We’re sure you’re all so well-mannered that you’ve been writing thank you notes since you learned script. Your grandma probably still has boxes of your letters saved. Now, we enter the adult thank you note realm. Scene: you’re visiting a college. Someone gives you a tour of the college. Two students host the information session and answer some of the questions that you had prepared. You sit in on a class with a particularly inspiring professor.
You need to thank all of them. Yes, all of them. Not just because it looks good (though it really does), but because acknowledging effort is important in every aspect of life. It took a lot of coordination to put together the tour, and people appreciate being acknowledged. Trust us, receiving a personalized thank you note makes a difference. Any communication that the admissions office receives from you goes into your student file. Remember that.
We wanted to give you an outline, or a high-level “How To” Guide to writing these thank you notes, which should be done within 48 hours of your visit. Here’s a sample thank you note for you to make your own:
Dear ADMISSIONS OFFICER/TOUR GUIDE/PROFESSOR,
I wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to give me such a wonderful tour of /providing me with a great introduction to/allowing me to sit in on your class at Georgetown.
It was such a pleasure to speak with you and hear your perspective of the school--it really gave me a great idea of what it would be like to attend Georgetown.
[Provide some details about your conversation, tour, or the lecture. Did your tour guide or admissions office employee inform you of a program or activity that sounded exciting to you? Mention it. Same goes for what the professor covered in class--if the content made you think about one issue from a different perspective, talk about that. Keep it brief.]
I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about student involvement and activities, and my only regret is that I could have spent more time on campus. Thank you once again! I look forward to learning more in the coming months and look forward to submitting my Georgetown application this fall.
All my best,
Student
Make sure to get everyone’s business cards with emails on it, or just ask for their email when you’re saying goodbye and thanking them. It might be awkward to introduce yourself to a professor, but we assure you that no professor has ever shied away from acknowledging a potential future bright student. When introducing yourself, ask a question or make a comment about something you found particularly exciting. You can reference this comment in your email so they remember who you are.
We understand that every visit is different and it might feel like a big task to sit down and write a note at the end of your visit. A great way to stay organized is by using our College Visit Notepad. Fill it out as soon as you can after your visit (but be sure to be in the moment! Take photos of stuff you want to remember), and use it to make your thank you notes more personalized and specific. The more detailed the better, because it will illustrate that you were truly engaged and paying attention.
If you need some help with this component, don’t hesitate to email or call us and we can help you write your thank you notes, or even help plan your college visits. Good luck--we have confidence in you.