The winning method for successfully writing a school cover letter

You've decided which school to apply to, but you're worried that you won't be selected and that other candidates will be chosen over you? Applying to business school becomes a real ordeal when you consider how competitive the programmes are. A convincing and engaging cover letter is the key to your admission! IPAG Business School has put together a guide covering the fundamentals you need to know to write a good cover letter and get into your first choice of business school.

Download a brochure

What is the aim of the school cover letter?

You've just made your choice of post-bac course and you can't wait to get into your future higher education establishment? This is a very exciting time in your student life. But there's a catch: you need to write a covering letter. It may be one of the first you write, so you don't know where to start.

It's not an easy exercise. The covering letter is not a CV, but it does play a crucial role in the application process. What's more, it is compulsory for admission to certain schools. Whether it's a cover letter for a first degree (licence, engineering course, DUT, BTS) or a cover letter for a master's degree, the aim is the same.

It shows how your choice of course matches your career ambitions. Ideally, it should show that you have carefully analysed the Grande École Programme and that you have identified the points that will give you the skills and knowledge you need to practise your future profession.

How should a school cover letter be structured?

Although each cover letter must be unique and personalised for each target school, you should be aware that this type of letter is structured in a fairly standard way. The cover letter consists of an introduction, a body and a conclusion. More specifically, here is the expected standard structure:

• Header or subject of the letter.
• Catchphrase.
• Motivations for your career plan.
• Interest in the school you are writing to.
• Reasons why your profile is relevant.
• Conclusion, accompanied by the famous greeting.

Bear in mind that the content should allow the reader to get to know you, understand your background and learn about your professional experience. On first reading, the recipient should be able to identify your ambitions and your motivation for applying.

How can you make the most of your experience and highlight the relevance of your application in a school cover letter?

A well-balanced cover letter is the key to attracting the attention of your interviewer.
To do this, you need to be able to get across a clear message about your motivation for joining the school, highlighting your application and emphasising the important points that will make your CV stand out from the rest.

Commencez votre premier paragraphe en clarifiant vos objectifs et votre motivation. Il s’agit de parler de vos ambitions académiques et éventuellement professionnelles. Si vous n’avez pas encore une idée précise sur tous ces points, vous pouvez évoquer ce que vous attendez des années d’études dans l’école à laquelle vous postulez ; en quoi elles vont justement vous aider à trouver le métier qui est fait pour vous.
Présentez ensuite dans un nouveau paragraphe vos réalisations et les projets spécifiques que vous avez en tête pour l’avenir. Reliez vos intérêts personnels aux perspectives d’expériences avec le programme.

Start your first paragraph by clarifying your objectives and motivation. This means talking about your academic ambitions and possibly your career ambitions. If you don't yet have a clear idea on all these points, you can talk about what you expect from your years of study at the school to which you are applying, and how they will help you to find the career that is right for you.
Then, in a new paragraph, present your achievements and the specific projects you have in mind for the future. Link your personal interests to the prospects for experience with the programme.

Finally, highlight your profile to set yourself apart from your competitors. Explain how your previous experience and specific skills relate directly to your target study programme.

Don't hesitate to highlight your most relevant personal and professional qualities: leadership, creativity and adaptability, for example. This will add value to your application.

What are the mistakes to avoid in a school cover letter?

• There are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a covering letter. Make sure you pay attention to these points when you proofread. Here are some common mistakes to avoid at all costs:
• Copy your CV into your covering letter.
• Do not personalise the name of the recipient of your letter.
• Not adapting your letter to the company you are targeting.
• Overusing the "I" word.
• Be negative, too humble, play down certain points.
• Use a lot of superlatives and oversell yourself.
• Make spelling mistakes.
• Write a letter that is too long, or too short!
• Don't address the recruiter.
• Don't personalise your letter.
• Don't take care with the layout.
• Write endless sentences.
• Oublier de mettre en avant ses réalisations et omettre de soutenir par des exemples ce que l’on affirme.

Apply now

A few tips for writing an excellent school cover letter

It's difficult to write a cover letter that doesn't come across as "clichéd" and to make it engaging, while remaining concise. It's tempting to base your letter on a standard template found online... but we recommend you be wary of this: your letter really needs to be personal.

Here are a few tips you can use to write a school cover letter:

• Take your time. In draft form, write an outline first, then a detailed outline of the letter. This will help you clarify the main points.
• Use action verbs.
• Be serious and honest, tell your own story. Don't reinvent yourself, exaggerate your ambitions or invent a career plan if you don't already have one. You've just graduated from the baccalaureate, and your future teachers are well aware that there's more to you than meets the eye.
• Highlight your areas of interest and your progress in relation to your studies. Explain that all this will help you to refine your career plan.
• Don't neglect proofreading. Don't hesitate to ask for the opinion of a fresh (outside) eye. Everyone has their own style, but it can help to have someone else proofread your work. Proofreading is also essential for correcting errors (spelling, grammar, syntax).
• Take care with your layout.
• If possible, summarise what you have to say so that the content fits on an A4 page.

If the exercise scares you, why not start by writing a cover letter for a school chosen in your 2ᵉ or 3ᵉ Parcoursup choices? This will give you a bit more practice when you have to write the letter for your first choice of course.

A successful school cover letter is the cornerstone of a solid application, especially if you learn to write a good CV at the same time. The better you write, the more attention you pay to detail, and the more likely your letter will be to land you an interview with a panel of judges. Are you considering enrolling at IPAG? Contact our business school for more information or to submit your application.