Is it bad to not send thank you letters?

[shadowclaws]

Does it hurt you if you don't send thank you letters?

And is it better to use email or regular mail to send the letters? Snail mail makes it more formal looking, but it takes a long time for the letters to get there.

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[Auraraptor]

I email.

 

[NY Musicologist]

Does it hurt you if you don't send thank you letters?

And is it better to use email or regular mail to send the letters? Snail mail makes it more formal looking, but it takes a long time for the letters to get there.

It won't "hurt" you--there are plenty of people in the world who no longer practice common courtesy--but it won't help you either. (Not that sending a note will "help" tremendously, but it's the classy thing to do.)

E-mail thank-yous are tacky. Get a box of quality plain stationery and write a note. Neatly, if possible.

 

[supahdren]

I think email thank yous are fine. Also, you don't need them, with the possible exception of one or two places (e.g. Columbia students told me all day long to send thank you notes, especially to Dean Frantz (sp?)). I sent thank you notes to interviewers at a school that ended up waitlisting me, and I didn't send anything to two schools that accepted me.

 

[photo_girl07]

Thank you notes are not required (by any means). It's more a gesture of courtesy. But if you plan to send a thank you e-mail (or letter), make sure to have something meaningful to say....don't create a letter that you send to every interviewer (and just change the name). It is important to really highlight something from your interview experience. Just my $0.02

 

[Severus]

I think email thank yous are fine. Also, you don't need them, with the possible exception of one or two places (e.g. Columbia students told me all day long to send thank you notes, especially to Dean Frantz (sp?)). I sent thank you notes to interviewers at a school that ended up waitlisting me, and I didn't send anything to two schools that accepted me.

Even if you didn't interview with him?

 

[Mastac741]

I interviewed at 6 schools.

Sent Thank You letters to 5.

Didn't send to 1 school.

Got accepted to the school I didn't send a thank you letter. Coincidence? Probably.

Still pending on other 5.

 

[notdeadyet]

And is it better to use email or regular mail to send the letters?

I think the opinion of this tracks quite a bit to the age of the person voicing their opinion.

Most folks in their late teens/early-to-late twenties seem to think emailed thank you's is fine. Folks older than this, for whom email came later in their lives, seem to side with mailed thank you's.

Either is much better than nothing, but keep in mind that most of your interviewers will be older than their late-twenties.

 

[GuzzyRon]

Sending "thank you" letters are the exception rather than the rule.

 

[prznpremed]

why does it seem like when you don't send a thank you you get accepted.... has anyone sent a thank you and then been accepted?

 

[DblHelix]

The one school I didn't send thank you letters to, was the only one that accepted me.

 

[sirus_virus]

What does a thank you letter achieve anyway?

 

[notdeadyet]

What does a thank you letter achieve anyway?

Courtesy. It won't help your app any, but it'll make your momma proud...

 

[epigastric]

Or in my case, I used it to tell the interviewer that I would be sending an additional letter of recommendation that she strongly suggested would help my application. Sometimes there's a real point.

 

[Mastac741]

I think it depends on the school.

When I was at my Georgetown and Duke interviews, both my interviewers said, "when you send in your thank you letter..." I didn't ask them about that - they just brought it up.

I really wasn't planning on doing it until I heard that. After that, I assumed all schools wanted them, so I sent them as a precaution.

 

[Bubblehead-to-MD]

I don't think it will hurt you if you do not send one. Hell, even if you do take the time to write a thank you note, it is sometimes hit or miss as to whether or not your interviewer actually receives it!

That being said, I have written thank you notes to all of my interviewers (and some admissions staff personnel who were particularly helpful). So far, I have received offers of admission from every school that interviewed me (there are still two pending - I'll have to get back to you on those).

I think it is worth it to take the time to send them. I think it can only leave them with a positive impression of you.

 

[etf]

send them AFTER you are accepted and have something to be thankful for.

 

[GoLAClippers]

send them AFTER you are accepted and have something to be thankful for.

 

[szhao]

i don't know they definitely don't hurt haha, but i feel it might change the decision either way, and i rather know i got in on my ability not by ability to write a thank you letter, that i can have my computer write for me, seems to mechanical, but hey i am stupid so whatever.

 

[Wordplay]

I got accepted to the one school to which I didn't send thank you cards. I've been waitlisted/accepted at about a 1.5:1 ratio at the ones I did. Conclusion: doesn't matter if you do.

 

[medmania]

What if your interviewers specifically give you their number and e-mail and makes a point of mentioning that you e-mail or call with questions?

Well, I was going to send a "Thank you" e-mail anyways, but since they extended the invitation, I thought I'd take full advantage of it. Also this, tells me that most interviewers will not mind an e-mail "Thank you" note.

 

[gary5]

Interviewers seem to submit their assessment very quickly after the interview. So, I do not think that Thank You's affect your evaluation.

Cards are more personal, but email is standard communication these days. If I were an interviewer, I'd prefer an email so I could scan the title and then spend 1/10 of a second reading it.

 

[lunaire]

One more thing to add is that it depends on the school. Some of the schools seems to expect a thank you note (the admissions secretary drops hints on it, etc), while other just don't care. So remember, be nice to the non adcoms, so that you can get some extra info on the process.

 

[ericana_83]

I have my own question regarding thank you notes.

I've sent notes for all of my interviews so far....EXCEPT:
I waited for about a week to send notes to my top-choice school because I was so stressed about acceptance (yes, I know it's not a good excuse). I got accepted, which caused further distraction...

ANYWAY, it's now been about a month since my interview, and due to my laziness I haven't sent notes to my interviewers.

What do you think--better late than never, OR forget about it??

 

[Dr_Berk]

I thank the person at the end of the interview...I think that's sufficient.

You go into the interview and talk for an hour. The person gets to know you and you thank them at the end for everything. What is the point of going home and writing them a letter? Either you think the person is stupid or you're being fake and kissing ass.

I really do think they may help as I realize we live in a world where being fake and kissing ass is rewarded.