Schmoozing the adcoms - Good idea?

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

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So I was pleasantly surprised when an adcom at Pritzer talked to me for a good 20 minutes over my post-bacc decision on the phone.

It was a spur of the moment decision, and now I'm thinking to just start calling all the schools I want to one day get into and find out who's who, and maybe get them jabbering on the phone or via email every so often.

Followed up by little thank you cards or other bribes of gratitude that the broke have to resort to. (Can't exactly send a bottle of Clichot just yet)

So...is that kind of relationship-building wise or detrimental in the long run? I mean, it will be the long run when and if I apply and it will definitely make them remember me.

She did say keep in touch and call back if I had any more questions.

Thoughts? Has anyone else done this? Do you think it helped? Or would said adcom have to excuse himself/herself from the admissions committee if on the off-chance he or she remembered the name of the applicant who came across her pile?

 

[NotaCop]

Send flowers and you're guaranteed an interview.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

I feel like many may get annoyed if you are not even applying this cycle... Your call though

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

I feel like many may get annoyed if you are not even applying this cycle... Your call though

I feel like medical school application is a marathon and every decision and every choice you make along the way has a bearing on your competency as an applicant. Not everyone is still in UG. Nontrads have to make careful choices and sacrifices. I don't think asking for input on these choices is annoying. It's much better than asking on here. If they get annoyed, they don't have to answer the phone or respond.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

@NotaCop what kind? lol

 

[Glazedonutlove]

I feel like medical school application is a marathon and every decision and every choice you make along the way has a bearing on your competency as an applicant. Not everyone is still in UG. Nontrads have to make careful choices and sacrifices. I don't think asking for input on these choices is annoying. It's much better than asking on here. If they get annoyed, they don't have to answer the phone or respond.

Okay, but to be honest there are thousands and thousands of applicants and while a 20 minute conversation may seem memorable to you I doubt it is to them. Medical schools want the best students, not who they remember from phone calls. Maybe @Goro can give better advice

 

[Fedekz]

Calling med schools out of the blue to chit chat sounds like an absolutely awful idea.

 

[gyngyn]

We are getting really tired of "special" applicants.

 

[tenblackalps]

Your call though

😀

 

[claduva94]

If you think that won't be transparent you are dead wrong.

 

[CatFactorial]

bahaha I felt honored by the Pritzker rejection after having a very nice convo with an adcom.

 

[cantankerous]

I thought adcoms cycle, so there's an off chance that all that work will go into an adcom who isn't doing it the year you apply.

 

[CatFactorial]

Calling med schools out of the blue to chit chat sounds like an absolutely awful idea.

But incredibly entertaining. Hell, I'd like to call some up right now to shoot the ****.

 

[ImmunoLove]

My understanding is that at many institutions, an adcom in such a situation (even one who "knows your story over the phone") would have to recuse themselves from your app decision.

 

[piii]

Careful you don't delude yourself with these "shortcuts" op

 

[Syns]

Having the very occasional prospective applicant, usually a nontrad, who has made some effort in getting guidance prior to applying being known a bit by adcom staff has helped some in the past. However, the few legitimate and sincere candidates are easy to spot over the ones with oddly darkly tinged noses and legs with dirt stains around the patellas.

Casual sexism isn't funny; do you agree?

@breezy16 @jaxon

 

[LizzyM]

Casual sexism isn't funny; do you agree?

@breezy16 @jaxon

How is that sexism?? Both men and women have patellas.

 

[deleted393595]

We are getting really tired of "special" applicants.

But what if we give you some chocolate? Everybody loves chocolate!!! (Unless you're diabetic 🙁 )

 

[Glazedonutlove]

I am sure that every admission office in the country had at least one large flower bouquet delivered with generic thanks to the staff from an applicant

I assume they got an automatic acceptance with full scholarship

 

[Catalystik]

I thought adcoms cycle, so there's an off chance that all that work will go into an adcom who isn't doing it the year you apply.

