Thank You Notes

It should be short and soon after your interview. My wife suggested that I bring the notes and postage along so that I write em and mail em that day, which might have prevented my ... misplacing the names of my interviewers (thanks again for the names, by the way), since it would be fresh in the mind.

It should be something like this:

Dear [title, name of interviewer],

Thank you for the taking the time to interview me [whatever date it was - the day of the week if you can send them off in the same week you were interviewed]. I enjoyed the interview and appreciated the opportunity to ask questions and see the school.

[At this time, you could perhaps insert a quick anecdote or memory of the interview to jog the memory of the interviewer - like] I didn't know that possums were marsupials, they must be an interesting research subject!

Thank you notes are a great idea because they provide a quick memory jog to the interviewers, and besides, it's just plain good manners!

- Tae

 

I also had a q about thank-you notes-where are you suppose to address them to?? Are you suppose to just put the address of the admissions department with their names on it? Any help would be appreciated!

 

Mail them to the admission office.

Helpful hint: try to add something in your letter that will help the interviewer to remember you. Maybe refer to a question that you thought was interesting or somethign like that.

Good luck.

 

I actually asked a prof that does interviews at DMU about thank you notes. He rolled his eyes and said he was not a big fan of them. He said they make no difference on whether or not you get in. They make their decision on whether you get in or not 3 seconds after you leave the room. By the time they receive the thank you they have done a bunch more interviews and have forgotten all about you. There is no way they are going to call up admisions after they get the note and change a rejection to an acceptance.

 

That's probably true. But the reason most people send thank you notes is because it's proper courtesy to do so. If it makes no difference in the chances for admission, fine.

- Tae

 

Wish, could you elaborate on the 'letter of intent'? Just interviewed at AZCOM a week ago, and was told that the decision turn-around time is 3-4 weeks. Now, since their turnaround time is so short, would it be prudent for me to send a 'letter of intent' now?

Just what does a letter of intent say? Is it "this letter is to inform you of my continuing interest in the school" or is it more of an early-decision type thing but in the normal application cycle. What I mean by that is, is the letter of intent written during the normal application cycle to a school to signify that if accepted, one intends on attending *that* school?

Get back to studying ... after you answer my question. Thanks!

- Tae