writing emails to the schools

[klm]

Some people have said they've emailed the school to ask about their status. I hope this doesn't sound stupid, but what do people usually ask? Just: Can you tell me anything about the status of my application? Or something like that.

Also, when I hear about this, those people have usually been rejected. Has anyone ever been told they were accepted from emailing the school?

Thanks.

[Victory]

I wrote a short and to the point email yesterday to Penn. I basically asked...Am I complete? There is no way to tell on their application page. No response yet.

[pregasauraus]

I always picture them burning my application if I were to inquire about the status. I just have this feeling that programs get so many inquiries about applications that they use it as another weeding-out qualification. But that's probably the cynic in me. :wink:

[fuzzylogician]

I emailed one school that hasn't gotten back to me to ask about my status. I'm planning a trip to the states to visit the schools I've been accepted to and I needed to know if I'm still in the running and when a decision is likely to be made. I figured it couldn't hurt because it's a legitimate concern. If I don't get in I guess can always blame it on the email :roll:

[illinoisellie]

So I emailed one of my schools twice to make sure that my application was complete...

My reasoning was this: the online application system told me that I forgot to input recommenders and thought that maybe no one would look at the online application without the application saying that it was complete. Well, that's confusing, but long story...

I basically think, that as long as you ask if your app is complete, not about whether you got in or not or when the decision is being made, you should be okay. You're expressing interest and being thorough. Those are good things.

[vern23]

My friend recently emailed Texas A&M saying his online status showed he was still missing some items and he wanted to check the status. In their reply they not only said it was complete but told him he was accepted and that he would be receiving his packet in the mail in the next couple days.

[Phoenix Rising]

I always picture them burning my application if I were to inquire about the status. I just have this feeling that programs get so many inquiries about applications that they use it as another weeding-out qualification. But that's probably the cynic in me. :wink:

Ditto that. I keep having flashes of them tossing my app in the trash just because I inquired about status. Oh the paranoia! *sigh*

[jino]

Oh crap I've been pestering USC with 3 emails by now, and they haven't gotten back to me yet on any of them. Aaaargh

[tyler1]

I usually write e-mails about my status only if I've already heard through the grapevine that decisions have been made-- gradcafe is great for that. Then, no harm could be done.

[flaschenpost]

So have you emailed the dgs, or just the registrar/admissions office?

[Emma2003]

I emailed one school to check on my application materials. They had no update on their materials page for months, and I began to think that they might have never received my additional materials. (All three other schools sent me emails or updated my materials status.) I received the most frustratingly short and noncommittal email ever. Basically, all your materials have been received, they are already being reviewed. I guess it isn't terrible because they didn't tell me i was rejected, but it wasn't gushing either... :|

[flatcoat]

I waited until decisions were made, then emailed the grad secretary to ask if she would be able to tell me when they would be mailed out. She volunteered some info on my status, which was what I was hoping for.

[moleculeboy]

They are not going to weed your application out if you email the secretary for an update on your status. I think most people get a rejection when they ask because most people don't email until they know a bunch of other people have been accepted, which makes it highly probable that they have been rejected.

A good excuse for emailing them is that you are trying to decide where to visit.

[vern23]

I really want to email because i'm so sick of not hearing but I'm just too scared; scared of then being told I'm rejected, scared of annoying people, scared of no response/waiting for forever for a response. I feel like it might be too soon. If i don't hear of any of the schools by like first week of march I might email a few

[abolitionista]

I'm way too afraid to inquire about my status. If I'm going to be rejected I'd rather just wait until that time comes. I emailed a department yesterday because I am visiting a professor tomorrow and wanted to stop in for a quick visit with the advisor. I received an immediate response and when I peered at the first line that said "I'm sorry but..." my heart froze and hit the floor. I went on to see the sentence completed with "... the office is closed on Friday but give me a call because I might be in at some point. If that doesn't work lets reschedule" Yeah so I'd rather wait it out.