Each year a few may come and a few may drop off, but for the most part, we're a committed bunch who stick around for years, or even decades.

 

[ImmunoLove]

I feel like medical school application is a marathon and every decision and every choice you make along the way has a bearing on your competency as an applicant. Not everyone is still in UG. Nontrads have to make careful choices and sacrifices. I don't think asking for input on these choices is annoying. It's much better than asking on here. If they get annoyed, they don't have to answer the phone or respond.

Generally I think adcoms are quite friendly and want to help. Calling and asking for input when legitimate and genuine is different than calling under the guise of seeking advice with the goal of establishing a strategic rapport. More importantly, it comes off different too.

The guys at Pritzker are really really nice. I'd argue most schools are not as consistently kind and sweet and willing to ease prospective applicants' anxiety to the extent or with the regularity as do the folks at Pritzker (can't blame the other guys--I just mean to share that I too was moved by Pritzker's kindness). As a nontrad, I understand wanting to get some input, and you should feel free to seek advice, but make sure it's genuine. Also be warned that while in some cases you'll get some good advice, it might also backfire on you (even when you're genuine).

 

[jl lin]

So I was pleasantly surprised when an adcom at Pritzer talked to me for a good 20 minutes over my post-bacc decision on the phone.

It was a spur of the moment decision, and now I'm thinking to just start calling all the schools I want to one day get into and find out who's who, and maybe get them jabbering on the phone or via email every so often.

Followed up by little thank you cards or other bribes of gratitude that the broke have to resort to. (Can't exactly send a bottle of Clichot just yet)

So...is that kind of relationship-building wise or detrimental in the long run? I mean, it will be the long run when and if I apply and it will definitely make them remember me.

She did say keep in touch and call back if I had any more questions.

Thoughts? Has anyone else done this? Do you think it helped? Or would said adcom have to excuse himself/herself from the admissions committee if on the off-chance he or she remembered the name of the applicant who came across her pile?

And those that occasion or frequent here at SDN are supposed to believe this is a serious post? Do the words gauche and presumptuous mean anything to you?

 

[ImmunoLove]

Apparently @Syns needs more exposure to worldly concepts in a diverse society. Not too mention a skill, at least conceptually, that will be important for advancement from med student to intern to resident

Haha. Yeah (queue slurping In the wing of Zock)

 

[jl lin]

Calling med schools out of the blue to chit chat sounds like an absolutely awful idea.

Not to mention, completely ridiculous.

 

[Goro]

I routinely advise people to go visit their local DO schools and chat up the DO faculty. My own colleagues seem to like this.

But gyngyn has mentioned that to him, it seems like stalking.

So don't do it for MD schools.

So I was pleasantly surprised when an adcom at Pritzer talked to me for a good 20 minutes over my post-bacc decision on the phone.
She did say keep in touch and call back if I had any more questions.

Thoughts? Has anyone else done this? Do you think it helped? Or would said adcom have to excuse himself/herself from the admissions committee if on the off-chance he or she remembered the name of the applicant who came across her pile?

Sexism??? Syns, density is a concept from physics; it shouldn't be a DSM-V disorder. So pay attention:

brown-nose
informal
verb
gerund or present participle: brownnosing

1. curry favor with (someone) by acting in an obsequious way.
   "pre-meds were brown-nosing the Adcom members"

Casual sexism isn't funny; do you agree?

@breezy16 @jaxon

Apparently @Syns needs more exposure to worldly concepts in a diverse society. Not too mention a skill, at least conceptually, that will be important for advancement from med student to intern to resident

 

[jl lin]

It seems clear that genuine questions of inquiry versus the need to wear knee pads are two very different things. 🙂

 

[MrLogan13]

Casual sexism isn't funny; do you agree?

@breezy16 @jaxon

Sexism? Brown nosing isn't a gender-specific thing.

 

[Syns]

Having the very occasional prospective applicant, usually a nontrad, who has made some effort in getting guidance prior to applying being known a bit by adcom staff has helped some in the past. However, the few legitimate and sincere candidates are easy to spot over the ones with oddly darkly tinged noses and legs with dirt stains around the patellas.

