How to ask admissions staff for re-application advice

[trippp]

hello all. i applied to bioinformatics phd programs this year. while i have not yet received a rejection letter from my top choices, i do know that admissions decisions have already gone out. i'm operating under the assumption that i am not going to get into my top choices (this year).

the question for me becomes how i ask the admissions committee about deficiencies in my application and how to correct them for a re-application. my story is somewhat complicated by the fact that i was admitted into MIT two years ago but had to defer my application due to personal reasons. so clearly, i know i have the grades/test scores/etc to get in. in the intervening years, i have worked as a software engineer at a top biotech company in the san francisco bay area.

can you guys give me advice about asking the schools why i didn't get in and how to improve my chances when i re-apply?

cheers.

[emmm]

I think it's a bit early to assume you aren't going to get in to any of your top choices. If that should happen, however, you could send polite emails. The programs may or may not respond. You might get better results if you are able to go in person and speak with people, but that might not be possible for you.

[trippp]

yes, speaking to them face to face likely won't be possible.

my main concern is that i won't get any information on which aspects of my application they did not like.

Edited January 2, 2012 by trippp

[Hillary Emick]

I sent a simple email to both my POI and the department chair (who I'd had some exchanges with) at the school I was rejected at asking for some frank feedback on the deficiencies in my application materials so I could develop a more competitive package next year. It didn't seem they thought it was an outrageous request and they were encouraging.