Admissions decision inquiry etiquette?

[Anonymous Questioner]

I have heard back from many programs and am now considering my options of where I'll attend. There is, however, one program from which I have not yet heard anything. On the results board on this site, I have seen acceptances and rejections already posted from this program and the application guidelines indicate that I was to expect to hear back by late February. So my question is: Would it be uncouth of me at all to reach out and ask about my application status? Since they've already sent out at least some acceptances and rejections, I am worried that there is some mistake or something (ex. they've already rejected me and forgot to update my application status on the site, etc.). At this point, I just want to know so that I can decide between the offers I actually do have.

Thanks so much for reading!

[LolJustAdmitMe]

Nope! I think this is the perfect time to send a simple email inquiring your status. If you were asking in December/January, it’d be different but it’s March and most programs have or are soon sending out invites before digging into their waitlists. This is a great time to ask where you are in the application process!

[TakeruK]

Generally, the rule of thumb is if you have some other deadline to meet or if this information is the only thing preventing you from making your final decision, then it's a good idea to inquire.

It sounds like you have some offers to decide between plus you have this unknown school. So here's my suggestion: Spend the next few days to 1 week to consider the offers you already have in hand. If you only had those offers, where would you go? Make that decision in your mind. If there are any schools you will for sure not go to, decline those offers now (you don't have to hear back from every school before you can start sending declines). You can probably decline all but your top 2 choices at this point.

Then when you are basically ready to accept your current top choice, that would be a good time to ping the last school and find out where you stand. If you find out you're going to be rejected then you can accept that top choice and decline the 2nd choice. If you are still in the running, think about whether you even want to go to that school any more or if the offer you have in hand is more interesting to you. If you prefer the offer you have, then withdraw your application. Otherwise, wait. 

It might be the case that while you take the time to decide between the offers you have in hand, you'll find out the result of this last school too.

[Anonymous Questioner]

Brief follow up. I took the advice here, narrowed my search to two programs, then reached out to the remaining program--I received this as a response:

 

At the present time the program has not finalized a decision on your application; please follow up with the program directly.

Should I send a follow up email to the department? And, if so, does anyone know who I ought to contact? I had thought that I was contacting the program directly, but evidently I was wrong. Thanks so much for your responses!

[TakeruK]

On 3/5/2018 at 9:16 AM, Anonymous Questioner said:

Brief follow up. I took the advice here, narrowed my search to two programs, then reached out to the remaining program--I received this as a response:

 

At the present time the program has not finalized a decision on your application; please follow up with the program directly.

Should I send a follow up email to the department? And, if so, does anyone know who I ought to contact? I had thought that I was contacting the program directly, but evidently I was wrong. Thanks so much for your responses!

Yes, contact the department/program directly! 

Usually, I would start with any contact information listed on the department's "Prospective Students" or "Application information" pages. It is possible that many departments list the Graduate School's contact info here to avoid getting too many questions/emails. So, if that was what you tried or if that doesn't work, the next step is to look at the Department's staff listing and see if there is a person with a title like:

- Graduate Admissions Coordinator
- Graduate Admissions Secretary/Admin
- Graduate Coordinator

I'd go in that order (i.e. find people with "admissions" in their title first, then people with "graduate students" in their title).