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

@LizzyM Not sure if you actually trying to pass this one by with a comment like that: Did I wipe the server, 'like with a cloth or something'?
@Goro Just yikes. I had more respect for you before this post.

Seems all the adcoms came to the defense of this questionable post from Gonnif. That's unfortunate.

 

[ImmunoLove]

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

@LizzyM Not sure if you actually trying to pass this one by with a comment like that: Did I wipe the server, 'like with a cloth or something'?
@Goro Just yikes. I had more respect for you before this post.

Seems all the adcoms came to the defense of this questionable post from Gonnif. That's unfortunate.

I see why you would think fallatio, but he mentions "darkly tinged nose" which suggests brown nosing. Also, I might add that if you ignore the nose comment, there's no way to distinguish fallatio and cunnilingus...And so it's still not sexism per se...

 

[Syns]

How is that sexism?? Both men and women have patellas.

The implication is clear. Give oral sex to the person in power, a man.

I see why you would think fallacio, but he mentions "darkly tinged nose" which suggests brown nosing. Also, I might add that if you ignore the nose comment, there's no way to distinguish fallacio and cunnilingus...And so it's still not sexism per se...

Although I agree cunnilingus can be performed in a similar position, "dirty on the sluts knees" is a throwback to years and years of disrespect towards women.

 

[p0gono]

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

@LizzyM Not sure if you actually trying to pass this one by with a comment like that: Did I wipe the server, 'like with a cloth or something'?
@Goro Just yikes. I had more respect for you before this post.

Seems all the adcoms came to the defense of this questionable post from Gonnif. That's unfortunate.

Fellatio seems to be the most obvious allusion here with the patellas, but maybe @gonnif was still talking about brown-nosing. As in, your nose is up the who-ha of someone standing up and so you're going to need to rest yourself on the knees, ergonomically speaking.

 

[Syns]

Weird, causal heteronormative assumption that fellatio can't be performed on or by both sexes.

The sexism isn't the act, it is the acted on. You are missing the point.

Fellatio seems to be the most obvious allusion here with the patellas, but maybe @gonnif was still talking about brown-nosing. As in, your nose is up the who-ha of someone standing up and so you're going to need to rest yourself on the knees, ergonomically speaking.

There can be a million interpretations. I yield to Occam's razor.

 

[ImmunoLove]

oh brother...here we go...

 

[jl lin]

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

@LizzyM Not sure if you actually trying to pass this one by with a comment like that: Did I wipe the server, 'like with a cloth or something'?
@Goro Just yikes. I had more respect for you before this post.

Seems all the adcoms came to the defense of this questionable post from Gonnif. That's unfortunate.

Hmmm, as the way of politics goes--and indeed politics is in all things--some perhaps would appreciate such genuflecting or "what not." Those with some authentic integrity, at least in my view, would care less and just focus on the application/applicant as a whole. Of course the pre-screening is a reality with which applicants must contend.

I would be lying, however, if I said I have not seen people get ahead by ingratiating themselves to others. It's an approach whereby one would feel somewhat slimy, but personally, I would also lose respect for the person who was the recipient of such obeisance, as well as for fear over maintaining my own sense of self-respect.

 

[Terry Toma]

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

If fellatio results in a "darkly tinged nose," you might be doing it wrong.

 

[jl lin]

oh brother...here we go...

Haha! LOL.

Oh for God's sake. Who cares on the particulars re: ingratiating oneself to others? If chocolates or otherwise, it's still ridiculous. It undermines the spirit of fairness, good manners, and mutual respect.

 

[Syns]

The point is that you're playing the microagression card by making heteronormative or misogynistic assumptions about his point. Either you think only women can perform fellatio or you think only men can be ADCOMS. See, we can all play the offended game!

I am guilty of making those assumptions. I maintain I still am unconvinced of the alternative.

