Thank you notes- responses?

[BizzyV]

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Okay, this is naturally the over-psycotic musing of a pre dent, but did you guys receive replies to the thank you notes from your interviewer?

I interviewed at Baylor a few days ago, dropped all of my interviewers thank you emails (emails are appropriate, right? they gave me a card...) but haven't heard a peep from any of them since.

Am I over-flippin? (well, obviously, but still, did anyone talk to their interviewer after the interview? Or is it policy to not talk to interviewees unless they have specific questions?)

 

[Bereno]

Dude... (or dudette) They have tons of people to interview along with their daily activities to tend to. Don't worry. They most likely read them and then deleted it. (This is, they deleted the email after they decided to accept you of course!)

Dont fret.

Goodluck! 👍

 

[Philippines03j]

I never received a response to my thank you notes. I never really expected to either. It is a simple gesture showing that you are willing to put forth the effort.

Over flippin 😉

 

[FROGGBUSTER]

Are thank you emails just as appropriate as sending thank you's thru snail mail?

 

[UCF FINatic]

Are thank you emails just as appropriate as sending thank you's thru snail mail?

No, a hand-written letter shows that you took time out of your day to get a card or stationary, write them a letter, and then mail it to them. I actually bought some stationary with my name on it as well business cards with the same theme. This way I can put a business card in with my thank you notes.

 

[Philippines03j]

Agreed

Handwritten is better. 👍

 

[LetsGo2DSchool]

I don't know if this is the same way with dental schools but it reminds me of my two buddies who work in the business world. Both guys had a ton of interviews for their first job and they both initially sent thank you emails or cards in the mail to each of their interviewers.

However, after sending about a dozen thank you's each, neither one received a second round interview or job offer. So they both said screw this and stopped with their thank you's for their subsequent interviews. Then they started getting all these second round interviews and job offers. So go figure.

We concluded a couple of possibilities. One was that a thank you is construed as obvious ass licking so it could only do harm than good. Another was that the interviewers already knew if they were going to hire someone or not at the conclusion of the interview and thus, a thank you is not going to change anyone's mind.

So perhaps dental school interviewers think the same way? Thus, I decided I am not writing any lame thank you's, period. I highly doubt a school is waiting for a thank you note to help determine your outcome.

 

[jackalo34]

I don't know if this is the same way with dental schools but it reminds me of my two buddies who work in the business world. Both guys had a ton of interviews for their first job and they both initially sent thank you emails or cards in the mail to each of their interviewers.

However, after sending about a dozen thank you's each, neither one received a second round interview or job offer. So they both said screw this and stopped with their thank you's for their subsequent interviews. Then they started getting all these second round interviews and job offers. So go figure.

We concluded a couple of possibilities. One was that a thank you is construed as obvious ass licking so it could only do harm than good. Another was that the interviewers already knew if they were going to hire someone or not at the conclusion of the interview and thus, a thank you is not going to change anyone's mind.

So perhaps dental school interviewers think the same way? Thus, I decided I am not writing any lame thank you's, period. I highly doubt a school is waiting for a thank you note to help determine your outcome.

Haha I love your attitude 👍

 

[CedarZ4]

Haha I love your attitude 👍

I can't tell... Sarcasm?

With that said, I think he is on to something. Your two friends might be a severe case where the stopping of sending thank you letters immediately got them second interviews. However, it is true. They know you are ass-kissing. They interview how many students per YEAR. It's not something that will go lose sleep over thinking about and accept you the next morning because of the card.

With that said, it is a polite to say thank you, so it is a flip of the of the coin here. But he's right. You won't get accepted because of the card. You can get accepted without the card. And most importantly, you already made an impression (wether positive or negative) and if the latter, a thank you card isn't going to change anything.

Just my .02

 

[LetsGo2DSchool]

I can't tell... Sarcasm?

With that said, I think he is on to something. Your two friends might be a severe case where the stopping of sending thank you letters immediately got them second interviews. However, it is true. They know you are ass-kissing. They interview how many students per YEAR. It's not something that will go lose sleep over thinking about and accept you the next morning because of the card.

