Interview thank you notes

edujunky · 11-12-2012, 03:55 PM

I was thinking about putting a gift card or something in along with my highschool interview thank you notes. Will they take it the wrong way? Such as thinking I am trying to bribe them or something of the sorts. And not just like I am trying to be nice and give a good impression.

girlgeekmom · 11-12-2012, 04:11 PM

I would NOT recommend sending a gift card. I don't know about AO's or tour guides, but if I received a gift card after I had interviewed or toured a candidate, I would most certainly take it as an attempt to bribe or ingratiate, and I would NOT be happy about it.

If you are "just trying to be nice and give a good impression," then a prompt, well-thought out thank-you note that shows you paid attention during the interview is what's in order.

SevenDad · 11-12-2012, 04:34 PM

There are a few cases in which I could see sending something along with the thank you card...for example, if student referenced a book and had good discussion with the AO about it...you MIGHT send a copy.

edujunky · 11-12-2012, 04:36 PM

Ok thanks good to know

girlgeekmom · 11-12-2012, 04:37 PM

Indeed. But I don't get the impression that the OP was talking about such a situation. Certainly, such as you describe would show follow-through.

And back to the OP, a conversation with mom/dad/guardian about such a thing would be a good idea. As long as they don't advocate sending gift cards or checks to AOs ;-)

SharingGift · 11-12-2012, 05:00 PM

If I were an AO, I'd be a bit annoyed to receive anything of material values from a candidate, especially before decision is made.

A different, but related question of mine is, should my D send an email or a regular mail as a thank-you note? I did see some thank-you notes arrive in admission offices while we were visiting but there were not many and it seems going against time, especially for a 13-year old. After all, AOs were writing their email on pieces of paper and gave them to her.

Any thoughts?

SevenDad · 11-12-2012, 05:09 PM

I'm pro paper and pen notes at our house...seems more formal/elegant.

girlgeekmom · 11-12-2012, 05:12 PM

Our dd sent all email thank you notes. In fact, almost every tour guide gave her their email address (and some went so far as to provide school business cards with a space where their addy was filled-in), which they provided "in case she had any questions," and which she of course used to send TY's.

She also sent TY's to AO's and sometimes received emailed replies. I wouldn't say replies are necessarily the norm, but she did receive several.

HTH

SevenDad · 11-12-2012, 05:23 PM

I think the idea is "some form of thank you", paper or electronic is a good thing.

girlgeekmom · 11-12-2012, 05:27 PM

And, more importantly that paper or electronic is TIMELY. Do not wait days or a week to send thank-you notes. Get them out within a day or so of your visit. Especially if you are mailing them.

SharingGift · 11-13-2012, 10:42 AM

@7Dad, girlgeekmom: thanks a lot for your suggestions. We changed our mind and let our DD send emails last night. She got a reply from one of the AOs within an hour! I guess receiving a card, a physical stuff that you can hold and appreciate, is nice, but emailing provides a low threshold for immediate reply and starting future communications. I mean, composing/replying to an email existing in inbox is much easier to start than to locate and type in new email address.

ops · 11-13-2012, 11:38 AM

I realize I'm chiming in after the fact but I would think that a hand written Thank You note sent within 48 hours would be the proper protocol versus an email. The note gets saved in the student's file and noticed when passed around during the admission process. I don't think that can be done with an email unless printed out. Maybe I'm too old school.

SharingGift · 11-13-2012, 12:29 PM

Hand-written or email, I guess it's a matter of personal preference. But it's hard to believe thank-you notes be part of application materials. If they are, AOs should print out and file the email with other stuffs.

ops · 11-13-2012, 01:48 PM

I receive my share of Thank You notes. The hand written ones go into a binder, the emails usually get deleted, I guess I could've, should've, would've printed them out, the few that there were. I'll be blunt, the majority of notes are from job applicants and many of the hand written letters do impress me. But you're right, the notes are not part of the application materials but sometimes it is the little things that go far.

girlgeekmom · 11-13-2012, 08:33 PM

In my personal life, and our dd's, we ONLY send hand-written thank-you's and we always enjoy receiving them. In my work, I send and receive thank you's that are handwritten, or typed and printed on business letterhead, or emailed, depending on the reason that occasioned the thank-you in the first place.

But when someone at a boarding school (especially tour guides) hands you a card with their email address hand-filled, "in case you have questions" (wink-wink), the expectation truly seems to be that email is, if not expected, then certainly more than simply "acceptable." While it WAS more common for tour guides to do it, we experienced this with BOTH tour guides and AOs.

I am pretty sure our dd would have been accepted to the same roster of schools if she had sent paper thank-you's. Again, I believe IN THIS SITUATION, it is the timely follow-through that is important, not the method in our increasingly electronic world.