 

[jl lin]

If fellatio results in a "darkly tinged nose," you might be doing it wrong.

🤣

 

[efle]

Even if the patella comment referred to oral sex (which it clearly didn't, Occam's razor points towards it pairing with the dark nose --> brown nosing), the negative implication would be that the applicant uses favors instead of merit to get ahead, not that the applicant lacks power/body autonomy...

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

Generally I think adcoms are quite friendly and want to help. Calling and asking for input when legitimate and genuine is different than calling under the guise of seeking advice with the goal of establishing a strategic rapport. More importantly, it comes off different too.

The guys at Pritzker are really really nice. I'd argue most schools are not as consistently kind and sweet and willing to ease prospective applicants' anxiety to the extent or with the regularity as do the folks at Pritzker (can't blame the other guys--I just mean to share that I too was moved by Pritzker's kindness). As a nontrad, I understand wanting to get some input, and you should feel free to seek advice, but make sure it's genuine. Also be warned that while in some cases you'll get some good advice, it might also backfire on you (even when you're genuine).

Whoa...um ok. Not sure how or why this thread got off-track.

1. I called Pritzer to ask about my post-bacc plans because I am freaking out and don't have mentors and I am nontrad.

2. I called Pritzer specifically because I went to high school at UofC Lab and felt a connection and because Pritzer is supposedly a really good school.

3. I called Pritzer because North Park didn't have any info on where their pre-health students matriculated, so I wanted to see if med schools in Chicago even knew about NP.

4. It wasn't a planned thing - and I was super surprised the person I spoke to - A LADY BY THE WAY - took the time to talk to me. And I wasn't initially thinking about establishing a rapport, but SHE suggested I call some schools in California or elsewhere to see what their stance was on my post-bacc plans and SHE said to call back if I had any more questions. I fully expected to get blown off. I was pleasantly surprised.

5. I skimmed over the responses in this thread mostly because I was...astounded by the...ahem...comments, but wow. I have no words.

6. I'm too broke to wine and dine adcoms. If calling once in a while and sending please and thank you emails is kissing a** or sucking c*** then that explains the mentality behind many of the posts I see on SDN. Maybe some of the pre-meds and medical students who post here could learn to be a bit nicer and more polite and respect to each other, adcoms, and their patients.

I am still in touch with my honors advisor from USC when I matriculated when I was 16. I believe she was pivotal in my success in undergrad and even applying while in hs, now that I think about it. All of life is about the relationships and connections you forge. I simply asked how adcoms looked at establishing relationships.

The former director of admissions at Loyola Stritch - turned pre-health advisor at a small school in Chicago - shared with me (unsolicited) that she regrets the students who used her for admissions but she enjoyed getting to know and help applicants matriculate into Loyola-Stritch. Some of whom she later regretted helping when it was obvious they were just using her to get in and didn't stay in touch.

I am quite sure I am fully capable of getting in on merit. It's just nice to hear that from the adcoms directors' mouths (as well as how best to prepare myself to have the most competitive application I can) and not just from a bunch of anonymous people on SDN.

Thanks for all of your help.

 

[jl lin]

I am guilty of making those assumptions. I maintain I still am unconvinced of the alternative.

The point of the thread was to get feedback on ingratiating oneself to adcoms. Presumably, we are all adults here. The issue in not on any particular metaphor or commonly understood hyperbole. It was on the uncalled deference, leading to what can only be seen as an unfair advantage of one person over another--and the dubious behavior of the one taking advantage of such behaviors. It is insulting all the way around, regardless of metaphor usage.

 

[piii]

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

@LizzyM Not sure if you actually trying to pass this one by with a comment like that: Did I wipe the server, 'like with a cloth or something'?
@Goro Just yikes. I had more respect for you before this post.

Seems all the adcoms came to the defense of this questionable post from Gonnif. That's unfortunate.

Believe it or not, men can give fellatio too. Wow gender bias much?

 

[jl lin]

Whoa...um ok. Not sure how or why this thread got off-track.