With that said, it is a polite to say thank you, so it is a flip of the of the coin here. But he's right. You won't get accepted because of the card. You can get accepted without the card. And most importantly, you already made an impression (wether positive or negative) and if the latter, a thank you card isn't going to change anything.

Just my .02

Here's my 4 cents and another way to view it.

Two scenarios:

1. If you don't send a thank you email/card, then no harm is done. Like you stated, they interview hundreds of students and most don't send thank you's. Thus, they don't expect it and won't think you're ungrateful for not sending one.

2. If you send a thank you email/card, then the interviewer can either think you're a prime ass kisser, or you're thoughtful but with suspicions that you're willing to bend over. Either way you're [laid] and it's too risky.

Fact of the matter is immediately after the interview, the interviewer will write his/her comments about you before interviewing the next schmo. Thus, your fate is already set in stone.

 

[CedarZ4]

Fact of the matter is immediately after the interview, the interviewer will write his/her comments about you before interviewing the next schmo. Thus, your fate is already set in stone.

This.

Like I have mentioned before, damage has already been done (hopefully not but...) or miracles have already been made. The first impression is done and over with, and sending a card isn't going to change anything.

I think the most important part is, after the interview, say thank you, big genuine smile, and a firm (but not too hard!) handshake.

 

[jackalo34]

I can't tell... Sarcasm?

Nope no sarcasm i was being serious.

 

[dantemac]

I'd just like to point out that all my acceptances this cycle I did send thank you cards to, except NYU. So, they definitely can't hurt. And no one responded to my thanks.

 

[AKGopher]

I'd just like to point out that all my acceptances this cycle I did send thank you cards to, except NYU. So, they definitely can't hurt. And no one responded to my thanks.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum...I was accepted everywhere I interviewed and didn't send out one thank you note. Just for perspective.

 

[Golfguy]

I'm on the other end of the spectrum...I was accepted everywhere I interviewed and didn't send out one thank you note. Just for perspective.

Same here, exactly. 👍

 

[grb2sos]

I sent out thank you notes, but they were pretty simply and basically said thank you for taking the time out of your day to consider my application. In all actuality, it probably doesn't matter one bit. I doubt it gives you any sort of advantage, especially because after 200 interviewers you're really just a name and some stats. I really don't see how it could hurt though.

I would be interested to know if anyone had an opinion on a letter of intent? For those of you not clued in, a letter of intent is basically contacting the dean or adcomm and saying that if they accept you, you will 100% go to that school. Just curious if anyone has done this.

 

[grb2sos]

Also, I didn't get any responses to the hand written thank you letters I sent out. OP, you don't need to be concerned if they don't respond. I would have been shocked if any of the individuals I interviewed with replied.

 

[AKGopher]

I sent out thank you notes, but they were pretty simply and basically said thank you for taking the time out of your day to consider my application. In all actuality, it probably doesn't matter one bit. I doubt it gives you any sort of advantage, especially because after 200 interviewers you're really just a name and some stats. I really don't see how it could hurt though.

I would be interested to know if anyone had an opinion on a letter of intent? For those of you not clued in, a letter of intent is basically contacting the dean or adcomm and saying that if they accept you, you will 100% go to that school. Just curious if anyone has done this.

I feel like a letter of intent would seem more like sucking-up than a thank you letter. If you know you are going to go there, tell them that in your interview. It will seem more sincere.

 

[GenieG]

I would say write them. In fact, a professor at a dental school I interviewed at spoke with me for ~30 minutes afterwards while I was waiting for a ride and said that i definitely should write a thank you.

the ones that were handwritten i didn't receive responses from, the emails i got many responses.

 

[DMDomer12]

I also send hand-written thank you notes to each of my interviewers, and I have yet to be rejected from a school. I also never received any reply after sending a note, so I am assuming that they do just get a ton of letters and don't really feel the need to respond to each one. Actually, at Tufts, my letter was returned to sender (me, obviously), and I still got accepted! I think it's like we've heard before, letters are a nice polite gesture, but they've already decided whether or not to accept you when they shake your hand at the end of the interview.