Thanking Your Letter Writers
This post is part of a series on how to get great letters of recommendation to grad school.
Once someone has spent time writing a letter of recommendation for you, they are now semi-invested in your application and they will appreciate being updated and recognized for their efforts! This is a classy move and will help ensure you get a good letter next time around if you need another in the future!
You should send a Thank-You note when:
Send a thank you when you see that they have submitted the letter
Thank them for their time and mentorship. Let them know that you will keep them posted as to the status of your applications. Also, use this opportunity to remind them of any other upcoming deadlines if you have asked them to submit letters for multiple things. Also, ask them to keep a copy of your letter stored somewhere, as you may ask them for a letter in the future (They will probably do this anyway, but it is nice to remind them).
Send a thank you when you find out good news!
As I said, if they wrote a letter for you, then they are invested in you- let them share in the good news when you find out! If you find out you got a big fellowship or admission to a school or schools, let them know! Educators love hearing success stories, especially those that they played a part in.
When you make your final decision
This goes along with the good news. When you finally decide where you want to go to graduate school, let your letter writers know. They will keep you in the back of their brains as a contact at that school. They will love sharing in your success and happiness, so thank them for the role that they played!
While a thank-you email will suffice, it is extremely rare in this day-and-age to receive a hand-written thank-you note. Consider sending one to be extra classy and leave them with a great opinion of you!