College is a huge investment, and in many ways the most important one. You’ll be on your own for the first time, and it can be a scary time even if you’re at home or close to family or friends. A great college is vital, and there’s a lot you can do to help yourself get into the best colleges for you. One of those tools is your College Application Letter. Your letter of application is where you put yourself out there as an individual with specific characteristics. An excellent college application letter can set you apart from other applicants, offer unique insight into who you are as a person (as opposed to an arbitrary application number), and ultimately secure the best possible place for you to apply to the school of your dreams. An application letter for university admission, in addition to one’s resume, serves the purpose of introducing the applicant to the institution. It is written by a prospective student to obtain an offer of admission into a school that he/she wishes to attend. It is also used by students who are reapplying to download how to write an application letter for university admission.
An application letter for students who want to apply for university admission is the first impression of you as an applicant to the school. It is also an important part of the application process to introduce yourself. Aspects like your motivations, goals, achievements, and interests must be included in your application letter to make an impression that will set you apart from the other applicants. Anyone who has ever applied to college knows that one of the most important parts is the essay. There are many different college essays and they all want to know things like what your story is, what you’re passionate about, how you see the world and how you will impact it. The hardest thing to do is make your essay stand out from all the other essays they read.
Write a College Admission Application Letter
There is a cutthroat competition in each field for students nowadays. Therefore, it is important to write the perfect application letter for getting admission in a college. There is no specific approach to write a perfect letter but some of the following tips can be helpful:Advertisements
Find Information About the College
Before applying to a certain college it is important to do a thorough research about them. Find each and every possible detail before submitting a letter to this particular college. It is important to emphasize in the letter that the student applying is a perfect fit for that college.
Provide Best Reasons
In order to get admission in the college, it is important to provide the best reasons in the letter for the admission. It is advisable to avoid unrealistic sentences and rather compose it in a form that includes all the relevant reasons for getting information in that specific college. After all, a student applying to a college has a solid reason to choose that particular college over many others.
Competitive Edge
If the college in which a student applying for is famous for extracurricular activities like a sports team or a drama club then the student should mention these skills in the application letter provided that he or she actually possess those skills. Mentioning the specific skills in the application letter are likely to give the student a competitive edge over the other competitors. It is very important for the student to showcase his or her skills in the most efficient manner and use the marketing tactics to get the admission.
Being Unique Counts
A student who is able to present himself or herself as the most unique student having something different to offer to the campus has better chances of admission in the college. It is important to present that unique set of skills in a manner that the college can offer admission to that specific student.
Proofread
It is important to proofread the letter and admission application form before submitting it, Full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are likely to give a negative impression on behalf of the student. The spelling errors while writing a letter are quite common but it is very important to omit all these errors before making a final submission for the college admissions.
Sample College Admission Application Letter
Name of Student
Address of Student
City, State, and Zip Code
Date
Name of Admissions Head
College Name
College Address
City, State, and Zip Code
Dear Sir/Madam (Name of admission’s head)
After a thorough research about different colleges, the Ohio State University is my final choice. This university offers a Psychology program and has an outstanding reputation and excellent reviews. Ohio State University is a recommendation by the previous graduates and I am interested in enrolling myself in the Psychology program.
My aim is to finish the Psychology program offered at the Ohio State University and I want to continue my studies after graduating from the undergraduate program. After entering the graduate program I want to become a counselor dealing with young children.
Majors in Psychology is my long-term goal and I am confident of making the right career choice. Attached is my application, transcripts, essays, and letters of recommendation as per the admission requirement.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Signature of Student
Printed Name
Printable College Admission Application Letter
Download Free College Admission Application Letter
Editable College Admission Application Letter
College Admission Application Letter Example
College Admission Application Letter Format
Free Printable College Admission Application Letter
College Admission Application Letter PDF
How to write a college application cover letter
Since many students apply for the same colleges without guaranteed admission, it’s important to create a college application cover letter that sets you apart from other applicants and reads favorably to the admissions team. While there’s no specific approach to writing a college application cover letter, there are some general steps you can take to help you properly format it. Follow these steps to write an impressive college application cover letter:
1. Write your name and street address
At the top of your cover letter, write your first and last name. On a separate line include your street address, followed by your city, state and zip code on another line.
2. Include the date
Below your contact information, write the date you plan on sending the cover letter. Include the month, the day and the year. For example, “November 20, 2020.”
3. Write the head of admission’s name, the college’s name and the college’s address
On a line below the date, write the first and last name of the school’s head of admissions. On the next line, include the name of the college. Follow the name with its street address, city, state and zip code.
4. Include a salutation
Open your cover letter with a formal greeting such as “Dear.” Follow it with Mr. or Ms. and the last name of the admissions officer and a comma. For example, “Dear Mr. Morrison,” followed by a comma.
