CALLING SCHOOLS--annoying or show interest?

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Benjo

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Any input would be appreciated on this subject as I am getting obsessively paranoid over here as an August MCATer.
Is it worth callign to schools to inquire about status. The logic says no--when your status changes they will tell you, right? SO, do schools find it annoying or what? I get the urge to call all the time, but feel they might interpret it as over-eager, and also convince myself that there is no real benefit. Any input at all??
I know it's only been 5 wks since the August scores were released, but I've only heard from one school. Sorry to bitch and moan.

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i'd say annoying...

probably no benefit either in "showing interest" since when you call a school, ur just talking to some highschool-dropout-secretary who has nothing to do with admissions decisions.

jst my opinion though :p :p :p
 
definitely annoying
 
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Those "highschool-dropout-secretary"s have more say than you think if you're rude to them.

I'd say call and speak with deans after you're on the waiting list. At some schools that helps to let them know you're really interested. I know it works for Columbia if you really want to go there.
 
Originally posted by Rendar5
Those "highschool-dropout-secretary"s have more say than you think if you're rude to them.

Yes, rudeness to the secretary cannot be a good thing. You never know when they may "lose" one of the components of your application.

But being persistent is probably not such a bad thing, as long as you're nice. I'd give it a few more weeks though.

Of course, if you haven't received any notification that your application is complete, call immediately.
 
I'd say that there's nothing wrong with A phone call. NOT several. . .Just remember to be really nice, and you'll get to the person you want to get to. By calling schools, I've gotten valuable advice, spoken directly with deans of admission, and have gotten DIRECT FEEDBACK as to what I should do to maximize my success. I'd say calling is okay. A lot of it has to to with personality.
 
how about the idea that you shouldn't be rude to the secretary not because she could lose part of your application, but because it'd make you an a#*hole. that's the kind of elitism that gives pre-meds a bad name. they work very hard, doing the same thing every year, and dealing with all of our whining.

instead of calling and being rude to a secretary, how about sending a thank you note to one of them you find especially nice and helpful. do so not because you think it may help you chances of admission, but simply because you should appreciate the work these women do to deal with the thousands of applicants each and every year.
 
I agree with mlw03. This elitism is really getting old guys, and I hope that you're just venting frustration with this long process, rather than really being a jerk. I hate being given the advice, or reading in a book, "Be nice to the secretary...you never know what impact she might have on your admission." You should be nice to the secretary because she has to deal with hundreds or thousands of us neurotic premeds.
 
i would write a letter to show interest
some schools dig it; some don't
i don't think it really hurts though
 
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