1. I called Pritzer to ask about my post-bacc plans because I am freaking out and don't have mentors and I am nontrad.
2. I called Pritzer specifically because I went to high school at UofC Lab and felt a connection and because Pritzer is supposedly a really good school.
3. I called Pritzer because North Park didn't have any info on where their pre-health students matriculated, so I wanted to see if med schools in Chicago even knew about NP.
4. It wasn't a planned thing - and I was super surprised the Associate Dean - A LADY BY THE WAY - took the time to talk to me. And I'm not talking about establishing a rapport, but SHE suggested I call some schools in California or elsewhere to see what their stance was on my post-bacc plans.
5. I skimmed over the responses in this thread mostly because I was blown away by the...ahem...comments, but wow. I have no words.
6. I'm too broke to wine and dine adcoms. If calling once in a while and sending please and thank you emails is kissing a** or sucking c*** then that explains the mentality behind many of the assinine posts I see here. I am still in touch with my advisor from USC when I matriculated when I was 16. I believe she was pivotal in my success in undergrad and even applying while in hs, now that I think about it. All of life is about the relationships and connections you forge.
7. Y'all need Jesus. (I'm only half-kidding here. Seriously, wow.)

Your initial communications may well have been unplanned and genuine. Your questioning that followed the beginning of your statement seems to say, "Hey. Maybe this is a good way to ingratiate oneself to adcom members?"

The line is drawn where one falls away from genuine authenticity in order to seek advantage. (The redundancy is there for clarity and emphasis.) That is the decorum I would suggest.

Yes, networking can be a good thing. One, however, must be careful not to overstep or be insincere or in some way be manipulative. That's all I am saying.

 

[jaxon]

Whoa...um ok. Not sure how or why this thread got off-track.

Some people doth love being offended by everything, me thinks.

 

[MrLogan13]

If you want to bypass the bolded portion of gonnif's statement and dismiss the casual sexism of comparing brown nosing to fallacio.

@LizzyM Not sure if you actually trying to pass this one by with a comment like that: Did I wipe the server, 'like with a cloth or something'?
@Goro Just yikes. I had more respect for you before this post.

Seems all the adcoms came to the defense of this questionable post from Gonnif. That's unfortunate.

Did you miss the part about darkly tinged noses?

 

[ImmunoLove]

Whoa...um ok. Not sure how or why this thread got off-track.

1. I called Pritzer to ask about my post-bacc plans because I am freaking out and don't have mentors and I am nontrad.

2. I called Pritzer specifically because I went to high school at UofC Lab and felt a connection and because Pritzer is supposedly a really good school.

3. I called Pritzer because North Park didn't have any info on where their pre-health students matriculated, so I wanted to see if med schools in Chicago even knew about NP.

4. It wasn't a planned thing - and I was super surprised the person I spoke to - A LADY BY THE WAY - took the time to talk to me. And I wasn't initially thinking about establishing a rapport, but SHE suggested I call some schools in California or elsewhere to see what their stance was on my post-bacc plans and SHE said to call back if I had any more questions. I fully expected to get blown off. I was pleasantly surprised.

5. I skimmed over the responses in this thread mostly because I was...astounded by the...ahem...comments, but wow. I have no words.

6. I'm too broke to wine and dine adcoms. If calling once in a while and sending please and thank you emails is kissing a** or sucking c*** then that explains the mentality behind many of the asinine posts I see on SDN.

I am still in touch with my honors advisor from USC when I matriculated when I was 16. I believe she was pivotal in my success in undergrad and even applying while in hs, now that I think about it. All of life is about the relationships and connections you forge. I simply asked how adcoms looked at establishing relationships. The former director of admissions at Loyola Stritch - turned pre-health advisor at a small school in Chicago - shared with me (unsolicited) that she regrets the students who used her for admissions but she enjoyed getting to know and help applicants matriculate into Loyola-Stritch. Some of whom she later regretted helping when it was obvious they were just using her to get in and didn't stay in touch.

Thanks for all of your help.

