MBA Interview Thank You Note Etiquette?

Question

What is the proper etiquette for sending a thank you note after an MBA interview, which I had last Saturday?

I already sent a nice thank you email last Saturday to my interviewer. I received an acknowledgement from my interviewer and she said she's looking forward to an event held at her workplace by the nonprofit organization with which I work. I already bought a thank you greeting card. Is it wise to send this thank you greeting card over snail mail too? She already knows about my strong interest in the school, but does it hurt to send one via snail mail too?

I'm not that familiar with thank you note etiquette other than the fact you should send a thank you note within 48 hours.

sharmar · Answer

I sent my thank you note 5 days later and haven't heard back from either of my interviewers... I'm taking this as a bad sign... But I also believe that "Thank You" notes don't mean too much.... They don't really change my opinion of the interviewee.... if that makes any sense...

Personally I think that just an email should be sufficient...

Personally I think that just an email should be sufficient...

merkin · Answer

I think you've covered your bases. A thank you email (or card) following the interview is all that is warranted. It speaks well of you that she replied.

ariel · Answer

After speaking with a few MBA2-s, who are involved in the admissions process, the resounding opinion is that thank you notes don't really matter that much at all (most of them would even prefer to not get them). If someone has decided to say no, they'll say no regardless and vice versa. For instance, MBA2-s at Ross have no more than 48 hours to submit a written report online detailing how you did. If your interview falls on a Friday, they are likely to submit the report on the same day, further proof that your thank you note is not going to change your chances of gaining admission whatsoever. My point is that there are far too many variables to even try to game this. If you're dead set on sending a note, do it within 48 hours (preferably 24 hours), and if you don't - that's no big deal either.

To the original poster, I think snail mail will be an overkill. You've already said thank you and it has been acknowledged, put it to bed IMHO.

To the original poster, I think snail mail will be an overkill. You've already said thank you and it has been acknowledged, put it to bed IMHO.

futurestrategist · Answer

Makes sense. Thanks guys!

tihor · Answer

opinion...

i interviewed and followed up with a thank you email the next day....the adcom member replied, saying "do not hesitate to ask if you have any more questions", i did not reply to that eail saying "thanks" or anything....is that rude on my part?

ariel · Answer

I don't think it's rude, you're overthinking this.

coaks · Answer

I can't wait until I can find a nice school to settle down with, have a degree or two, and finally quit the application/interview game.

futurestrategist · Answer

Ha, people told me that even in MBA school, you will have to write even more applications and do more interviews to apply for specific programs within the MBA curriculum. So it's an endless cycle.... :twisted:

ariel · Answer

Hear, hear....this whole experience is so draining :/

marymary · Answer

I think snail mail can be retired for thank you notes...I know Emily Post might not see it that way but in the business world a well-written thank you email is not considered impolite or informal any longer.

vegetablevn · Answer

Hi,

I agreed with you. Any way, your ideal make me thinking about some thing for my project.

Apart from that, this link below may be useful:   Interview thank you letter   
Pls try to keep posting.Tks and best regards

StratusDonna · Answer

Emily Post aside.... I think there are some realities and practicalities to keep in mind regarding the B school interview and thank you note. First, most interviewers are submitting their reports within 24 hours of the interview- and if they are regularly not doing that... they shouldn't be interviewing! But that's another story.... So the window to influence your interviewer is really to send an email within 24 hours. Now that's not to say that a very thoughtful hand written note might still catch the attention of an admissions committee member later in the process- so if you had a great conversation and really clicked or have some follow up materials to send-
snail mail can still have its place. But this process is fast moving and really by the time you walk out of the interview your fate is somewhat sealed- but it is still nice to thank people for their time- as B schools dedicate some significant resources to the interview process. Hope this gives some context for what to do! And for goodness sake- if you are doing a thank you note, don't have any mistakes or typos! So be sure to proofread before you hit send or lick the envelope! For more tips on all aspects of the MBA interview process- please reach out to us at Stratus where we can discuss your situation in more detail in a free consult. The link to set that up is here: https://stratusadmissionscounseling.com ... b-visitor/

MBA Interview Thank You Note Etiquette?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards