<p>Mythmom wrote: “However, those who are taught how to have the appropriate pubic face at all times are at an advantage.”</p>
<p>jrpar replied: “Typos in emails and on websites can sometimes be unfortunate too.”</p>
<p>I say: indeed!</p>
<p>I do think there is a valuable message in this thread. Even though the vast majority of CC members replying indicate that they see nothing wrong with the student’s correspondence, the fact that the discussion is taking place does indicate that people will react differently to the same information.</p>
<p>When starting to correspond with an interviewer, the student won’t know if the interviewer is a recent grad emailing from her Blackberry or a stuffy septuagenarian attorney who is having his assistant print out the emails for him to read on paper. It’s always appropriate to initiate communication in a formal and polite manner - informality can increase as the correspondent’s style becomes evident. And sometimes older, accomplished adults expect a level of deference from a high-school age kid, whether or not such deference is actually warranted. Others may have a far more informal style and be happy to converse as equals.</p>
<p>In short, you never know how people are going to take what you say, particularly when you have never met them, so it pays to take pains to be courteous and accommodating.</p>
<p>Having said that, I wouldn’t sweat the whole thing too much. Interviews are rarely a huge element in the admissions process. CC is full of accounts of interviewers who saw kids they hated (and said so!) get admitted, and who wrote glowing reports on others who ended up as rejects.</p>
<p>Implies you think you are some kind of hot stuff, going to a “prestigious” school. And that you are on a power trip on getting to do the interview.</p>
<p>Get over yourself. You’re over reacting. Appalling is much too strong of a word.</p>
<p>As far as I’m concerned you handled everything wrong, and no fault goes to the kid. Why are you bullying this kid?</p>
<p>If I am sounding too “appalling” please forgive me. You’re whole post rubbed me the wrong way. I wrote two drafts to this, the first was far too heated.</p>
<p>Dunnin, I didn’t think anyone was going to get my post :)</p>
<p>the last time I remember someone making that mistake was my CS teacher at the local community college, who omitted the “l” when declaring a class public. Needless to say, most of the middle/high schoolers taking that summer class giggled. </p>
<p>The teacher didn’t catch on.</p>
<p>Oh my, is my face red, my public face that is.</p>
<p>My MIT interview email exchanges (my only interview…ever):</p>
<p>Hello Dr. LAST,</p>
<p>My name is Kevin LAST and I am applying for admission to MIT. You were
listed as my EC. When would be a good time and place for you to interview
me?</p>
<p>Thank you for your time,</p>
<p>Kevin LAST</p>
<hr>
<p>Hi Kevin,</p>
<p>What’s your number? I’ll give you a call so we can set up a time and place.</p>
<p>(no salutation)</p>
<hr>
<p>Sent him my #…he called, we set up a time and place. He gave me his #…which I didn’t need to use.</p>
<hr>
<p>hey kevin,</p>
<p>just confirming that we’re on for the interview tomorrow at 7 at
BOOKSTORE. i am about 5’8", asian guy. i’ll be in the coffee area.
see you there</p>
<p>-(abbreviated first name)</p>
<hr>
<p>yup, I’ll see you there tonight</p>
<p>-kevin (hope it didn’t seem like I was copying his last email)</p>
<hr>
<p>OMGZ!!! We dropped the formalities after the first couple emails. GASP! Then again, MIT is way cooler. 
</p>
<p>Actually, I think this has to do with the age of the interviewer…He was in his late 20s, while the OP seems…older. I don’t think you have to be so formal in email. As someone said, it’s not a business letter.</p>
<p>I also didn’t send a thank you email/card. Oops.</p>
<p>
Yes. I meet with applicants to my alma mater. Most of the students are very courteous. I overlook their sometimes informal style of e-mail responses. </p>
<p>I usually send them some additional information after the meeting, usually in response to a question they had at the meeting that I couldn’t answer. It’s surprising to me how many don’t e-mail back a thank you. Of course this doesn’t affect the report I write about the meeting, but I do think it speaks to a basic lack of manners in many of today’s young people. </p>
<p>What really rankled me last month, though, was when I called up an applicant to arrange a meeting and he told me that he was “really busy.” I felt like I was in the position of begging for a meeting for him. And I didn’t like that at all. He isn’t doing ME any favors by meeting with me, yet that clearly appeared to be his attitude. </p>
<p>Although I said I would contact him again after the middle of this month, I didn’t call him again. Instead, I sent him an e-mail. I haven’t heard back yet, and don’t expect to. </p>
<p>I am toying with the idea of describing his attitude in my contact report that I will fill out on him.</p>
<p>I just finished an interview. I am curious what my thank you email should look like. </p>
<p>Just like</p>
<p>Dear Ms. X,
Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to meet with me. I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Sincerely,
X </p>
<p>Or should I add more?</p>
<p>I really dont think there was anything wrong with the students emails. I think you read way too much into this annelise. I should hope u dont hold these emails against him…