Well, it sounds like you called Pritzker genuinely (which is what I had thought, too), and that's wonderful to hear they were helpful. I only meant to suggest that not all schools are as helpful. Again, as a nontrad myself, guidance is hard to come by, and I'm sure we both appreciate any tips we can along the way. I didn't mean to offend you...sorry.

Also, you prolly either spoke to Sylvia or Holly (dean). Both are really nice. I met some students from there and they're really nice too. Actually, I don't think I've ever met a more friendly bunch of folks.

 

[ImmunoLove]

Your initial communications may well have been unplanned and genuine. Your questioning that followed the beginning of your statement seems to say, "Hey. Maybe this is a good way to ingratiate oneself to adcom members?"

The line is drawn where one falls away from genuine authenticity in order to seek advantage. (The redundancy is there for clarity and emphasis.) That is the decorum I would suggest.

Yes, networking can be a good thing. One, however, must be careful not to overstep or be insincere or in some way be manipulative. That's all I am saying.

That's what I meant. I'm glad you said it better than I did (apparently--oops).

 

[MrLogan13]

Fellatio seems to be the most obvious allusion here with the patellas, but maybe @gonnif was still talking about brown-nosing. As in, your nose is up the who-ha of someone standing up and so you're going to need to rest yourself on the knees, ergonomically speaking.

It's not the most obvious allusion here because of the reference to the darkly tinged noses, which is an obvious allusion to brown nosing. Unless you know of some way to perform fellatio that results in darkly tinged noses.

 

[KatniP]

Whoa...um ok. Not sure how or why this thread got off-track.

1. I called Pritzer to ask about my post-bacc plans because I am freaking out and don't have mentors and I am nontrad.

2. I called Pritzer specifically because I went to high school at UofC Lab and felt a connection and because Pritzer is supposedly a really good school.

3. I called Pritzer because North Park didn't have any info on where their pre-health students matriculated, so I wanted to see if med schools in Chicago even knew about NP.

4. It wasn't a planned thing - and I was super surprised the person I spoke to - A LADY BY THE WAY - took the time to talk to me. And I wasn't initially thinking about establishing a rapport, but SHE suggested I call some schools in California or elsewhere to see what their stance was on my post-bacc plans and SHE said to call back if I had any more questions. I fully expected to get blown off. I was pleasantly surprised.

5. I skimmed over the responses in this thread mostly because I was...astounded by the...ahem...comments, but wow. I have no words.

6. I'm too broke to wine and dine adcoms. If calling once in a while and sending please and thank you emails is kissing a** or sucking c*** then that explains the mentality behind many of the asinine posts I see on SDN.

I am still in touch with my honors advisor from USC when I matriculated when I was 16. I believe she was pivotal in my success in undergrad and even applying while in hs, now that I think about it. All of life is about the relationships and connections you forge. I simply asked how adcoms looked at establishing relationships. The former director of admissions at Loyola Stritch - turned pre-health advisor at a small school in Chicago - shared with me (unsolicited) that she regrets the students who used her for admissions but she enjoyed getting to know and help applicants matriculate into Loyola-Stritch. Some of whom she later regretted helping when it was obvious they were just using her to get in and didn't stay in touch.

Thanks for all of your help.

Although half of these posts are irrelevant/off-topic, albeit hilarious to read, I will try to answer your original post/question!

Very simple, use your judgment. Establishing relationships is important as we all know, and if you have a certain tie to the school or affiliation or whatever, I think it's a great idea to call to learn more about the school and talk with them about opportunities, your application, goals, etc. Most of the people in this thread are merely saying that no, it's not a good idea to randomly call up a school you're applying to and ask to chit chat. Most AdComs probably have a ton of people calling every day to ask them questions about programs, applications, issues, etc., so I think being genuine is the best you can do. If somebody really affected your life that much by assisting you, maybe follow-up with a nice email or card saying you appreciate all of their help and for them taking the time to help you. But again, it's your call.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

lol of course this thread would take the direction it did