What should I say?
Yes
As you might already know, the Internet is an awesome place. So if you had just googled about “college interview thank you note”, you would probably find something like this http://www.collegebasics.com/applying-to-college/interviewing/59-following-up-after-the-college-interview.html right as your first search result. All hail Google.
you’re overthinking this.
"Thank you for meeting with me and discussing College X. I found our discussion of X and Z to be very enjoyable.
Signed, Question10101"
And it’ll be deleted in 2 seconds after it’s opened anyway.
I don’t think my daughter has thanked any alum interviewers. She obviously thanked them at the conclusion of the interview. Is this a problem? If so, I won’t tell her.
Not a problem at all @Lindagaf . I really don’t think anything your daughter sends after the interview can possibly change the interviewer’s opinion about her. If she feels like sending a thank you note (for anxiety, fulfillment or any other random purpose), let her send, but I wouldn’t consider it mandatory or anything like that. It’s just good manners, but so few people send them that not sending one is not a problem in any way.
Thanks! She has an interview tonight with a Brown alum. Will he be expecting one?
If you want to stand out: Hand-written Thank You note mailed no later than 48 hours after the interview. Doesn’t have to be more than two sentences. Friend who interviews for an Ivy said these are rare but always leaves a good impression. Good life lesson.
Interestingly, she has never had a street address for a single alum interviewer. For one of her interviews, she never even knew the name. The college simply emailed her, saying meet your interviewer at x time, at x place. She didn’t even have a way to contact should she have been delayed. Oh well, I will let her know that it is nice to email after the interview. Thanks!
Maybe the interviewers are all products of a different generation, but personally I’d find a handwritten thank you note over the top. Knowing 95% of kids send letters by snail mail about as often as they visit a gerontologist, it isn’t hard to see it for what it is: an attempt to curry favor.
Just a short, simple note saying that you for their time, that you enjoyed meeting him/her and learning more about XYZ college.
Try to mention specific information you learned during interview.
The days of the school giving address information to both the student and the alumnus are over. I never get their addresses and they certainly aren’t given mine. Privacy issues, I’m sure
I think it is a courtesy to acknowledge a volunteer who took time to talk to you. Both my kids sent email thank yous. This is a good life lesson. And should be continued when applying for jobs.
Definitely send a Thank You email to your interviewer within 24 hours after the interview, include a few key points of discussions or about yourself, which would helped the interviewer to write the report as well.
For each interview, the interviewer needs to first take time to conduct email invite and correspondences with each applicant to arrange a time and place to meet, take time from their busy schedule either after work or on the weekends to travel and conduct the interview, then write up the comments afterwards and submit it to the college. Each interview could potentially consume 2 to 4+ hours of the interviewer’s time. Multiply that by 10, 20 or more applicants during the winter months, it is a big chunk of time invested by these volunteers. I know because my husband is an Ivy alum interviewer.
Therefore, I would asked my son and daughter to extend the same courtesy to their interviewers, abiding the “sundown rule”, which means to write a short thank you email before the end of that day. The sooner you say thank you for their time, the shorter it can be, since there is no need to come up with any excuses for the delay.
Likewise, don’t forget to thank your teachers/recommenders and the interviewers if you get accepted that college. It is good manner and very much appreciated. For some colleges, the interviewers can tell from the database if his/her interviewees were accepted. It is much nicer if the applicant sends the thank you email first to share this exciting news before the interviewer sends the congratulatory note.
I was very proud when my daughter got accepted to her ED dream school, but I was even more impressed when she sent a personal email to all five of her recommenders, and to that particular college’s interviewer, all before midnight on that decision day.
Yes, if you are given an email absolutely send a Thank you. As others have said, a general thank you and also I enjoyed talking about football at Random College or whatever. Shows you were paying attention and he may recall who you are based on the conversation hints.
Absolutely crucial for jobs. Many centuries ago I applied for a job, met the boss, sent a snail ty and when I went back to get the offer guess what was sitting on his otherwise empty desk?