To contact, or not to contact?

[Sheepi]

I recently heard from a POI at a program that is high on my priority list. The POI wanted to know about my research, etc., and at the end of the interview, he basically said "We'll see what happens." After the interview, I honestly felt the same way that I did before I was contacted (no idea of whether I would be accepted or not). That was maybe a week ago. I was wondering if it would be a good/bad idea to contact him and reiterate my interest in the program, or if I should just wait now to see if I am accepted or not. I don't want to be annoying, but I don't want to let this opportunity go if an e-mail will push some favor in my direction.

If you are in the "yes, e-mail him" camp, what do you think I should say? I don't want to sound desperate.

[Strangefox]

When you were talking, did the professor mention when approximately you may hear from the program? If they didn't, you can reiterate your interest and ask when you can expect to hear news.

[Bonkers]

Nope. No need to reiterate your interest in the program. I am sure that came across in the first interview and your application. All there is to do now is to wait.

[Sheepi]

He didn't say when decisions would go out, but I think that maybe the adcomm isn't done going through apps yet. I think he just liked my background.

@Bonkers: I think I agree with you.. I just wanted to make sure. I didn't know if further contact would be expected from me or not.

[awvish]

OP--I don't think it'd be out of place to contact the POI, but it would probably help if you had some sort of plausible follow-up question so that you could avoid seeming desperate (I contacted someone like that today because I'd expected to hear from him last Thursday, and it had pretty positive results). A lot of times interviewers say something like "Please contact me if you have any other questions..." So if there's a good question or two you could ask, you could stick those in an e-mail and then casually tack on at the end something like "Also, I realize you may not be able to share any information on this, but do you have any idea when I can start expecting to hear back from the admissions committee?". Adding that you're excited about the program couldn't hurt.

Good luck!

[Strangefox]

He didn't say when decisions would go out, but I think that maybe the adcomm isn't done going through apps yet. I think he just liked my background.

@Bonkers: I think I agree with you.. I just wanted to make sure. I didn't know if further contact would be expected from me or not.

By the way, did you send the professor a thank-you email after the interview?

[Sheepi]

I thanked him on the phone.. I guess I could send him a thank you email, too.. I just don't want to be a nuisance. Maybe that would be a good way to contact him.

[Strangefox]

I thanked him on the phone.. I guess I could send him a thank you email, too.. I just don't want to be a nuisance. Maybe that would be a good way to contact him.

Actually, it's fine and even expected to send a thank-you note after an interview, even if you thanked a professor during the conversation. You can look into the "Interviews" board, there are some threads about that.

[Vacuum]

You could always just write a quick email to say how much you enjoyed talking with him and having the opportunity to do so (because you did, right? ). And then you could just re-iterate your interest quickly while thanking him.

'I really appreciate the opportunity I had to talk with you about x, y, z. I am very interested in the program being offered in X-University and talking with you further blah blah blah"

you get the idea! but keep it short!

[YA_RLY]

The thank advice is really good! I completely forgot to thank my POI after the interview. About a week later, my dad asked me if I ever emailed Dr. Advisor to say thank you. At first I didn't want to; I felt embarrassed that maybe too much time had gone by, and that my POI would just take it as me reaching for info.

Best advice ever. My POI said that it was good talking with me and, said they expected to have news out within the next few days. About a week later, I received my acceptance via email.

I'm not saying that my "thank you" made all the difference, but it was certainly a good and useful thing to do. And as my dad says, "It's never a bad time to say thank you."