Follow up after interview

[olayak]

HI,

I just had an interview yesterday, for my number one choice school.  I was so nervous I think it went badly.  I know some people send a follow up email thanking the interviewer.  Should I do this?  Is it ok to restate my reason why I want to attend this program?  (That's one of the questions that I messed up.)  Also, I told her I had three main interests (pediatric mental health, grief/loss, human-animal bond).  Should I say that I am primarily interested in one of them?

Thanks

Edited January 31, 2017 by olayak

[2017]

I was in the same situation last week. I emailed the interviewer with clarification for one of my answers and she never replied to me, so I'm not sure if it was inappropriate or not. I'm guessing it probably depends on the interviewer. You might want to write clarifying why you want to attend and not about your interests so it doesn't seem that you are trying re-do the whole interview. Draft it so that it comes across as thoughtful and reflective and not panicky. 

[AP]

You can write a thank you e-mail and reiterate your interest in the program (something like: "Based on our conversation, my interest in your program is renewed" you know, better written). I wouldn't write to clarify anything. That's childish. Stick to your answers, even if you've messed up. The interview is done. The only time when I would do something like clarifying an answer is in person, casually. I have done that plenty of times after my seminars. In the end, my advisors pushed me to be more precise in the seminars so that I didn't have to rely on our coffee breaks to say what I meant. 

Agh, sorry about the awful writing here, I am saving my eloquence as I am writing a chapter. All the best!!!!!!! I'm sure you were fine!!!!