Annoyed

[collegekid77]

I am getting somewhat frustrated with admissions staff. They are so RUDE! I have only called each place once, and it is for legitimate questions like "I have finals during the whole week when you have scheduled me for an interview, what should I do?", not something ridiculous like "am I going to get in?" And they snap at me and talk so condescendingly.

I have talked to 3 different schools now... and ALL of them, were just so blatantly nasty. There is absolutely no call to act like that to potential customers.... and yes, I consider myself a customer considering the amount of money I shelled out just for the whole admission process!

I'm sorry if they are busy since it is the admission season. Wait, no I'm not. It's their friggin job... and if they can't handle the heat, don't be a cook!!!

I just try to smile and let them be hateful, but now I am getting very, very annoyed. This whole admission process is stressful enough without having to deal with hateful people.

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[Adam Smasher]

I recommend that you withdraw your applications. That'll show them.

 

[fuzzywuz]

I am getting somewhat frustrated with admissions staff. They are so RUDE! I have only called each place once, and it is for legitimate questions like "I have finals during the whole week when you have scheduled me for an interview, what should I do?", not something ridiculous like "am I going to get in?" And they snap at me and talk so condescendingly.

I have talked to 3 different schools now... and ALL of them, were just so blatantly nasty. There is absolutely no call to act like that to potential customers.... and yes, I consider myself a customer considering the amount of money I shelled out just for the whole admission process!

I'm sorry if they are busy since it is the admission season. Wait, no I'm not. It's their friggin job... and if they can't handle the heat, don't be a cook!!!

I just try to smile and let them be hateful, but now I am getting very, very annoyed. This whole admission process is stressful enough without having to deal with hateful people.

Maybe you should have asked "Can I reschedule because the date assign to me conflicts with an exam that I cannot reschedule..." rather than asking what you should do. They don't really need to tell you your options since thats the only realistic/reasonable thing you can do..

 

[liverfingers]

I am getting somewhat frustrated with admissions staff. They are so RUDE! I have only called each place once, and it is for legitimate questions like "I have finals during the whole week when you have scheduled me for an interview, what should I do?", not something ridiculous like "am I going to get in?" And they snap at me and talk so condescendingly.

I have talked to 3 different schools now... and ALL of them, were just so blatantly nasty. There is absolutely no call to act like that to potential customers.... and yes, I consider myself a customer considering the amount of money I shelled out just for the whole admission process!

I'm sorry if they are busy since it is the admission season. Wait, no I'm not. It's their friggin job... and if they can't handle the heat, don't be a cook!!!

I just try to smile and let them be hateful, but now I am getting very, very annoyed. This whole admission process is stressful enough without having to deal with hateful people.

Well in a very practical sense, think about the types of people occupying these types of administration jobs.

A.) Uneducated relatively unskilled middle aged people who wanted to do something else with their lives when they were younger. Every morning they go to work in a stuffy office with egotistical doctors, and for the greater part of a year, they have to deal with the logistics and headaches of the administration process of admissions

B.) Temporary employees who view the job as just a job, not a career, and are just there to do what they need to do (barely) to get a paycheck for the time being, all the while hoping for an "out"

C.) The very rare uneducated relatively unskilled people who, while not exactly working in their dream occupation, aren't bitter about it, and work hard to find those small aspects of their job to be positive about.

 

[Bacchus]

This is their game, their scoring point, their touchdown. You play by their rules and "like" what they give ya. If a phone call doesn't work, email someone that is higher on the totem pole. Also, as someone said above, you should ask to reschedule not what you should do.

These admissions staff are people to. They have bad days.

 

[MrAgreeable]

I agree with the previous poster that those poor people can get swamped. I always feel bad contacting schools especially to ask about my app status post interview. Does anybody have any advice about how to go about this tactfully?

 

[MilkmanAl]

Well in a very practical sense, think about the types of people occupying these types of administration jobs.

A.) Uneducated relatively unskilled middle aged people who wanted to do something else with their lives when they were younger. Every morning they go to work in a stuffy office with egotistical doctors, and for the greater part of a year, they have to deal with the logistics and headaches of the administration process of admissions

B.) Temporary employees who view the job as just a job, not a career, and are just there to do what they need to do (barely) to get a paycheck for the time being, all the while hoping for an "out"

C.) The very rare uneducated relatively unskilled people who, while not exactly working in their dream occupation, aren't bitter about it, and work hard to find those small aspects of their job to be positive about.

