Another Love Letter Thread

[mrmandrake]

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Hey guys,

I have a couple of questions and would like to get your opinions.

1) First of all, when are you guys sending "love-letters" to programs? Obviously you don't want to send it too early and you don't want to send it too late (after the rank list has been made). I plan to send it in early February, do you guys think this is a good time?

2) Secondly, how many programs will you guys be sending letters to? I've heard that you should just send an email to your #1 saying they are your #1 and not send anything to other programs. The reasoning behind this is that if you send any letters to your other programs that don't state they are your #1, they will know they aren't your #1 and it is better to just let them think they may be your #1 (with no email at all). The other option I've heard is to send your #1 an email stating they are your #1 and several other letters to your top 2-5 saying you are ranking them highly.

What do you guys think?

 

[XerxesOfPersia]

Send your "love letter" once you've decided on your #1. Interviews are wrapping up now and programs have their ranking meetings soon after so I'd send it out pretty soon, i.e. this week probably.

You are spot on for point #2. Send your email only to your #1. The "ranking you highly" emails generally don't do you any good since they can be interpreted as "not #1." Also, see if you can get an attending/faculty mentor to corroborate your #1 email with a phone call or email.

 

[sivman17]

Send your "love letter" once you've decided on your #1. Interviews are wrapping up now and programs have their ranking meetings soon after so I'd send it out pretty soon, i.e. this week probably.

You are spot on for point #2. Send your email only to your #1. The "ranking you highly" emails generally don't do you any good since they can be interpreted as "not #1." Also, see if you can get an attending/faculty mentor to corroborate your #1 email with a phone call or email.

I have been sending thank you e-mails to most of the programs after I interview. What about a program I just interviewed at this past week? I plan on ranking them #2. Can I send them a normal thank you letter like I have been, or will they suspect I'm not ranking them #1 since I don't say anything about it?

I hate this game...😡

 

[mrmandrake]

Thanks Xerxes, I will probably go with that approach.

Send your "love letter" once you've decided on your #1. Interviews are wrapping up now and programs have their ranking meetings soon after so I'd send it out pretty soon, i.e. this week probably.

You are spot on for point #2. Send your email only to your #1. The "ranking you highly" emails generally don't do you any good since they can be interpreted as "not #1." Also, see if you can get an attending/faculty mentor to corroborate your #1 email with a phone call or email.

 

[XerxesOfPersia]

I have been sending thank you e-mails to most of the programs after I interview. What about a program I just interviewed at this past week? I plan on ranking them #2. Can I send them a normal thank you letter like I have been, or will they suspect I'm not ranking them #1 since I don't say anything about it?

I hate this game...😡

You can prob send your thank you letter like usual. My suggestions have to do with love letters and letters of intent. When you say "ranking you highly" in those then it can hurt you since programs can just move others up their list that are ranking them #1. I'm not positive if that's a common occurrence but I wouldn't risk it. And I would imagine most programs assume you're not ranking them #1 unless you tell them you are.

 

[Trastuz]

Sent my #1 an email yesterday saying so much. Tried to keep it brief - only ~3 sentences. Also asked both an attending who just graduated from there and a current resident there to say something to corroborate my statement.

Received a response today that clearly said "you are RTM." Also received 2 phone calls today - one from a rads program and one from a TY saying "you're ranked highly" and "we're hoping we see you here next year" but they stopped just short of saying RTM.

I know everyone is going to want to know who they were but I prefer not to say for anonymity purposes. I hadn't heard anything from any programs RE: my rank status before today and was wondering if I just sucked at interviewing. When it rains it pours I guess. Just wanted to share in case other people are freaking out. Send an email to your #1, I think it helped me. All 3 programs said they were "just finalizing" or "finished" with their rank lists.

 

[EeePC1005PR]

Just thank all of them, out of courtesy. And ask for feedback on how to improve if not accepted this time.

All these games people play get very complicated. Sometimes it might be easier to stay human and do what a normal person would do.