Thank you letters..?
Went to 7 and haven't done it once. I don't think it'll sway admissions in any way. I feel that it's just a nice thing to do. (Also, wouldn't interviewers submit their notes/decision by the time they would receive it?)
I think thank you letters are very very important post interview. Many people on here may disagree with me, however, my thinking is different. Anyways, in business school, it was shoved down our throats as it adds a bit of personal touch. You are also able to convey a different aspect of yourself in the letter. Now writing it is a different beast, however, if you need help, you are more then welcome to ask. I write them all the time for people and have a lot of practice as we had to for our classes. Also, keep in mind the generation that is interviewing you, they sent out letters such as this when they were applying to professional positions. Lastly, my dad is a physician residency director for a hospital, and as kids growing up, always stated that a well-written and placed thank you letter will always be helpful.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I never did a thank you letter post-interview and it affected absolutely nothing. I've also never heard an adcom say a thank-you letter swayed their decision in any way.
I have written thank you emails after every interview. I do this for several reasons:
1) It's a nice thing to do.
2) It makes you stand out as an applicant.
3) If they write back (which they often do), then you can get some insight into how they felt about you in your interview.
4) It takes 5-10 minutes. Just make sure you write something personal about what you talked about.
5) Your building the foundation for a future relationship. This same interviewer may someday be your big sib or professor. They may write you a recommendation for a specialty program.
I'm currently reading Keith Ferrazi's book "Never Eat Alone" right now and this is what he writes about following up after meeting anyone.
Last edited:
Don’t send thank you letters to increase your chances at being accepted. Send thank you letters to be courteous and respectful.
If you're interviewing for a job, you send your interviewer a thank you letter. This is no different.
I wrote an essay of a thank you letter to all my interviewers. I got an acceptance to all of the schools. Worked for me.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Always thought that thank you letters are a nuisance for interviewers, never sent any and it didn’t effect my chances
I've been told by 3 different schools on the interview trail that they look favorably on thank you letters.
I'm amazed by this thread. Writing a thank you letter will absolutely not hurt you, but NOT writing one might. What's the point of even chancing it?
How?
If 13 out of 14 interviewees write one and you are the only one that doesn't that could hurt.. one scenario for you.
That assumes that the person receiving the letters weighs them in their decision...which is a pretty big assumption, and the crux of the thread.
You also had a 28AA so your situation might be a little bit different than others. I bet most schools would have accepted you without an interview.
Do you get along with your classmates?
Yea, I'd say everyone here gets along for the most part.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I agree it probably doesn't carry any weight but it's fairly easy to get paranoid about little things like this and that's why I've sent them. To each is own.
I think they are welcome in more cases than they are not.
Look, every interview is documented just in case of a lawsuit. There are questions and points to check. I can promise you there is no “sent a thank you letter” question. It might be polite, but considering a number of interviews and everyday emails they have to answer it’s just an extra work for the interviewer. At the same time, we pay so much for our applications, we might as well annoy them with thank you notes
