Thank You Email After Grad School Interview

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Why Write a Good Grad School Interview Thank You Email?

A Thank You Email After Grad School Interview is a great way to convey your appreciation. After all, the person spent time helping you accomplish a personal or professional goal. It is a powerful way for you to follow up on a formal interview, or informal meeting. Your ability to compose a well thought out thank you note may help you impress your graduate admissions committee.

An added bonus is thank you notes are a great way to remind the interviewer of you and your graduate school intentions.

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How to Write a Thank You Email After Grad School Interview?

  1. Begin your interview thank you letter with greetings and salutations. Chiefly greet the person you would like to address by an appropriate title (Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., etc.) and their last name.
  2. Thank him or her for meeting with you. Keep in mind most people working in academia are busy. Thank the person with whom you met for generously sharing their time.
  3. Remind him or her of your conversation. For one thing, it’s possible the person with whom you met has also met with dozens of other people. Remind them of the key points of your conversation. Help them remember who you are.
  4. Tell them what you liked about the program. Explain why you want to attend that program. Why does it stand out? What seems to make it unique? Why do you like it?
  5. Explain why you would be a great fit for the program. Additionally, what you intend to achieve in the program. Such as how you will contribute to the program. In short, describe the ways in which your presence and scholarship will help the school, department, and program meet their goals and mission. The point here is not to “kiss up” or prove your worth, but rather to make it clear the relationship between you and the program’s mission and staff will be mutually beneficial.
  6. Once again, thank them for their time and interest.
  7. Sign off.

The Following is a Sample Thank You Email After Graduate School Interview:

Dear Ms. Wright,

First and foremost, thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me. I very much enjoyed our conversation. It left me even more convinced that the International Studies program at Imaginary University is perfect for me.

Notably I deeply enjoyed our discussion about the international political economy. Especially the ways in which local economies are positively and negatively impacted by international governmental agencies such as the United Nations. In particular in Lesotho, Africa. To clarify, I believe developing more meaningful ties between the UN and NGOs in Lesotho, Africa will help. Especially addressing issues of joblessness and starvation, such as amongst the elderly. Your insight and passion about the subject made my day.

After learning more about IU’s International Relations program, I recognize its curriculum would be the perfect fit for my research interests. In this case, specializing in “international political economy” and assisting Professor Smith with her research in the area.

I feel I can truly make a difference for people affected by the crumbling economy in Lesotho. To clarify, I also believe in utilizing IU’s academic staff, many of whom have conducted research in a similar area. This will allow me to better design and implement a research project.

With the intent of serving the interests of people in Lesotho, and IU’s Department of International Affairs. In short, I believe I can work in partnership with IU to implement a research project that is beneficial to all.

Thank you again for meeting with me . This allowed me to make my intentions, both as an academic and steward of improved international relations, more clear. I do hope IU will give me the opportunity to participate in its dynamic International Relations program.

All best,
Your Name Title (if appropriate)
Phone Number
Email Address

Considerations For Your Graduate School Interview Thank You Email:

When writing your thank you email after phd interview, remember to consider audience. First, the personality of the person with whom you met, Second, the climate and atmosphere of the department. Third, the program to which you are applying. lastly, write using an authentic tone (one that captures your personality but is still appropriate to the audience). Also, after writing your letter, conduct a full edit prior to popping the letter in the mail or hitting “send”.

The Following is a Checklist to Use When Editing Your Follow Up Email After PHD interview:

  • I’ve used the correct names (name of person with whom I met, program, college, etc.)
  • then I’ve used correct grammar and spelling
  • next, I have clear, concise sentences that make sense
  • in addition, the letter is orderly, short and concise, and easy and enjoyable to read
  • I’ve used a professional and academic tone and style (which means not using contractions, slang, or too casual of a tone, for example)

In general, ensure the presentation of your grad school thank you email, whether via post or email is clean, sharp, and professional. Make sure your stationary and email address are professional.

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