welcomed here.
New Interactions
If you’ve recently visited the campus, spoken to a current student or faculty member, taken a tour, or interacted with admissions where you learned something new about the school, a LOCI gives you a great opportunity to communicate what you’ve learned that has strengthened your interest since the submission of your application. Because you’re introducing new interests that you didn’t discuss previously, this part helps you distinguish your document from a previous Why X statement.
Reiterating Commitment and Top Choice
Some candidates mistakenly decide to reiterate commitment and tell every school that the candidate sends a LOCI to that they will immediately withdraw all applications and commit; however, I would only recommend saying that to the school where you actually mean it. AOs can only take you at face value, and as they’re trying to make their decisions, they may call you to assess whether what you’ve said is actually what you mean—whether there are any conditions to that immediate commitment.
Attached documents
Along with a LOCI, you may have additional documentation to provide. A LOCI often accompanies an updated résumé or follows the submission of a final official transcript. If the latter, the transcript should go directly to the LSAC, as they will need to calculate out an update to the cumulative GPA, but the LOCI can alert AOs that fresh grades have been submitted. Some schools also allow new LORs to be submitted, so that could be another attachment that you provide. Stick to the guidelines provided by each school—additional supplementary materials that are outside of the scope of a school’s guidelines or policies may not be given any attention.
7Sage Webinar: Waitlist Offers and LOCIs
On Thursday, April 21 at 9 p.m. ET, join co-founder David Busis and 7Sage admissions consultants for a panel discussion on waitlist offers, letters of continued interest, and commitment deadlines. There will be time reserved for Q&A. Register here.
Upcoming Recruitment Events
Notre Dame Law is offering in-person visits for prospective and waitlisted applicants on Mondays, which include a class observation, admissions information session, and student-led tour. Visits are limited to 10 people at a time, and the last day to visit is April 25. Register here.
UCLA Law is offering online information sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 12:15 p.m. PT. Register here.
WashU Law in St. Louis is offering meetings with admissions, virtual open houses, and live-streamed events. For more details and to sign up, click here.