Sample Letter of Intent for Graduate School

If you are planning to pursue your further education in one of the renowned graduate schools in the country, here is a sample letter of intent for graduate school, which will help you create a first good impression on the authorities.
Sample Letter of Intent for Graduate School
In academia, a letter of intent is a formal letter written by a student to the institute in which he wants to pursue his studies. The letter focuses on the introduction of the individual and his intent to get admitted to the concerned educational institute. There are various types of letters of intent, varying according to the subject matter. For instance an intent letter to an undergraduate college would differ from an intent letter to purchase. After going through the sample letter of intent for graduate school, given below, you will be able to get a clear picture of this concept. Read more on what is a letter of intent.

Letter of Intent for Graduate School
When you apply for a graduate school, most of these schools ask for a letter of intent. The formal letter, limiting it to about a page, is roughly an outline of your profile which covers various things including your educational qualification, accomplishments in sports and, the most important, why do you intend to join that particular graduation school. You need to be well prepared when writing the letter of intent, because this letter will act as the first impression of yours on the school authorities.

How to Write a Letter of Intent for Graduate School?
First of all, create a list of achievements you would like to mention in the letter of intent. This will help you to create a proper format for the letter. It's important to be honest, not just with the particulars that you mention in the letter, but also with the reason you provide. Most of these graduate schools carry out a cross check on the shortlisted candidates. In such a scenario, any prevarication mentioned by you can be easily tracked, which can even result in a blot on your career. Ideally, you should mention in brief about your academic records, sports achievements, family background, strengths, weaknesses and career plans. Through the letter you should be able to convince the authorities that you really are passionate about pursuing your studies in the said institute.

Sample Letter of Intent for Graduate School
Below mentioned is a sample letter of intent for grad school, which one could utilize to create their big bang.

Respected (name of the concerned person).

My name is (your name). At present, I am pursuing my studies as a senior at the (name of the University), majoring in (subject). I am writing this letter to express my interest in your (mention the name of the program you intend to do) at the (name of the university). I have had a decent academic record, along with significant achievements in the field of sports. Both of which will ensure that I would be an asset for the university.

I learned about the (name of the program) offered by your university through the university website (if not the website, name the source of information). The program in particular caught my interest, because of the cutting edge research I would get to experience while I pursue my education at your university. This, combined with some of the best professors as my mentors, i would consider myself lucky to be a part of the university which has been at the forefront of education revolution since a long time.

I would like to discuss more about this program with you. My phone number is (your phone number), and my email address is (email address). I would be looking forward to get in touch with you.

Sincerely,
(your name)
.

Remember that intent letter writing differs from normal letter writing, and hence the use of words like dear and yours is strictly prohibited. The letter should be completely formal. You can also gain more knowledge for future reference, by reading more on: After going thorough the sample letter of intent for graduate school given above, you must have got a clear idea of writing a letter of intent for graduate school. But you also need to be careful with a few things. Before you send the letter, make sure that it's free of any grammatical or factual errors. Proofread the letter yourself. If required consult with a guidance counselor from the current institute and make the necessary changes. Lastly, create a copy of the same and keep it with yourself. Though remote, there are chances of something not going your way and you may require to send it again. Treat this as a once in a life opportunity, and give it your best shot. Some efforts at this point of time will not just ensure you a seat in a prominent graduate school, but a bright future as well.

By Abhijit Naik
Published: 9/17/2009
 
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