Pesky applicants vs. laying low

[Tutmos]

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I wonder if there's any thought on this, adcoms or applicants. Is it harmful to your chances to frequently check in on the status of your application with a school, drop by the admissions office to see if you've gone to committee etc. Is it better to keep your distance and let them do their job and assume they'll tell you when they need something or have something to tell you. I've been taking the second approach, never bothering staff and only contacting them twice to provide thank you and follow up emails to a presenter from interview day and one to the interviewer.

Alternatively do we think it makes no difference at all. Support staff don't sit on the adcom so it matters little how much of their time you soak up or do they note your file every time you call or stop in?

 

[bobsmith]

Seeing as how they deal with pre-meds every day, they're probably pretty used to people stopping in/calling/checking their statuses, so I doubt it affects your chances either way.

I think if you were really rude to a staff person or really obnoxious, though, that could hurt you. Other than that, probably not.

 

[J ROD]

Do you like to be bothered at work?

 

[Marcus Brody]

Please don't be one of those pesky overzealous gunner applicants, as a matter of principle. Just don't. 👎

 

[flip26]

I don't think it affects your chances, but being a tool is never a good thing.

 

[Appless]

I don't think it affects your chances, but being a tool is never a good thing.

this. Unless you are rude it wont matter much. However you should feel bad for being irritating and bothering them when you know that they will most likely say "you will get a decision as soon as one is made" 😛

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

this. Unless you are rude it wont matter much. However you should feel bad for being irritating and bothering them when you know that they will most likely say "you will get a decision as soon as one is made" 😛

Yeah, your going and bothering them is not going to speed up the process. They work on their own timeline. Gotta respect that.

 

[Broseph]

I am not sure about this. As long as you are polite it seems to me that the squeaky wheel usually gets more attention....

 

[BlueElmo]

I wouldn't constantly drop in on them and/or keep checking. I'm sure that can get pretty annoying.

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

I am not sure about this. As long as you are polite it seems to me that the squeaky wheel usually gets more attention....

Not if the squeaky wheel had a lame secondary or an awkward interview or an application that in no way stood out to the admissions committee. My feeling is that these schools know what they want, and if they want to give you a chance, they will.

 

[amph119]

There is a difference between thoroughly updating them on your activities slash continuing to express interested in a school and just calling to check on things. I updated Pritzker numerous times, at least 7 or so, and well look what happened 🙂

 

[allie1361]

Do any schools keep a log of every time they talk to applicants? (ie: 3/1 - recv'd call about app status, 3/4 - recv'd 3rd update letter, 3/6 - recv'd 2nd letter of interest...etc) If so, I'd think constantly contacting them could look bad...

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

There is a difference between thoroughly updating them on your activities slash continuing to express interested in a school and just calling to check on things. I updated Pritzker numerous times, at least 7 or so, and well look what happened 🙂

You don't think you were strong enough that they would've accepted you anyways? Were you accepted off the waitlist? I could see updates working in your favor then. But lots of people get accepted without updates, and lots of people get waitlisted and then accepted without updates. Not sending updates and not calling doesn't mean you're not interested (or shouldn't). Sometimes you don't have anything to update. Sometimes you just wanna let them do their thing. Some admissions offices are not only dealing with incoming students, but current students as well.

Ugh, I wonder if admissions offices get letters like, "Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that I'm still volunteering at the orphanage for the deaf and blind. They're still deaf and blind. Ok I love you! Admit me, yeah?"

 

[flip26]

You don't think you were strong enough that they would've accepted you anyways? Were you accepted off the waitlist? I could see updates working in your favor then. But lots of people get accepted without updates, and lots of people get waitlisted and then accepted without updates. Not sending updates and not calling doesn't mean you're not interested (or shouldn't). Sometimes you don't have anything to update. Sometimes you just wanna let them do their thing. Some admissions offices are not only dealing with incoming students, but current students as well.

Ugh, I wonder if admissions offices get letters like, "Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that I'm still volunteering at the orphanage for the deaf and blind. They're still deaf and blind. Ok I love you! Admit me, yeah?"

How did you get your hands on my update letter?

 

[amph119]

You don't think you were strong enough that they would've accepted you anyways? Were you accepted off the waitlist? I could see updates working in your favor then. But lots of people get accepted without updates, and lots of people get waitlisted and then accepted without updates. Not sending updates and not calling doesn't mean you're not interested (or shouldn't). Sometimes you don't have anything to update. Sometimes you just wanna let them do their thing. Some admissions offices are not only dealing with incoming students, but current students as well.

