Last week, we looked at creating your best resume as a student-athlete. This week, we will look at the Interest Letter.

What is the Interest Letter, or Cover Letter, or Letter of Interest?

The purpose of this letter, simply put, is to introduce yourself to college recruiters and college coaches. Look at this letter as an opportunity to present yourself, your academic ability, and your athletic prowess. The best time to send these letters are in your sophomore year or early in your junior year. But, don’t be discouraged if you are a senior! It is never too late to get on a recruiter or coach’s radar! You can send this letter to as many coaches as you want. Just make sure you update the letter to reflect the correct college and coach’s name!

What should you include in your letter?

• Personal information (name, phone number, mailing address, email, birth date, year in school, name of high school, year you will graduate, your sport(s))
• GPA, Honors Classes
• Test scores (PSAT, SAT, SAT II, ACT, AP, and any other test scores if you have them)
• Athletic abilities (depending on your sport include: positions, events, height, weight, etc. Also include years of experience, stats, level, etc.)
• Current high school and club team information
• Do you have a video link, highlight reel? Include link.
• Academic and Athletic Awards and Honors
• Goals, aspirations, potential major and minor
• Include why you want to attend this college (courses, what the college has to offer, etc.)
• Include a parent/relative alumnus/alumna if appropriate
• Do you participate in any other sports? Include here
• Finish your letter with an action statement, “I look forward to talking with you further. Please let me know the best time I can reach you”, or ‘please let me know about scheduling a campus tour.”

Make sure you take the time to clean up your letter and spell check everything! A coach should not see any grammatical errors and/or misspelled words! Make sure all information lines up and is factual. Once you are done, email or mail the letter and your resume to the college coach or recruiter.

Good luck with your recruiting journey and happy writing!!!