<p>My son sent a snail mail thank you to everyone he interviewed with unless all he had was e-mail info. I got him a box of beautiful cards with VT landscapes on them. A couple of admissions people wrote back thanking him for the beautiful cards. Just one more way of saying, "I'm from VT and I'm interested."</p>
<p>It takes less than five minutes to write a quick thank-you note, less for e-thanks. I explained to my daughter that a note would recognize the time a coach/alum interviewer/admissions rep took to meet with her - after all, wouldn't she appreciate someone writing her if the roles were reversed?</p>
<p>Basic good manners will become invaluable after college when the job search begins....</p>
<p>I'm happy with either email or snail mail, though I generally get snail mail. </p>
<p>I have occasionally been surprised by student interviewees slowness in getting back, but I generally have 2 weeks to complete the interviews and have never had problems. I think sometimes I get email addresses that they don't check all the time (e.g., "<a href="mailto:curlgurl1833@aol.com">curlgurl1833@aol.com</a>). My assistant emails and then calls.</p>
<p>I did get an impressive snail mail response from one kid who touched on many of the areas we discussed and specifically wove in key things that I said. The letter was in some ways more impressive than the conversation. I had given him a very high rating prior to receiving the letter. He was wait-listed at Princeton, where I interview, but got into Yale.</p>
<p>I'm a little surprised really, at the lack of manners of some students. Maybe it's upbringing? My D learned early, since 5 or so, to always write a little thank you note for birthday gifts etc.
She had a Harvard interview in the alumna's home. He was a rather formal man and the interview was intense. Difficult thought provoking questions, non stop. She came out pretty exhausted even. It didn't occur to her not to handwrite a thank you note, within 2 days. In fact, because he had admired some photography she'd brought along, to show another than her science side, she sent one of those cards which allows for a photograph to be inserted. She used one of her nature photos, and wrote some specifics on what they'd talked about, thanking him for his advice, as well as for his time.
I think a thankyou should always be sent, no excuse, and whether by email or mailed seems fine to me.</p>
<p>" wanted to bite my tongue when some of the students said they had been "too busy" to get back to me. "Yep," I wanted to say, "I'm a single mother who works fulltime outside the home and volunteers at least two hours per student (travel time + interview time + report writing time). I understand busy. "</p>
<p>I think you should have calmly told them exactly what you posted here. Students who make the kind of statements that you described think the world revolves around them -- that they are doing us a favor by agreeing to be interviewed.</p>
<p>I have seen some such students posting on CC complaining about what a bother it is to have to be interviewed so much. They do this as if the interviewers have empty lives.</p>
<p>That's why I think it's appropriate to calmly, courteously let the student know that you're a volunteer, who's busy, and who has to also spend time to write the interview report.</p>
<p>I bet that the students who get in with the sense of entitlement about interviews become alum who are "too busy" to interview even when they are retired. Come to think of it, I bet students who have that kind of attitude problem don't get accepted. At least, I have never seen such a student get accepted at my alma mater. I think that kind of attitude also goes along with doing activities for resume dressing only, and that's not what Harvard is seeking.</p>
<p>"After all, this is really just an alumni interview, I think people take it far too seriously!"</p>
<p>Depends on the school. At my alma mater, a bad alum interview can tip one out. An excellent alum interview can't -- as the head of admissions says -- raise the dead, but it can tip a very good applicant in.</p>