Calling Admissions Offices: Is it worth it? Does it help get an interview?

[dbasalie]

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I feel like there is some confusion out there as to the benefits/ "anti-benefits" of calling the admissions offices.

For me, I am applying to medical school this year, and find myself in a little hole where I am done with secondaries, and waiting around to hear from medical schools?

Basically, through calling, can we become more "friendly" with the admissions in a way that it will increase our chance of getting an interview? If so, what type of questions should we ask the admissions office when calling? I'm stuck at:

"I would like to check the status of my application..."

...which in most cases, results in schools telling me to look online, and they don't even hear my name or AMCAS id.


So...any benefits to calling? If so, what questions to ask.

And similarly, should we write to to show sustained interest? Through email or mail?


Any advice to help get an interview! Help!

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Assuming I understood you correctly, I believe what you are describing is exceedingly unlikely to work and almost certain to backfire.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

Call the schools that don't post any status updates online (eventually).

Don't bother the schools that have everything for you on their websites.

 

[FlowLimited]

The person who answers the phone in the admissions office is not on the admissions committee. I can almost guarantee you that. They're most likely a secretary or assistant who has little to no role in the actual decision making.

Just wait it out like everyone else.

 

[just one]

Call if you need something, like to check the status of something you sent in. Don't call just to call.

 

[shiftingmirage]

There is a reason my school does not provide a telephone number. Not on its app, not on its website. The only thing it gives youis an e-mail for each department. Leave them alone, unless you have a valid reason, of course.

 

[apumic]

Though not on the adcom, if you annoy an admin asst, it WILL hurt you. All it takes is one bad comment by ANYONE at that school about you to ruin your chances. A 4.0/40 will still get rejected if he's an a-hole to some "lowly" secretary over the phone. Secretaries have a lot of power. Heck if you annoy them enough your app might just "disappear."

 

[longhorn09]

Though not on the adcom, if you annoy an admin asst, it WILL hurt you. All it takes is one bad comment by ANYONE at that school about you to ruin your chances. A 4.0/40 will still get rejected if he's an a-hole to some "lowly" secretary over the phone. Secretaries have a lot of power. Heck if you annoy them enough your app might just "disappear."

haha, thats so true. If something belongs to you, it will eventually come. If it doesnt belong to you, no matter how hard you try its still not yours.

 

[Mattabet]

👍 the above. In my experience, the folks that pick up the phone are generally nice and helpful if you need them to do something like answer a question or withdraw and application.

But they have nothing to do with you getting an interview. You could call up and tell them you wanted to give them all a million dollars, and while they'd be super-psyched about you; you probably wouldn't be any closer to (or farther from) getting an interview.