Steps after being put on hold Forum

[jban]

Hi guys! this is my first post so I'm not too sure how everything around here works.
I have a question about being put on hold. I was just now put on hold by Penn Law, and they say in the email "Please feel free to submit additional supporting documents, such as one additional letter of recommendation, an updated resume, or an additional two-page essay on the topic of your choice."
So a few things:
1. Should this two page essay really be about anything? i.e. is it just to see my writing style? Like could it be about some topic like music/a life experience/ants? Or is it supposed to be about law, or even about penn law specifically? is it supposed to show my character or more just my writing style?
2. Should I respond to the email today/tomorrow thanking them for the opportunity to have my application reviewed?
3. What's the deal with sending them a LOCI. Is being put on hold the time to do that, or just a regular waitlist? If I'm supposed to do that, when should I do that?

Thanks in advance!

[NukinFutz]

I was recently "held" at a school with a very similar email message, which I took to be essentially a "show us something else" kinda email - hence the array of options. I've yet to respond. It is funky because they already have your file, so a LOCI seems a bit out of place - in my unexperienced opinion. I should think if you didn't submit a "why X" statement that might be something to consider writing. I am of the mind that an additional letter of recommendation is kinda silly (at least in my case) for I know that I have great letters already and I don't think yet another letter that will say the same thing will sway an admissions committee that is on the fence. Plus, LORs are always super positive, I don't see how that will add much. Thanking them for the "opportunity to be reviewed", while gratitude should always be in your correspondences IMO, I don't know that thanking them for reviewing you - which is their job and what you paid your application fee for - is in order above any normal amount of sincere thanks or interest in their law school. Thus, I would think something in the realm of option #1 that you listed would be - and will likely be for me - the route to take in responding. Look at it as another swing at a quasi-personal/diversity/why X law school statement, just be sure to show or tell them something new that they don't already have or know about you. Just my two cents