I'm not sure that's true. Maybe UAMS is an oddity, but I'm pretty sure everyone in our admissions department at least has a college education, and the administrators have Master's degrees.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm not sure that's true. Maybe UAMS is an oddity, but I'm pretty sure everyone in our admissions department at least has a college education, and the administrators have Master's degrees.

Same for my UG. Some admissions staff is actually getting a second degree at our university (oh the perks).

 

[TehDoc]

Tell them who you are exactly and tell them their school is a piece of **** and yell at them.

 

[chiz2kul]

Tell them who you are exactly and tell them their school is a piece of **** and yell at them.

After ofcourse giving them your name, SSN and AMCAS ID.

 

[MrAgreeable]

After ofcourse giving them your name, SSN and AMCAS ID.

LOL exactly

 

[aebvd97]

I recommend that you withdraw your applications. That'll show them.

haha best advice so far.

 

[silverhorse84]

Hmm, interesting. I've only called a few schools, but they've all been super nice to me

 

[njbmd]

I am getting somewhat frustrated with admissions staff. They are so RUDE! I have only called each place once, and it is for legitimate questions like "I have finals during the whole week when you have scheduled me for an interview, what should I do?", not something ridiculous like "am I going to get in?" And they snap at me and talk so condescendingly.

I have talked to 3 different schools now... and ALL of them, were just so blatantly nasty. There is absolutely no call to act like that to potential customers.... and yes, I consider myself a customer considering the amount of money I shelled out just for the whole admission process!

I'm sorry if they are busy since it is the admission season. Wait, no I'm not. It's their friggin job... and if they can't handle the heat, don't be a cook!!!

I just try to smile and let them be hateful, but now I am getting very, very annoyed. This whole admission process is stressful enough without having to deal with hateful people.

You are not a potential customer and it sounds like you have the problem. If you want to solicit assistance from folks, it's up to you clearly state what you need and stop complaining if you don't get what you want. After all, no one in admission actually cares if you get into their school or not. It's their game and you have little control. While most people are willing to assist you with your problem, you can't be in a "snit" if things don't work out. Do you really think your "annoyance" is going to solve the problem? Likely, it's not. Again, you are just not that important in their world.

Maybe you should have asked "Can I reschedule because the date assign to me conflicts with an exam that I cannot reschedule..." rather than asking what you should do. They don't really need to tell you your options since thats the only realistic/reasonable thing you can do..

This is "right on". Simply request a reschedule (not an uncommon request) and find out your options. Take the emotions and opinions as to whether or not the person on the other end of the line is "hateful" or not. Again, admissions staff are not there to "offer you" options. You are the one being evaluated in this process and not them. They could care less what you think (or even write on SDN).

 

[nellia]

please also take into account that these people are dealing with crazy premeds on a daily basis..

 

[Doc Henry]

UWSOM's admission staff is amazingly nice. I just called about my status after only being complete two weeks (when it says that it takes a month for a decision) and she was still so polite and helpful. And after she answered my original question, she followed up by asking me if there was anything else I would like to know.

I can't say enough great things about them

 

[Nanon]

Take the emotions and opinions as to whether or not the person on the other end of the line is "hateful" or not. Again, admissions staff are not there to "offer you" options. You are the one being evaluated in this process and not them. They could care less what you think (or even write on SDN).

I find that a calm, relaxed tone of voice and courtesy go a long, long way in making these interactions go smoothly. Keep in mind that they're doing you a favor, in a sense, by accomodating your schedule and your needs. Behave accordingly.

 

[chessknt]

As someone above said, your patience would be worn thin if neurotic adolescents were calling you every 5 minutes wanting to know why X hasnt beenr eceived or Y hasnt been reviewed or if Z has been decided and if no why not.

 

[DrYoda]

You could allways use e-mail. I needed to push back an interview date and wrote a short, polite e-mail stating that I had a prior obligation and wanted to have the date moved.

Whoever read it could have cussed up and down about me upon opening it, but I'll never know. All I got was a short, polite e-mail in response telling me my new interview date and congratulating me on getting an interview.

The interweb: problem solved.

 

[cheasus]

My guess is that the op was just venting. The process is stressful and I can understand how it can put you in a bad mood but we must not show it to schools (as the op seems to be doing). I know I've definitely felt like this on many things during the admissions process too...

