Haven't heard from 25+ schools...

[reapplicanthelpme2014]

Should I be contacting these schools for updates? I'm not sure what the protocol is. I've been complete at most of these schools since late August-mid September. I know that patience is a virtue, but I'm wondering if I should be more proactive? Or is that just annoying? I had a friend who said she called a school every week and they eventually gave her an interview. I know that's a bit extreme, but should I be calling schools to show interest, or just settle down and be patient? And when, if I should, should i be contacting them for application status/updates?

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[sunflower18]

Should I be contacting these schools for updates? I'm not sure what the protocol is. I've been complete at most of these schools since late August-mid September. I know that patience is a virtue, but I'm wondering if I should be more proactive? Or is that just annoying? I had a friend who said she called a school every week and they eventually gave her an interview. I know that's a bit extreme, but should I be calling schools to show interest, or just settle down and be patient? And when, if I should, should i be contacting them for application status/updates?

I don't think that contacting these schools will do any good. As long as you're marked "complete" on the portal or they emailed you with something to that effect, you can assume that they have your application -- calling won't do anything to change that. There are hundreds if not thousands of applications at that school in the same pile as yours (the undecided pile). Can you imagine if every single one of those people called the school in attempts to get them to review the app faster? For that reason, I don't think the school would expedite your application review just because you called and asked about it.

I know some people send pre-II update letters if they have something of significant interest to add (new publication, award, accomplishment type thing), so you could consider doing that if you fall into that category. If not, I would just sit tight and wait for them to contact you. It's only been a month since you were complete, and some adcoms on here have reported higher than ever volumes of applications arriving at their institutions. It might take longer than you'd like (which I understand! Waiting is really hard!), but I don't think that calling or writing letters unless you have something very important to say is going to a worthwhile use of your time or theirs.

Plus, it looks like you were already accepted somewhere based on your status! So congratulations, that's awesome -- you're going to be a doctor! I understand that maybe you're waiting to hear from a school you like better, but I do think that patience is the best practice at this point in time for you.

 

[Theseus]

Same situation. Applied to 21 schools but have heard nothing since I was complete by most of them early September (latest Sep 4). NO rejections, holds, nothing.

 

[G_Marker]

I applied to 33 schools and have heard from 8 this point (rejections, holds -> silent rejections, and IIs).

I think @sunflower18 gave some good advice.

Some schools wait to send out rejections until the spring. Some schools put applicants in a 'maybe' list and send out IIs in the winter/spring. There's plenty of time to hear back from these places. Just sit tight and be patient.

 

[Person0715]

Maybe send an update if you have something substantial to add to your file.

 

[ridethecliche]

Updates should occur if the following two conditions are met:

1) The school says that they will take them.
2) You have something meaningful to update them on: Publications, new semester of grades, etc.

 

[Holmwood]

Not all schools state it in their website, so you will have to ask the admissions committee for each school if they will accept a pre-interview update letter. Some actually ask that you send it to a specific email address. So just email the adcoms.

I know for sure that the New York schools are receptive about update letters. One was so nice I almost cried... Anyway, good luck. : D