Thank you cards after interviews

[TrojanDDS]

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How is everyone sending out thank cards after interviews (if at all)? E-mail or traditional hand-written ones? I've been writing e-mails b/c they are quick, easy, and possess the possibility of having a reply.. I've had some come back from program directors the day after the interview saying that they were pleased to meet me, but nothing like "we really, really like you". I've noticed other applicants hand write to every single faculty that interviewed at each school. Some of you were on ad coms for dental schools, so I was wondering how effective thank you cards really are, if they are annoying, won't do much because the decisions are already made, can hurt you if you don't write one, build better rapport if you get into the program, etc.

 

[texas_dds]

ive done one handwritten note to each program, probably wont make it past the secretary but its the gesture that is important. also since the decisions are already made, i dont think you should even think about whether it helps or hurts - its just being polite i think.
i get thank you cards from prospective dental students that i interview - i dont find it annoying unless they imply in the card that i should really "help them out"

 

[TrojanDDS]

also since the decisions are already made, i dont think you should even think about whether it helps or hurts - its just being polite i think.

I've heard a rumor that the decisions are already made at some programs even before you arrive at the interview.. meaning programs have you there to see if you are "normal" and not a tool, and so it would be more of an occasion to mess up than to really bump yourself up. This would make sense since how can you really distinguish people in 10-20 minutes when everyone is nice? Has anyone else heard this rumor?

 

[Jediwendell]

Think about it, you knew pretty much what your top program choices would be going into interviews. They do too, within reason. They definitely have teir one and teir two type people that they interview.

 

[Omahahahaha]

I don't think thank you cards are necessary after an interview. Yes, to a certain extent this is a personal process when you get to know the faculty at the school, but as far as the school is concerned interviews are business as usual. Some may people may view this as brown nosing even before school starts. But good luck though.

 

[dentaldoc]

I've heard a rumor that the decisions are already made at some programs even before you arrive at the interview.. meaning programs have you there to see if you are "normal" and not a tool, and so it would be more of an occasion to mess up than to really bump yourself up. This would make sense since how can you really distinguish people in 10-20 minutes when everyone is nice? Has anyone else heard this rumor?

I personally felt that way!

 

[45540]

I don't really feel that thank you cards are necessary either. I don't see the benefit of going to the trouble. The faculty isn't going to remember 8 months later who sent one, and they're just going to flip them open and that's the end of it.

It might be viewed as a courtesy, but the staff is getting paid to interview and the students are accepted on their own merits, not from sending in cards.

 

[SuperSecretary]

I don't really feel that thank you cards are necessary either. I don't see the benefit of going to the trouble. The faculty isn't going to remember 8 months later who sent one, and they're just going to flip them open and that's the end of it.

It might be viewed as a courtesy, but the staff is getting paid to interview and the students are accepted on their own merits, not from sending in cards.

As a staff member, I can only tell you that at our school, thank you cards are looked upon very favorably. They are not a requirement of course, but they show excellent manners and help the faculty remember your name. Also you might run across a secretary who goes above and beyond to help you get your materials in on time or your travel arranged, and it's certainly appropriate to acknowledge hard work with a thank you, even if it's only by e-mail. Some schools may know who they want already, but at some the interview is the most important deciding factor. Look at it this way: could a quick note and a $.37 stamp hurt your chances anywhere?

 

[45540]

As a staff member, I can only tell you that at our school, thank you cards are looked upon very favorably. They are not a requirement of course, but they show excellent manners and help the faculty remember your name. Also you might run across a secretary who goes above and beyond to help you get your materials in on time or your travel arranged, and it's certainly appropriate to acknowledge hard work with a thank you, even if it's only by e-mail. Some schools may know who they want already, but at some the interview is the most important deciding factor. Look at it this way: could a quick note and a $.37 stamp hurt your chances anywhere?

Very True. I was completely naive to sending in thank you notes till after I was already in school but I can see how it would help with some people. I guess I'm just going on what I would think if i were a faculty member, but then again, I'm not faculty 😳

 

[gryffindor]

I've heard a rumor that the decisions are already made at some programs even before you arrive at the interview.. meaning programs have you there to see if you are "normal" and not a tool, and so it would be more of an occasion to mess up than to really bump yourself up. This would make sense since how can you really distinguish people in 10-20 minutes when everyone is nice? Has anyone else heard this rumor?

I think we interviewed at the same program where they were feeding us this rumor, b/c I remember hearing it too.

So many ortho programs wait till after the match to send their rejections, I figure they can wait till after match to get a thank you from me. I can't see why a little card would make all the difference, they already have a folder full of stuff about you.

 

[TrojanDDS]

I think we interviewed at the same program where they were feeding us this rumor, b/c I remember hearing it too.

Actually, I heard the rumor through a friend who interviewed at another program this year--perhaps it might hold some substance.

 

[groundhog]

Do not discount the high degree of goodwill one can accrue by remembering to be thoughtful towards others (especially if done on a consistant and long term basis). It is a habit worth developing. 🙂

 

[DocDrtySanchez]

I went through the interview process for ortho last year and I sent a formal thank you letter to each program, specifically addressed to each of my interviewers, immediately following each interview. First, it is a matter of professional courtesy. If all goes as you hope, they will be your colleagues some day and in our profession connections are not a bad thing. Secondly, I know for a fact that the director of my program, and several other directors at different programs, do not make up the rank list right away. So a thank you letter can certainly tip the odds in your favor.

 

[Pedro Sanchez]

Don't send them. I know a dean and he said they hate do receive them and it actually hurts your odds.

 

[Lesley]

ive done one handwritten note to each program, probably wont make it past the secretary

If you've got the secretary's attention and you have been polite, a hand written note will be looked upon favorably by all. Manners always count.🙂

 

[t2thDr14]

What's kinda funny is that I only did e-mail thank you's for UCSF and UCLA. It just seemed like their receiving a thank you card in the mail a few days after the interview was not going to make any difference, especially since they all had their evaluation forms to fill out on the spot at the interview.

I did handwritten and email thank you's for Harvard and UOP. I kinda messed up the student interview at UOP by being 10 mins late (mistakenly thought it was time for lunch after the faculty interview), so I made sure to write thank you's to basically everyone in the admissions office =P. Totally my bad.

I only wrote mine for the private schools... but really it can't hurt to hand write a thank you card to all your schools. =)

 

[Daurang]

The acceptance decision has already been made before or right after the interview so it's usually a waste of time. However if you think you are on the fence, then a card to the interviewer AND the secretary won't hurt your chance. I know for a fact that the secretary has A LOTTTT more power and leverage than they are given credit for; they can reject or accept you. The same goes for the financial aid secretary; they can save you hundred of thousands simply by giving your file to the right people!