columbia thank-you notes and dr. frantz's response

[Yogi Bear]

Hi,

I heard a friend mention that different people get different responses from dr. frantz after sending in a thank-you note to their interviewers? df will tend send a thank-you note in return saying that the interview also thanks you for sending the letter. is it true that the last sentence of this response indicates how interested columbia is in your application? something about word choice. was there a thread on this?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Street Philosopher]

who cares dude, it's all speculation until mid feb comes around.

 

[Yogi Bear]

found the link....

http://www.studentdoctor.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46223&highlight=franz+columbia

============================SMW=============
Everyone who sent a thank-you note last year after Columbia interviews got a letter from Dean Frantz. Not all of them had the "keeping you strongly in mind" phrasing. In my experience, and for others (as I recall), that phrasing was very predictive of eventual acceptance.

I second Sweet Tea's advice to always send than-you notes (unless the school specifically requests that you do not. There are a few, but I forget which). It's simply good manners.

Veilside, didn't your Mom teach you that thank-you notes should be handwritten, and should never start with the words thank-you? And don't even think about email!!
=================================================

 

[woolie]

Hey, I never heard that about "never start your thank you letters with 'Thank you...' ". Man, I ALWAYS start my TY notes that way

I like to get right to the point: thanking them being my point, in this instance. Sometimes I say: 'May I ask you ... ' or, 'Enclosed please find ... '

No really, I have always begun my notes like that - I never heard that before.

 

[paean]

Sure, a brief thank you note should be handwritten, but if you want to write more than a few sentences, unless you have beautiful handwriting, I think you should type it. If the recipient has to work to read your note, or it runs on for more than a page, typing is more suited to the task. Social rules are changing, and I think that some of the older conventions are going to reasonably get left behind.

As far as I remember, my response was not from the Dean but the admissions secretary, and said nothing about my chances of getting in. I ended up on the waitlist, and as Columbia was not my top choice, did little to improve my position therein. So I can't say whether or not my thank you for your thank you indicated anything. But I doubt it boded well.

 

[jkai]

I got my letter from Dr. Frantz today, and I'm curious if everyone gets the same letter, or if it's actually personalized. Here's mine, post yours too.

-------------------

Dear Mr. XXX:

I am writing to thank you for your letter to Dr. XXX. I appreciate your interest and enthusiam for P&S. Dr. XXX also enjoyed seeing you.

Final decisions will not be made until some time in February, so don't worry about not hearing from us before then. I can assure you that we will keep you very strongly in mind.

With all best wishes,

Sincerely,
Andrew G. Frantz, M.D..

 

[Blitzkrieg]

handwritten is usually the rule, but with med shcools, and my messy writing, I would send typed, but signed. More professional and neat.

and NEVER start with "thank you.."

 

[CaNEM]

Originally posted by SMW
didn't your Mom teach you that thank-you notes should be handwritten, and should never start with the words thank-you?

Originally posted by Blitzkrieg
and NEVER start with "thank you.."

Would someone please tell me what the logic is behind this? It seems silly.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Originally posted by CaNEM
Would someone please tell me what the logic is behind this? It seems silly.

well, I am not sure about the first one.....

but i can venture a guess about the second thingie--perhaps saying "thank you" as the first two words of the letter/card makes the reader glace through the rest of it, thus not reading everything the person has to say. It's kinda like writing an essay, having a good beginning is important to grasp the reader and make him/her keep reading.....

Just my 2c.

 

[guiljason]

jkai,
I got a letter with the same exact phrasing.

 

[walrus]

I've heard almost everybody gets that letter from Dean Frantz. I've heard that if he scribbles something in his own handwriting on the letter then that is predictive of acceptance.

 

[Sapphire1416]

Does Frantz send letters back to all interviewees who sent thank you letters or just the people who he interviewed that sent him thank you letters?

Because I didn't interview with him..and I sent my interviewer a thank you letter..but I havent gotten anything back from him...??!?!?!?

 

[jkai]

Originally posted by Sapphire1416
Does Frantz send letters back to all interviewees who sent thank you letters or just the people who he interviewed that sent him thank you letters?

Nope, I interviewed with another doctor.

 

[xaelia]

I interviewed with Dr. Frantz personally yesterday; I'll let you know if there's any variation on his thank-you letter response when I receive it....

 

[Yogi Bear]

bump

 

[AlternateSome1]

Originally posted by CaNEM
Would someone please tell me what the logic is behind this? It seems silly.

Well...of course you start a letter off with "Dear..."

~AS1~

 

[jot]

heh - we'll see if i'm adversely affected by e-mailing - cause i just sent it haha. of course i had rugby wallpaper in the background

-jot