idol.chatter Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I know it's still really early in the game, but I wanted to go ahead and and ask for a heads-up regarding e-mailing a specific department to request your admission status. I'm assuming one would be doing this because they know that folks have been accepted or waitlisted, and they haven't heard anything yet. What's the protocol for this? Do I e-mail the department generally? Do I e-mail a professor with whom I had previous contact? What exactly would that e-mail say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattDest Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 If you want to know your status, I think it's protocol to either ask the department staff or the DGS. I know you qualified your post with "it's still early in the game", but I would stress to others who might be reading: do not do this. Unless it seems that all other acceptances/waitlists/rejections have been handed out and you haven't heard anything, just wait until the decisions are made. Cottagecheeseman and PerpetualApplicant No More 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idol.chatter Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Haha. I love your formatting on the request not to e-mail them. I agree that it seems crazy, and I wasn't even really considering it, except my advisor actually suggested it to me. I was trusting, albeit hesitantly, in his recommendation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idol.chatter Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Though, to be honest, I'm a little curious about the severity which with you told us not to do it. What exactly is the reason? While I get that you could still be in the running and therefore such an e-mail would be unproductive, would sending such an e-mail ruin your chances or something? Are adcoms so spiteful that they would drop you from a waiting list for being insatiably curious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottagecheeseman Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Yeah, unless you've seen rejections, wait-lists, and acceptances go out and haven't heard anything I would say it's a bad idea to contact them. Let them do their thing, but make sure they have your application, or whatever, which you can probably do online at most places now adays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattDest Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Though, to be honest, I'm a little curious about the severity which with you told us not to do it. What exactly is the reason? While I get that you could still be in the running and therefore such an e-mail would be unproductive, would sending such an e-mail ruin your chances or something? Are adcoms so spiteful that they would drop you from a waiting list for being insatiably curious? I think my formatting definitely overplays the severity that I meant to say it with. I don't think it would have any impact on your admissions whatsoever - unless you were e-mailing people incessantly enough that they got fed up. I've just been told by my advisors that it's not worth doing unless it's really close to the deadline, or you have information that other applicants have gotten news about a/w/r. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idol.chatter Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 I think my formatting definitely overplays the severity that I meant to say it with. I don't think it would have any impact on your admissions whatsoever - unless you were e-mailing people incessantly enough that they got fed up. I've just been told by my advisors that it's not worth doing unless it's really close to the deadline, or you have information that other applicants have gotten news about a/w/r. Gotcha. It's certainly understandable, and I appreciate the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianfaircloud Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) If you want to know your status, I think it's protocol to either ask the department staff or the DGS. I know you qualified your post with "it's still early in the game", but I would stress to others who might be reading: do not do this. Unless it seems that all other acceptances/waitlists/rejections have been handed out and you haven't heard anything, just wait until the decisions are made. [Never mind. I've been told this post was in bad taste.] Edited February 10, 2014 by ianfaircloud Coggy and MattDest 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianfaircloud Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (for the record, I think this was a perfectly legitimate and reasonable question to ask, given the circumstances. but I couldn't pass up the opportunity.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandajune Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 How close to the deadline would all of you let it get before contacting a department asking about admissions decisions? It's far to early to really worry about this, but I know I would not feel comfortable accepting an offer from a program if I didn't have an opportunity to visit first. If it gets too close to the deadline, you'll run out of time to schedule a visit, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattDest Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 [Never mind. I've been told this post was in bad taste.] I thought it was funny! ianfaircloud and Coggy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar_scene_gambler Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Man! Now I feel out of the loop. ianfaircloud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narziss Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) I honestly don't see any problem in contacting a department to check on admissions status, but I'd personally only do so if it was for one or two specific departments that I was especially waiting to hear back from. If anyone has any issues about it, it is probably because they think demanding such attention may be somewhat selfish, but I don't see the problem. I did so twice when I applied last year and in one case was informed of an impeding rejection and in another case of an impending admission. Edited February 11, 2014 by Narziss idol.chatter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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