Thank you notes, better late than never?

[SWRM]

Okay, it's been ten days since my visit and I've just found out that I was supoosed to send thank you notes! :evil:

I have been in touch with the PhD coordinator after the visit to ask some questions etc and have thrown in a couple of thank yous but nothing formal.

Should I send thank you emails to other professors that I've met during the visit or would it look bad (insincere) to send a late email? I mean they might think 'If you are really grateful, why did it take you so long?' :? Am I being paranoid? I need you wisdom GCers!!

[stigMPA]

Okay, it's been ten days since my visit and I've just found out that I was supoosed to send thank you notes! :evil:

I have been in touch with the PhD coordinator after the visit to ask some questions etc and have thrown in a couple of thank yous but nothing formal.

Should I send thank you emails to other professors that I've met during the visit or would it look bad (insincere) to send a late email? I mean they might think 'If you are really grateful, why did it take you so long?' :? Am I being paranoid? I need you wisdom GCers!!

Do it immediately - it's not too late.

They know you are probably very busy, so unless it is super late I can't imagine anyone would notice or care.

[burntcheezits]

I just saw this post and am very thankful I did. I haven't been on a visit yet - I'm going this week, but I had no idea you were supposed to send thank you notes. Who do you usually send them to? I'm staying with a grad student so I assume they get one, and the professor I've been communicating with about the visit, but are you supposed to send one to everyone significant that you meet?

[stigMPA]

I just saw this post and am very thankful I did. I haven't been on a visit yet - I'm going this week, but I had no idea you were supposed to send thank you notes. Who do you usually send them to? I'm staying with a grad student so I assume they get one, and the professor I've been communicating with about the visit, but are you supposed to send one to everyone significant that you meet?

I sent letters to the two or three faculty members I was interviewed by or spoke with primarily. Also, anyone else who took particular interest in answering my questions, etc. Some do more, some do less.

[SWRM]

Okay, I am doing it right away. Thanks a lot!

[fuzzylogician]

Thank you for posting this. It's been ten days\two weeks since I visited my last two schools, but I hadn't gotten around to writing thank-you notes. I'll do them right now...let's hope they'll be accepted well.

[studdent]

I think "thank you note" is a nice gesture, but I am wondering if it is analogous to:

1. sending email prior to submitting application to show interest (when it is obviously stated on the sop or somewhere in the application; exception: if the guidelines explicitly say not to)

2. sending email to show continuing interest before admission decisions are made

I believe these extra steps could be beneficial and have yielded positive results according to a few grad students that I talked to; however, I've heard from the adcom, grad div officer, and faculty that these steps are not always necessary as the adcom will read the sop and conduct interview. Plus, the typical faculty is very busy and giving them extra load may make them unhappy.

What do you guys think on all 3 cases?

Specifically for the "thank you note" example, I feel that it is not necessary (wouldn't hurt much to do it anyway) as long as you contacted them as soon you decided to take/decline the offer and especially, if you already said thank you in person during the interview =). I know most people in science dislike redundancy.

[misterpat]

I think "thank you note" is a nice gesture, but I am wondering if it is analogous to:

1. sending email prior to submitting application to show interest (when it is obviously stated on the sop or somewhere in the application; exception: if the guidelines explicitly say not to)

2. sending email to show continuing interest before admission decisions are made

I believe these extra steps could be beneficial and have yielded positive results according to a few grad students that I talked to; however, I've heard from the adcom, grad div officer, and faculty that these steps are not always necessary as the adcom will read the sop and conduct interview. Plus, the typical faculty is very busy and giving them extra load may make them unhappy.

What do you guys think on all 3 cases?

Specifically for the "thank you note" example, I feel that it is not necessary (wouldn't hurt much to do it anyway) as long as you contacted them as soon you decided to take/decline the offer and especially, if you already said thank you in person during the interview =). I know most people in science dislike redundancy.

I think #2 is tacky, and not very similar to sending a thank you card.

People in science may dislike redundancy, but I think it's better to risk sending an un-needed thank you card than to silently protest all the over-thanking of polite society by not sending one. Remember the Seinfeld episode when Jerry refused to call the guy who gave him hockey tickets the day after, because he had, in his opinion, thanked him enough times already beforehand? And what happened to him? He ended up having to paint his chest with Puddy in order to attend the next game.

Send a thank you card. Especially if they paid to bring you out there.

[weeble]

Is it better to send thank you cards or thank you emails? I was going to send a card and small gift to the students who arranged the whole visit and hosted me, and then send thank you emails to the faculty that I met with. What do you all think?

[Aceflyer]

Is it better to send thank you cards or thank you emails? I was going to send a card and small gift to the students who arranged the whole visit and hosted me, and then send thank you emails to the faculty that I met with. What do you all think?

I think a thank-you email is fine. I don't think mailing a gift is really necessary.