Writing College Admissions Interview Thank-You Letter Tips
by Quintessential Careers
How to Write a Thoughtful Thank-You Note
Ideally it's an idea already drummed into you by your family -- you write thank-you notes to people who help you out do you a favor give you a gift and the like.
The same principle holds true for interviews, especially the college campus admissions interview. While a thank-you note is NOT required you'll stand out among other applicants by sending a short note of thanks to the person/people who took time out to interview you while you were visiting the campus.
As an added bonus, your thank-you letter should also find its way to your admissions file.
Tips for Writing College Admissions Interview Thank-You Letter
Just Do It!
Whether you're on the road to your next college campus or back snuggly at home you should try and write the thank-you note within 24 hours of the interview while it's still fresh in your mind -- as well as with the admissions staff.
The note does not need to be long; in fact it should be fairly short and to the point.
And yes you can email the thank-you so that the person(s) gets it even faster. But do take your time in composing editing rewriting it.
Personalize Each Letter/Note
While you can develop a generic shell for your thank-you notes you'll want to personalize each one to the person who interviewed you -- and to each college/university.
Choose something memorable from each interview to write about -- to help remind the recipient of who you are and why you want to attend that college/university.
Show Your Appreciation
A quick note of thanks for someone taking time out of her/her day to interview you -- even if you think it simply part of the job -- is just a nice thing to do.
You don't need to gush or go overboard in your appreciation; be genuine.
Keep it Short... to the Point
You are NOT writing another admissions essay so keep the letter short concise. Make each word count.
Thank the interviewer mention how much you appreciated the interview and say something reinforcing both your interest and fit with the college/university. That's it. Done.
Check Spelling -- Especially of Names
Misspellings and typos are the bane of every letter writer but you must take even extra precautions to make certain your thank-you notes are flawless. Spellcheck proofread and ideally ask someone else to review the note before sending it.
Double and triple check that you have the right name and title of each person who interviewed you -- along with the right name and spelling of the college/university. When in doubt check the school's Website or even call the admissions receptionist to get proper spellings.
Sample College Admissions Interview Thank-You Letter
Check out out LiveCareer'sSample College Admissions Interview Thank-You Letter.
Key College Planning Resources
See more college planning and college journey articles for college-bound students in our My College Life Resources.
And find lots more tips and expert advice for just about every aspect of college planning -- from choosing a college to choosing a college major -- on our sister site. The link will open a new browser window: Quintessential Careers: College Planning Resources.
This article was written by Dr. Randall S. Hansen. Dr. Hansen is founder and publisher of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web. He is also CEO of
