Do Adcoms get annoyed if I call the admissions office?

[PaladinX]

Hey,

So I was just wondering if ADCOMs or people working at medical schools get annoyed if I call in with questions? My experience so far has been interesting. I called one school (IS) to ask about their rural program (its fairly new and not much info) and they were all over me, taking down my info and directing me towards ADCOMs who I had a great discussions with. Another school I called, the person seemed very rude over the phone and basically hung up after my first question, now I'm worried that they put something negative in my application. Generally, do you recommended calling schools to ask about information? Are there things I should avoid doing when calling schools?

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[Damson]

@Goro

 

[Doctoscope]

I think it's like with any other people, and it depends. If you're calling them to ask stupid, typical neurotic premed questions, I can imagine they'd be annoyed like any other person. If you're calling them to ask real, legitimate questions, like application requirements/policies that's unique to you that can't be found online, then I can't see why anyone would be annoyed.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Admissions offices are very busy right now and Covid has added more work and stress. Obviously if you have questions about a program or admission policy not found on their website, like green card issue, etc., then call. If not, the poor person answering the phone cannot get those 10 mins of their life back.

 

[KnightDoc]

I think it's like with any other people, and it depends. If you're calling them to ask stupid, typical neurotic premed questions, I can imagine they'd be annoyed like any other person. If you're calling them to ask real, legitimate questions, like application requirements/policies that's unique to you that can't be found online, then I can't see why anyone would be annoyed.

This^^^^^^^^. The people you are calling are human beings like anyone else. They have a regular job, that involves handling tasks in the office (or maybe now, at home). They also have to deal with inquiries from random people who call. If you have highly specific, legitimate questions, the answers to which cannot be found elsewhere, I'm sure they are happy to help. If you are asking more basic questions because calling is easier than doing a little leg work yourself, yes, it can kill you if they are spiteful enough to put it in your file. Even worse is asking questions where the answers don't even matter.

Since we are often not the best judges of our own performance, the best advice is to do the opposite of looking for any reason to call. TBH, pre-II, there should be nothing that you NEED to know that would require a call to the admissions office. The application is designed to be successfully submitted by literally thousands of candidates at each and every school in the country with absolutely no personal interaction between candidates and office staff.

Updates? Doesn't matter. AMCAS randomly added hours to my ECs (by the way, this doesn't happen --- you made a typo!! )? Doesn't matter. Spaces count on secondaries? Doesn't matter. Is September 9th considered late? Doesn't matter. Etc., etc., etc.

 

[LizzyM]

The adcom will never know. It does not go in your file. The person answering the phone is paid to answer the phone. Don't be stupid and waste their time with questions that can be found with a 5 second Google search but calling with a legit question is accceptable.

That said, people have bad days. You may have gotten an overworked, underpaid receptionist on a day that was terrible from the start. It is no reflection on you. Whatever else, always be kind.