How do I write a letter of intent for a graduate college application?

Answer 1

The purpose of the letter is to convince the graduate admissions committee that you are an excellent candidate for admission to THAT program.

Here's what you should include:

Your academic interests, and how your academic background suits you for further study of these interests. Be as specific as you possibly can, showing your familiarity with current theory and method in your intended area of study. Delineate your goals, too. (Do you intend to become a professor? a researcher? Do you want to work for an NGO or a nonprofit? Say so.)

If there are blemishes on your record, explain them. For example, if you were working 30 hours a week as an undergrad, this might help the committee understand a less-than-perfect GPA.

Be sure to include any information about you that cannot be found on your undergraduate transcripts (like awards, special projects you did, work experience related to your field of study, etc.)

Articulate your reasons for choosing THIS particular program. Show familiarity with the faculty and their fields of specialization. Don't just list the faculty - specify with whom you'd like to work and why.

Mention your desire to be considered for teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships. But only briefly. Like once.

And for goodness sake, proofread. Letters of intent with spelling or grammatical errors go directly to the bottom of the pile.

(You didn't ask about including a writing sample, but here's my advice about that. Select something representative of your interests, and indicative of your abilities. Again, take the opportunity to show your facility with current method and theory. And please follow each program's directions; if they ask for a 30 page writing sample, don't submit a 15 page sample, and vice versa.)

Best wishes to you!

Answer 2

College Letter Of Intent Sample

Answer 3

It's imperative that you start focusing on the type of work that you do wish to work in so that when matters of this nature arise you will be able to provide the appropriate letter for the situation. If you are interested in human services, then you should be getting more work that relates strictly to that type of field and work industry. However, if you did attend a reputable school that involved a great deal of writing, then I would focus on that as your lead in getting into the human services industry when addressing your letter. I personally cannot write the letter here because it does not adhear to the rules of the community here at Yahoo! so you're going to have to write it yourself; and I will have to advise you that you do need to focus on writing your letter relating back to your intensive writing and discussion skills that you have. It's a great way in the door at least and you don't have anything to lose because you can still start focusing on all other future positions in the human services area. Take a position as a clerk or an administrator or investigator assistant just to get your foot in the door. Anything is better than nothing; when your background is currently with a great deal of cooking, and laborer type of work in your background that's never going to get you in the door. You've got to focus on more human services types of positions and/or fields that are similar.

Answer 4

I am a grad student at East Tennessee State University in the College of Education. I wrote my letter intent to say something like "I want to better my future...I want to feel rewarded at work...I feel like graduate school is a second chance for me to fulfill expectations I had of myself in undergrad...blah, blah, blah." Don't stress! Unless you are applying for an Ivy League school, you will be accepted as long as you do well in your GRE and you have a decent undergrad GPA.