Ugh, I wonder if admissions offices get letters like, "Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that I'm still volunteering at the orphanage for the deaf and blind. They're still deaf and blind. Ok I love you! Admit me, yeah?"

I was accepted off the wait list, actually. I also never just said "hey what's up I still like you." I always had something to new update (i.e. I stayed quite active during my senior year of college). Who knows if it made the difference? I'm saying it couldn't hurt, and at some schools it is looked upon favorably.

 

[bobsmith]

I am not sure about this. As long as you are polite it seems to me that the squeaky wheel usually gets more attention....

I never liked this saying -- seems to me like the squeaky wheel could also just get replaced. Especially if there's lots of other, perfectly adequate non-squeaky wheels out there 😛

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

I was accepted off the wait list, actually. I also never just said "hey what's up I still like you." I always had something to new update (i.e. I stayed quite active during my senior year of college). Who knows if it made the difference? I'm saying it couldn't hurt, and at some schools it is looked upon favorably.

Yeah, I guess this is where our conversation ends because you're talking about updates from a waitlist perspective and the OP is talking about post-interview, pre-decision. Two different worlds. Plus, we totally got off topic anyway because OP wasn't even necessarily talking about updates. Just harassing the admissions office. Another question (or two) for you though: did you contact the admissions office post-interview, pre-decision? With updates or just to see how they were getting on with your application?

I would argue that it could hurt if the school you are interested in hounding does not look favorably on your advances. And that requires some sleuth work.

 

[amph119]

Yeah, I guess this is where our conversation ends because you're talking about updates from a waitlist perspective and the OP is talking about post-interview, pre-decision. Two different worlds. Plus, we totally got off topic anyway because OP wasn't even necessarily talking about updates. Just harassing the admissions office. Another question (or two) for you though: did you contact the admissions office post-interview, pre-decision? With updates or just to see how they were getting on with your application?

I would argue that it could hurt if the school you are interested in hounding does not look favorably on your advances. And that requires some sleuth work.

I gave them one update post-interview pre-decision that was also some sort of letter of interest type thing. Most everything else was after my decision.

 

[Broseph]

Not if the squeaky wheel had a lame secondary or an awkward interview or an application that in no way stood out to the admissions committee. My feeling is that these schools know what they want, and if they want to give you a chance, they will.

Well obviously if you dont have the goods it is not going to make a difference but as long as you arent annoying I have to believe that if it comes down to two people with similar credentials the one who expressed a lot of interest will prevail over the one who has not. If you can make yourself likable to the admissions folks (and not have them roll their eyes when they see you at the door) it cant hurt.

 

[deuce924]

I wonder if there's any thought on this, adcoms or applicants. Is it harmful to your chances to frequently check in on the status of your application with a school, drop by the admissions office to see if you've gone to committee etc. Is it better to keep your distance and let them do their job and assume they'll tell you when they need something or have something to tell you. I've been taking the second approach, never bothering staff and only contacting them twice to provide thank you and follow up emails to a presenter from interview day and one to the interviewer.

Alternatively do we think it makes no difference at all. Support staff don't sit on the adcom so it matters little how much of their time you soak up or do they note your file every time you call or stop in?

I think it is okay to update them with any new information for your application but I think that is about it. I think it can be harmful if you act like a tool and constantly bug them with questions.

As for the bold part of your statement, the "support staff" would be the one's I would probably be the nicest towards. It would suck if you pissed someone off and then all of the sudden your letter of intent got slipped between 2 filing cabinets. Don't think just because they don't sign your admission letter that they aren't important to the admissions process. Although I doubt very seriously that they note how often you call or anything

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

Well obviously if you dont have the goods it is not going to make a difference but as long as you arent annoying I have to believe that if it comes down to two people with similar credentials the one who expressed a lot of interest will prevail over the one who has not. If you can make yourself likable to the admissions folks (and not have them roll their eyes when they see you at the door) it cant hurt.

Some people are just good at hiding their contempt like that, so you may never know.

Someone help me out here. Do these admissions committees always take two applicants with similar credentials and ask who showed more interest? Why not take two applicants with similar stats and see who wrote a more eloquent PS? Or had a more revealing interview? To base it on who calls more or sends more updates but isn't overly annoying isn't easy or fair to that person who decided that they didn't want to be a bother to the committee and call or drop by with cookies every week. I personally don't like to impose, so will I, when I go up against an applicant with similar credentials, F my chances because I respected the admissions office and the ton of work they have to do?

Seriously, am I being too meek? Do I need to get on the phone right now?