Agree that you can send a short email/letter expressing your gratitude––ESPECIALLY if you formed a bond in some way with the school, be it a professor, coach, etc. However, remember: these schools don’t send handwritten letters or personal emails when they reject the vast majority of their applicants, so is it really necessary to go the extra mile for them?
@golfcashoahu I agree. In my D’s case, neither school ever contacted her personally. She wasn’t interviewed and never talked to anyone in admissions. She would need to go to the website to find a name to send an email to. It just seems silly, not polite.
Thank you all for your thoughtful responses.
I ticked the appropriate boxes yesterday and am writing my e-mails today.
In all cases, I had no personal connection with the schools. However, each one offered a generous merit scholarship and in some cases honors or other university specific programs.