Sending thank you letters to interviewers

[Kingfish23]

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Hey all,

I was fortunate enough to receive an interview and write down the names of all 3 individuals whom I interviewed with. It is necessary to send a "thank you" letter to each of them, right? And what should I write? How long do I wait before sending it?

Also: this is my top choice. I really want to tread lightly and not seem desperate.

Thanks in advance

 

[JLT223]

No

 

[Kingfish23]

No

Solid answer lol just not necessary?

 

[Badgers2]

I don't think it's necessary but it was recommended to me by one of the dentists I shadowed who helped with Michigan's interview process while they were in school. I was planning on sending them

 

[Kingfish23]

I don't think it's necessary but it was recommended to me by one of the dentists I shadowed who helped with Michigan's interview process while they were in school. I was planning on sending them

Same here. The Dentist I shadowed told me that it was absolutely necessary, but my friends who are already in dental school told me not to worry about it. Just wanted some clarification.

 

[caffeine jitters]

It isn't necessary, but I definitely think it is a nice thing to do. I would recommend e-mail because A) it is quicker and B) it ensures that your thank you gets to the person you want it to get to. Sometimes thank you notes gets lost due to the carrier or school faculty passing it from one hand to the next.

 

[JLT223]

If you do feel the need to send one, do it by e-mail. It certainly isn't expected by interviewers but it is a nice gesture. It won't make or break your chances; interviewers usually fill out their paperwork shortly after meeting with you and then their job is mostly done.

 

[Its_Me_G]

I just sent my thank you's today! I don't think its necessary but it was my top choice as well so I figured it wouldn't hurt. I recommend keeping them short and sweet and sending by email. It definitely won't hurt!

 

[blablabla1]

Hey all,

I was fortunate enough to receive an interview and write down the names of all 3 individuals whom I interviewed with. It is necessary to send a "thank you" letter to each of them, right? And what should I write? How long do I wait before sending it?

Also: this is my top choice. I really want to tread lightly and not seem desperate.

Thanks in advance

Last cycle I interviewed at a school and after the interview, as my interviewer was dropping me off to the area where the rest of the interviewees were, I asked him for his contact information, and he immediately said "don't bother sending me a thank you letter, they don't do anything anyways" as loudly as he could in front of everyone else.

Take that story however you want.

 

[caffeine jitters]

Last cycle I interviewed at a school and after the interview, as my interviewer was dropping me off to the area where the rest of the interviewees were, I asked him for his contact information, and he immediately said "don't bother sending me a thank you letter, they don't do anything anyways" as loudly as he could in front of everyone else.

Take that story however you want.

Yikes. That just comes off as standoffish in my opinion.

 

[fit2]

I would send my thank you letter right after I walk out of Interview. If possible.
I was also thinking of buying 2-3 thank you notes and literarily writing them out when I walk out and giving them to the receptionist to pass them to the interviewers. Seems like too much work though

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

You know you're Big Hoss when you got thank you letters from your interviewers!

Big Hoss

 

[NCC1701]

Last cycle I interviewed at a school and after the interview, as my interviewer was dropping me off to the area where the rest of the interviewees were, I asked him for his contact information, and he immediately said "don't bother sending me a thank you letter, they don't do anything anyways" as loudly as he could in front of everyone else.

Take that story however you want.

I was also told something similar at my first interview. I thanked the interviewer and she gave me her card, then said something about how sending a thank you note was unnecessary because she fills out the interview evaluation sheet immediately after I leave. Later at my Roseman interview they straight up said to not send one. Didn't send a thank you to any of the schools I interviewed at but was accepted to all of them.

 

[setdoc7]

I throw away thank you notes. Unnecessary. Will not change anything.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Thank them after you get accepted

 

[asdf1234qad]

IMO, no. I will not be sending thank you notes.
If you were an interviewer who interviews a few students every week, how would you feel if you got random emails in your inbox throughout interview season? Would you even look to see who it is from? I know I wouldn't, and I'd be quite annoyed. These people have responsibilities outside of interviewing applicants, and honestly doing interviews might just be one of their least favorite parts of their jobs.
They get nothing meaningful about you from a thank you note, and it doesn't lead to any further conversation. If you need to thank them (which you obviously do), thank them as the interview ends (which you obviously will).

 

[caffeine jitters]

IMO, no. I will not be sending thank you notes.
If you were an interviewer who interviews a few students every week, how would you feel if you got random emails in your inbox throughout interview season? Would you even look to see who it is from? I know I wouldn't, and I'd be quite annoyed. These people have responsibilities outside of interviewing applicants, and honestly doing interviews might just be one of their least favorite parts of their jobs.
They get nothing meaningful about you from a thank you note, and it doesn't lead to any further conversation. If you need to thank them (which you obviously do), thank them as the interview ends (which you obviously will).

The counter argument I would make here is that a thank you letter gives another opportunity to remind the interviewer of your conversation. If you're able to bring up something that gets the interviewer talking, mentioning that in the thank you note will help them to remember "oh yeah, that's the kid who had a great discussion with me about X". This is of course assuming that the interviewer takes the time to read the thank you.

 

[577455]

I would do it. Most of the thank you emails I sent were met with positive responses.

 

[osker246]

I personally did not send a thank you letter to my interviewers. I did however send a thank you card to the admissions office at one school I interviewed at because I really enjoyed the experience and wanted to extend my gratitude for the invitation. I doubt it made much of a difference, but I got a call a few days later about being accepted.

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