Hello all,

A select few people work extra hard throughout their high school lives hoping to attend world class academic institutions after graduation. It is extremely competitive, to say the least. In fact, in my hometown, even trade programs are becoming increasingly thorough in their selection criteria.

Often, the applicants competing for a spot in a reputable university all carry similair transcipts. The difference in their percentages may only vary by a few percent. This is probably why the selection process has somewhat deviated to focus on extracurricular activities and life experiences.

This is where the admissions letter comes in. It's absolutely CRITICAL for making that all important first impression. It can sum up all your major ambitions and attributes far more effectively than a transcript containing raw numbers, and communicates your personality type to the one responsible for reading it. It can help make you stand out in a pool of applicants, EVEN if your transcript is slightly less impressive. The goal is to sum up all your traits and experiences that make you a favourable candidate in a concise, well written letter.

I reccomend taking a lot of time in writing this letter. I took nearly two weeks in writing a one page admission letter, and it payed off. Below, I've listed some links concerning what should and shouldn't be included in your letter, as well as how to give it some extra "wow" factor.

Effective Admissions Letters
-A great general resource on content, structure and other handy tips.

An Admission Letter is your Ticket to College Acceptance by Tracey Drake GradResumes.com
-A short, concise summary of the admission letter writing process. I found it fairly helpful.

The Structure and Organization of a Personal Statement
-A nice breakdown of how to write a formal admission letter. The more professional it is, the more it will stand out (especially if it is for a undergraduate program).

Example of General Undergraduate Admission Letter
-Not the greatest example of a admission letter, but along the right path. The applicant discusses why he/she is interested in pschology, and how he/she plans to go about it. This demonstrates that the applicant has put considerable thought into the field, EXACTLY what the commitee wants to see before they give up a spot at the institution for him/her. Personally, however, I would have put more effort into the wording.

Anyway, I hope someone finds this somewhat useful, and I hope you all find satisfaction in whatever academic road you are taking!

Note: edited for poor grammar and spelling. Something that must not be in an admission letter AT ALL COST!!!