Below are some common questions students have when writing thank you cards:
When should I send the thank you note?
The thank you note should be sent either the day of the interview or the following day. This ensure that your thank you note will arrive when your interview is more likely to be fresh in your interviewer’s mind.
How do I address the interviewer?
Be sure to address the interviewer properly. Look at the interviewers’ names on their business cards or look them up on the college’s website. If the interviewer has a doctorial-degree suffix at the end of their name, address them as Dr. followed by their last name (common suffixes for admissions interviewers Ph.D., D.Ed., and Ed.D). Otherwise, address men as Mr. followed by their last name and women as Ms. followed by their last name unless you know they prefer Mrs. or Miss. If uncertain, always address a woman as Ms.
What should I included in the note?
- Tell the interviewers that you appreciate them taking the time to meet with you.
- Demonstrate your enthusiasm about your education and your interest in their college.
- Reference something from the interview to help the interviewer remember you and to make it obvious that it is not a generic note you have sent to all of your other interviewers.
An example of an admissions interview thank you note:
Dear Ms. Smith,
Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. I enjoyed hearing your perspective about the English program at _________ University. It was also interesting to discover that we shared a love for Jane Austin novels.
Sincerely,
Jordan J. Student
Do I send a card or an email?
The note can be a note card or email message. Some students will send an email message and then also follow up with a thank you card. Whatever format you choose, the thank you message should be written professionally.
Email Message:
If you send an email message, be sure to send it from a college-ready email address. A college-ready email address has a professional sounding email username. It usually contains your name. Some examples of college-ready email usernames are jane.doe and jdoe.
Card:
If you send a note card, select a professional looking card:
- Select a plain note card with no words written inside.
- The outside should either be plain or simply have the words “Thank you” on it.
An alternative is to select professional cards with the college’s logo on it (These can usually be found in the campus store.)
- The card should either be a neutral color (such as gray, white, off-white, or brown) or be the colleges’ colors.
Following an admissions interview, it is important to thank the interviewer in writing. This demonstrates your appreciation for the interviewer’s time and helps the interviewer remember your interview. Before sending the note, have someone else review it to ensure it is professionally written. Professionally written means that it contains complete sentences, proper capitalization, and conventional spelling. The thank you note may seem like a small thing, but it makes a big impression.
