I would say if you don't have to call them don't, but if you do need to fix something on your application, it is your responsibility to get it resolved. So, in that case, you should call.
I think a lot of the administrators are overworked right now, so if you're calling to check on letters you sent today or yesterday, and keep calling, they will probably get annoyed. Whether this impacts your decision remains to be seen.
I can give you an example though:
LECOM-B showed I was missing all my items for over a month, so I called. I got some runaround that kind of pissed me off, because they said that the dean was out, but never addressed my concern about my application (I was still very polite). Then almost a month later it still was not resolved, so I called to get it fixed, left a message and the office lady called me back sounding extremely annoyed on the voicemail message saying she couldn't understand what my name was on my message... Anyway, I called back, told her my name, she was pissed (at least she sounded that way), then she put me on hold for about 5 minutes saying she was going to check with the adcom's because they were in session (wtf that was all about, I didn't know... I just wanted to know why they didn't have my materials showing as received when they should have been in over 2.5 months ago). Then she came back on the line and said I should hear something in about a week or so... It turns out it was a rejection letter... I found this odd.
It's my only rejection letter for a DO program, and I have had 7 interviews (including MD), and then LECOM-B rejected my application? I don't know if it was because I was checking about my application (2x in ~2.5 months) or they didn't like something about my application, but I found that somewhat strange how it coincided so closely together AND they never showed my materials received....
Now, I've called other programs to check on things and they are usually very friendly, sometimes the office staff sounds busy or stressed (which they probably are), but they are usually all very helpful and it has not impacted my chances elsewhere. Whether that was the issue at LECOM-B or not, remains to be seen, but I'm guessing annoying office can be a problem, but checking on materials in a reasonable period of time should not be.
Here are some guidelines I would recommend:
- Remember it can take over a week for them to download new information from AACOMAS, such as letters, updates, etc.
- It can take up to a week for them to update all of the updates they just received
[Now you are at 2 weeks]
- It might not get done that quickly if they are overloaded or short office staff, which can add an additional week.
[Now you are at 3 weeks]
- at this point of ~3-4 weeks, if they haven't received your docs I would say it's in your best interests to call, otherwise your app could sit incomplete for the rest of the season (I have had places that didn't upload docs, or forgot stuff, or had the wrong info in the wrong places).
- Once you are complete, you wait. Don't call asking when you are going to get an interview invite... This is annoying (at least it would annoy me). It is presumptuous, assuming you SHOULD get an invite.
- If you haven't heard anything for a couple months possibly call and see if you can send letters of intent or updates, if it is one of your top choice schools.
- Other than updates or questions pertaining specifically to your application or their program, I wouldn't call (That does not include a "where is my interview call"). The staff is already so overworked, that if they have to pull your app because you think you should have an interview by now that would probably annoy someone.
As an aside, if you don't think the office staff can say you are annoying to the adcom's you're kidding yourself. They can certainly give their impression of you to the adcom's and that can in turn translate into a rejection. I don't know if this works the other way, but if they do pass on negative info that probably isn't good. Just think to yourself, would this piss me off? If you answer yes or maybe, then I wouldn't do it. It's just a common courtesy. With that in mind, you did pay ~$100 for your app, so you do have a right to make sure they have a complete, correct version, but I follow the timeline listed above for this.