And personally, i would not like to be interviewed by u =/</p>
<p>I am also curious to learn more about sending thank-you notes to alumni interviewers. My first interview was held in the home of the alumnus, and therefore, I sent her a thank you note.</p>
<p>However, many of my interviews schedule meetings with me over the phone or through e-mail. It is virtually impossible to send a thank-you note to an interviewer who schedule a meeting with you over the phone, providing the meeting does not occur at his/her house. However, should I send thank-you e-mails/online cards to those alumni who schedule their interviews through e-mail correspondence? I was afraid to do so, because I though that this might appear cheesy or pretentious…? Any thoughts? I’d be especially interested to learn of your opinion, Northstarmom, as you have much experience in the field of alumni interviews. Thank you!</p>
<p>are you going to respond originial poster?</p>
<p>^ I don’t think so. I think he/she is too busy filing out reports against the student and forwarding them to all the companies in the S&P500, FBI, CIA, USNWR top 50 universities, NYT, WSJ, and Freddie’s Pizza (in case the kid needs a part time job) to look out for rude non-salutation-email-senders.</p>
<p>Honestly, how would the OP respond anyway? Virtually everyone in this thread has bashed her (justified or no). I know I’d be embarrassed to even attempt to respond after getting such a reaction from everyone.</p>
<p>Don’t have time to read all the pages. However, email is an impersonal medium at best. Those who use email should not be too sensitive in this gray area of etiquette. Reading between the lines, my guess is the student had transportation issues (which is why he favored a school location). Meeting at a location such as a library or coffee shop might seem easy for an adult, but for a teen who doesn’t have a car, easy public transportation, etc. then it is not so easy. Also, don’t we warn teens about meeting people alone that they only know from online messages? The teenager can not necessarily know that the interviewer is authentic. The interviewer may have misconstrued these concerns as poor manners.</p>
<p>“However, should I send thank-you e-mails/online cards to those alumni who schedule their interviews through e-mail correspondence? I was afraid to do so, because I though that this might appear cheesy or pretentious…?”</p>
<p>If you don’t have person’s home or work address, you can always send them a handwritten thank-you c/o the alumni office or you can e-mail then a thank-you. However you send it, using your own words, not a bought card or e-mail card is best.</p>
<p>To my most intimate 3,700 friends and enemies in cyberland,</p>
<p>Sorry to have missed all the drama surrounding a comment I made in your “town square”.
I’m involved in the campaign, and have been in South Carolina and Florida where the delegate issues are even more pressing than your concerns here.</p>
<p>But, I’m REALLY glad my post hit the mark as it did.</p>
<p>Just for the record, and by doing so, give more information than I ever would—I am a busy busy person. </p>
<p>Believe it or not, I am even busier than your High School students.</p>
<p>I have (for almost 20 years) enjoyed meeting the kind of young people who apply to Brown. They like meeting me. Sometimes they even get internships and jobs because they have met me. And the ones I really get a good feeling about sometimes actually gain admission. To Brown, where some of the graduates go on to get “arrogant”. Or useful.</p>
<p>Minimum standards for life (and College Acceptances) include basic manners in address and attitude. And, if you haven’t taught them this stuff in the 17 years they’ve been under your roof, they certainly are not going to learn it when they are off on a campus. Trust me on this, also.</p>
<p>And if you have, somehow, picked up any manners at all along the way, dust ‘em off for about five minutes when someone contacts you about an interview. This is real life, people. We judge books by their jackets, we jump to conclusions, we make decisions on first impressions. </p>
<p>…And some people’s jobs preclude spending an hour in the middle of the day, trying to find a track star in a huge suburban high school…especially if they are doing it because they thought it would be a nice thing to do for strangers.</p>
<p>You will never see me here again, I promise.
Ms. A.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to forward this to the Brown admissions office. Any takers?</p>
<p>Goodbye.</p>
<p>But please come back soon. I would be happy to meet with you at your convenience any time in the next 2 weeks. We can meet at the library, at Starbucks, or anyplace you would feel comfortable.</p>
<p>
Absolutely true, and you are well within your rights to set the parameters of the encounter.</p>
<p>But you didn’t do that. You gave the student the impression that you were available “anytime” and “anyplace.” For all the student knew, you were retired and really did have a flexible schedule. And then you blame the student for trying to take you at your word.</p>
<p>It reminds me of dating:
“Where do you want to go for dinner?”
“I don’t care. Anywhere is fine.”
“How about Mexican?”
“No, I don’t feel like Mexican tonight.”
“OK. How about Indian?”
“No, it’s too far away.”
“Well, then, how about Chinese.”
“No, not tonight.”
“Well, where do you want to go.”
“I don’t care. Anyplace is fine.”</p>
<p>ARRRRGH!</p>