5. State your purpose for applying to the school
Start with a sentence explaining the reason for your cover letter. In this case, it would be to request admission to the school you’re applying for. Make sure to name the school and express your genuine interest in a particular program they offer. Emphasize what their school offers that other universities don’t.
6. Explain why you want to attend their school
Below your introduction, write one or two paragraphs that detail your academic and professional career goals and how their school can help you achieve the latter. Express why you feel attending their school offers you the best career path and opportunity for advancement in your chosen profession.
7. Write a conclusion
End your college application cover letter with a strong conclusion. Let admissions officers know that you’ve included the other requested documents with your application. In addition, let them know that you’re available should they have questions or need additional forms and that you’re looking forward to hearing from them. It’s also important to thank them for their time and for considering your application.
8. Include a sign-off
Below your conclusion, write a sign-off such as “Sincerely,” followed by your first and last name.
Related: Guide to Writing a Cover Letter For Graduate School (With Template and Example)
Tips for writing a college application cover letter
Make sure your college application cover letter makes sense and ultimately presents you and your qualifications in a positive light. Continuously look for ways to improve your letter before submitting your application. Use these tips to help guide your writing:
- Research the college. Before you submit your college application cover letter, find out more about the institution you’re interested in by looking up its website. Then, use what you learned to craft the perfect cover letter. Highlight how you’re a great fit for the college based on the information you learned. For example, maybe their mission statement aligns with what you believe in, or maybe the program you’re interested in made recent developments that align with your career goals.
- Be concise. Keep your cover letter brief, to the point and a maximum of one-page long. If you need help shortening your cover letter, look for information that you may have repeated in other parts of your cover letter or application.
- Be specific. When writing your college admission cover letter, make sure you have a solid reason for wanting to attend their particular institution over other schools. Providing the admissions team with a specific reason as to why you choose their school or university over other programs helps them understand your genuine interest in their school.
- Emphasize your uniqueness. As you write your cover letter, highlight your unique abilities and skills to help you stand out among other applicants. Make sure you’re confident in your abilities, too.
- Proofread your cover letter. Before you submit your application, read through your cover letter and make corrections to any spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. This shows your attention to detail and ensures your cover letter’s overall readability.
Related: How to Write the Best College Admissions Resume
Template
A college application cover letter follows a similar format to that of a business cover letter. Not only does keeping to a format make your cover letter more legible, but it also presents your qualifications and words in a professional manner. Use this template to help you format your own college application cover letter:
[Your first name] [your last name]
[Your street address]
[City], [state] [zip code]
[Date]
[First and last name of the head of admissions]
[College name]
[College address]
[City], [state] [zip code]
Dear [Mr. or Ms.] [last name of the head of admissions],
This letter is a formal request for admission to [name of college or university]. Over the past few years, I’ve researched many colleges that offer [type of degree]’s in [field of study], but have ultimately chosen [name of college] because of its commitment to [school’s or program’s goals, objective or mission]. Unlike other colleges, your program [state what the program is about and how it differs from other college’s offering a similar program].
Currently, I’m looking to begin my undergraduate studies. My goal is to complete the [college program] program at [name of college]. Upon graduation, I hope to gain employment as a [job title] where I can [career goals]. I believe [name of college] gives me the best option in preparing for my future endeavors thanks to its [the program or college’s unique offerings].
My application form and the requested documents are enclosed. I’m available for additional questions and look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration regarding my application.
Sincerely,
[Your first name] [your last name]
Example
When you’re ready to write your cover letter, consider what specific information you want to include. If you need help guiding your writing, consider the following college application cover letter example:
Monroe Carter
5555 Cherry Blossom Way
San Clemente, CA 55555
November 18, 2020
Joan Harvey
University of Santa Ana
5555 Maple Drive
Santa Ana, CA 55555
Dear Ms. Harvey,
I would like to express my interest in the Journalism program at University of Santa Ana. Over the past few years, I’ve researched many colleges that offer a bachelor of science degree in journalism, but have ultimately chosen the University of Santa Ana because of its commitment to educating students with a digital-first mindset. Unlike other colleges, your program focuses on the growth of each individual student with a “learn by doing” mentality. Not only that, but the program’s efforts have proven successful based on the impressive number of alumni currently in the news media. I would be honored to receive the quality education your institution offers its students, both in the journalism program and beyond.
I’m currently looking to begin my undergraduate studies, with a goal of completing the Journalism program at the University of Santa Ana. Upon graduation, I hope to gain employment as a news reporter where I can share breaking news stories while giving a voice to the voiceless in my community. I believe the University of Santa Ana can provide me with the best opportunity to pursue these endeavors.
My application form and the requested documents are enclosed. I’m available for additional questions and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration regarding my application.
Sincerely,
Monroe Carter
Conclusions
Everyone wants to go to university at some stage in their life. But do you know how to write the best possible application letter for university admission? If you don’t, I’d like to help you out – how about that?