Are ALL communications with the main admissions email of a school "added" to your application file?

[456432]

For example, if I email the admissions email with a question about how many updates I can send them or something like that (not clarified in any online materials), do those questions get added to your app under "communications"? I want to ask some simple questions about their admissions process, but I don't want those questions to be added to my file for AdComs to see when deciding if I should be accepted/WL/rejected.

 

[M&L]

For example, if I email the admissions email with a question about how many updates I can send them or something like that (not clarified in any online materials), do those questions get added to your app under "communications"? I want to ask some simple questions about their admissions process, but I don't want those questions to be added to my file for AdComs to see when deciding if I should be accepted/WL/rejected.

wait, i dont understand, - why dont you want to add them to your file?

 

[456432]

wait, i dont understand, - why dont you want to add them to your file?

I just didn't want AdComs to think that I'm looking too deeply into how they deal with admissions, and I don't want to give off a neurotic vibe to them lol.

For example, some questions I wanted to ask the admissions email are: when do they meet throughout the week to review applications, if they have a limit to how many update letters I can send, and if they finalize their decisions right before or a few weeks before the day they release decisions (just so I send my update before it's too late).

 

[M&L]

I just didn't want AdComs to think that I'm looking too deeply into how they deal with admissions, and I don't want to give off a neurotic vibe to them lol.

For example, some questions I wanted to ask the admissions email is when do they meet throughout the week to review applications, if they have a limit to how many update letters I can send, and if they finalize their decisions right before or a few weeks before the day they release decisions.

well..... my personal opinion, i probably wouldnt ask questions about decision making process in emails (but you can ask them during your interview). First of all, the administration might not even be allowed to answer these, and honestly, they might come off a little unusual.
as far as aspects of application that you CAN control - such as how many update letters, etc, i would ABSOLUTELY email them. Be smart about phrasing your email, sound professional and show interest. If you do that, these emails could actually make you look BETTER. THey will show interest in the school.

So, in other words: questions about stuff you CAN control are excellent if brief and professionally phrased (i suggest bullet points or a list vs paragraph), questions about stuff you CANNOT control should be saved for SDN or time during inperson interview.

maybe adcom ppl would disagree. would be definitely interesting to get their input @Goro

 

[Goro]

For example, if I email the admissions email with a question about how many updates I can send them or something like that (not clarified in any online materials), do those questions get added to your app under "communications"? I want to ask some simple questions about their admissions process, but I don't want those questions to be added to my file for AdComs to see when deciding if I should be accepted/WL/rejected.

This is not something our Adcom sees.

As an aside, if one annoys the admissions staff, the Admissions dean will know about it.

 

[KnightDoc]

The basic advice is to ALWAYS assume that EVERY interaction, from how you deal with a tour guide or receptionist during an on campus visit to phone calls or e-mails, will be part of your evaluation. Bottom line -- don't do anything you don't want added to your file. Period. You don't want to appear neurotic? It's simple -- don't act that way, whether with the Dean of Admissions or with a work-study student responding to e-mail inquiries. Because you have no way to know for sure who is going to see what, or how they will react to it. You can totally control everything on your end, but nothing on theirs.

 

[gonnif]

File this under how things work:
1) There is the the admissions committee, who evaluate and decide on acceptance. and the admissions staff, who handle the "paperwork" or processing the application so it gets to he proper people to evaluate and decide.
2) At each individual medical school when you apply, you are added their admissions / intake system. That is your overall file. Within that file you have AMCAS, secondary, letters, etc. So your application is a subset of that file
3) when you communicate with a school, it will first be seen by admissions staff. Most schools automatically add all email to the school file but that does not mean it is added to the application
4) If you send say an update, it can be anything from thrown into the school file to a comment added to application summary to sent to adcom
5) Unless something submitted is a) part of the formal application process and b) present when your file is sent to be evaluated, there is less likelihood it will be seen by adcom in any substantive way.