 

[Lacheln]

Well in a very practical sense, think about the types of people occupying these types of administration jobs.

A.) Uneducated relatively unskilled middle aged people who wanted to do something else with their lives when they were younger. Every morning they go to work in a stuffy office with egotistical doctors, and for the greater part of a year, they have to deal with the logistics and headaches of the administration process of admissions.

....

Hmmm, I love the smell of arrogance in the morning. At the schools I've visited, everyone was educated, knowledgeable and invested in their jobs, right down to the person drawing me a map. (You're going to make a terrible doctor. )

To the OP - out of 18 schools I've talked to, only 3 have been rude/impatient/dismissive. Try saying good morning, I appreciate your time, I understand you probably get a lot of questions like this...etc. In short, behave in a friendly, thankful manner, it will get you far in life.

 

[DaiCa86]

I recommend that you withdraw your applications. That'll show them.

LOL hilarious

 

[ANF1986]

As someone above said, your patience would be worn thin if neurotic adolescents were calling you every 5 minutes wanting to know why X hasnt beenr eceived or Y hasnt been reviewed or if Z has been decided and if no why not.

Adolescents? I'm not aware of too many teenagers in the applicant pool. Since the average matriculant is 23-24 years old, that by all means makes them adults. Whether they behave as such on the phone is unknown. But I would not assume that the majority of people calling are immature 'adolescents'.

Either way, a few people in this thread are essentially trying to justify an academic professional behaving unprofessionally. I dont think there is really any excuse for that. Regardless of the amount of calls that these people get, it is their job, and they are being paid to do it. Now whether or not they ACTUALLY are being rude and snobbish is completely subjective from person to person. Just pointing out that there is never a situation where its "ok" to act unprofessional if you are in a position where you represent a business/agency/etc.

 

[ButImLETired]

I'm actually with the OP on this. I have had some seriously frustrating conversations with extremely obnoxious people when I ask even the simplest, most straightforward questions. I'm not one to be entitled and call a top 10 school assuming they must have "misplaced" my application since I haven't gotten an interview. I always check online to see if my answers can be answered. I'm not an idiot, and the last thing I want to do is make their lives any harder (and their decision to reject me any easier).

And still, I have spoken to SERIOUSLY rude people on occasion (it's rare, but it's stuck with me). Yes, they have bad days, but so do I, and I have yet to treat a patient or a coworker like crap because of it. And if I have to muster all the chippery excitement and politeness I can to call them, they should at least attempt civility. Yes, premeds are insane, but come on!

This is a horribly frustrating, long, strange, confusing process, and admissions offices are purposefully mysterious about how they work. We are expected to work insanely hard on our essays, give them money, then just shut up and wait. But God forbid they haven't received something we sent them and we didn't happen to call them and ask if we're complete- they certainly won't call us. And if we do call and everything is ok, they are frustrated with people calling. Again, most of the people I've spoken to have been dedicated and nice and on the ball, but I have had some really terrible experiences, and I'm sorry, but I don't see why that should be. Maybe they should be more transparent, and then they'd get fewer phone calls!

 

[Lacheln]

...and I'm sorry, but I don't see why that should be. Maybe they should be more transparent, and then they'd get fewer phone calls!

I agree that it shouldn't happen, and certainly does sometimes, but if the OP has a 100% rude rate, I'm inclined to think it might be their approach. I could be wrong, they could just be very unlucky. That said, the schools that are consistently rude *coughnymceinsteinharvard* have definitely left a bad taste in my mouth, which has affected my interest in the school. Which I'm sure they are very distressed about. Bastards.

 

[collegekid77]

No I am not rude, I am very polite and charming... AND patient. I smile and remain calm while they are chewing my ear until the slam the phone down in my ear and then I fuss, lol. It has only happened 2-3 times, but that is enough! LOL. The posts to my initial thread are pretty funny, thanks everyone for listening to ME vent... but I am not going to stress about it anymore. Like a friend told me, these people wouldn't survive in retail. But even so, they aren't the ones who make the final decision.

 

[Jolie South]

I find that a calm, relaxed tone of voice and courtesy go a long, long way in making these interactions go smoothly. Keep in mind that they're doing you a favor, in a sense, by accomodating your schedule and your needs. Behave accordingly.

yep, no one is "entitled" to anything.