What now? After interviews, before ranks

[toastytoes]

Hey,
So mostly done with interviews, thank you cards sent, and getting ready to submit this rank list and find out already. What have people heard about communicating with your top choices prior to ranking? Is it standard to email your top choice and tell them they’re your number one? Top three to remind them how much you enjoyed the interview day? Does it matter?
Would love to hear advice you’ve heard from your schools/programs..
Thanks!

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[GoSpursGo]

It doesn't matter. You can send love letters to your top choices if you feel so inclined, but it's really just for your own peace of mind that you "did everything possible" than because it will actually influence a rank list.

aProgDirector famously responds to questions like this by saying these "love letters" annoy him and he imagines that everyone sends them to all of the places they interviewed.

 

[rokshana]

Hey,
So mostly done with interviews, thank you cards sent, and getting ready to submit this rank list and find out already. What have people heard about communicating with your top choices prior to ranking? Is it standard to email your top choice and tell them they’re your number one? Top three to remind them how much you enjoyed the interview day? Does it matter?
Would love to hear advice you’ve heard from your schools/programs..
Thanks!

They discourage post interview communications but of course that doesn’t stop people from doing it.
Do whatever makes you feel better...it doesn’t influence the programs in any way.

 

[gutonc]

Hey,
So mostly done with interviews, thank you cards sent, and getting ready to submit this rank list and find out already. What have people heard about communicating with your top choices prior to ranking? Is it standard to email your top choice and tell them they’re your number one? Top three to remind them how much you enjoyed the interview day? Does it matter?
Would love to hear advice you’ve heard from your schools/programs..
Thanks!

Just drink*. From now until Match Day. Nothing else you do will affect your match result, so you might as well enjoy yourself.

*You can also go for a hike, run, bike ride, ski, snowshoe, snowboard, WOD, shag, whatever makes you happy. Do that.

 

[studentofsdn]

This goes against some of the above advice, but I think you should go ahead and send the #1 love letter. One interview I had (at a big, well known program) an APD specifically told me at the end of the interview "if after all your interviews you decide you really want to come here, let us know that you'll rank us #1 and we will take it into account." But at many of my other interviews, the have indeed said to not worry about sending any post-interview communications, so I assume those programs truly don't care.

I really hate how this whole process messes with your head because of **** like this. I think the best overall advice is that every program is different, so just do what your gut tells you since no one but someone with insider info at a particular program can tell you if it matters. Plus, if you think about it, you have nothing to lose by doing this.

 

[GoSpursGo]

This goes against some of the above advice, but I think you should go ahead and send the #1 love letter. One interview I had (at a big, well known program) an APD specifically told me at the end of the interview "if after all your interviews you decide you really want to come here, let us know that you'll rank us #1 and we will take it into account." But at many of my other interviews, the have indeed said to not worry about sending any post-interview communications, so I assume those programs truly don't care.

I really hate how this whole process messes with your head because of **** like this. I think the best overall advice is that every program is different, so just do what your gut tells you since no one but someone with insider info at a particular program can tell you if it matters. Plus, if you think about it, you have nothing to lose by doing this.

I guess if a specific program said to send them a love letter, then go for it.

This question gets asked year after year after year. And every year, those of us who have gone through the process say it doesn't matter while current students say, "Why not try, it can't hurt." Which is true, so fine--knock yourself out if it makes you feel better.