Reaching out/Visits

[rojodo]

Hey everybody,

I applied to a program at UCLA. While they haven't made decisions yet, I applied to a similar program at Berkeley where the chair informed me that I was one of their top applicants (unfortunately I was rejected due to the very small cohort they did accept :/). By the looks of it, UCLA won't send out their admissions decisions until late February to March, but it sounds like that I have a good chance of being accepted.

I was planning on visiting my partner in the area this February, and I am considering touching base with the PIs I applied to work with to see if I could speak with them. I'd like a feel for their campus and to meet some people from the program one-to-one just in the case that I am accepted. Note that this program doesn't do interviews.

Would it be appropriate to do this? In the past, I've gotten good results by reaching out to my POIs but I don't know if asking about a visit is coming on too strong. It could be beneficial as well...Any thoughts?

[agrizz]

If done delicately and without ingratiation, I can't imagine that this would be a bad idea.

[rojodo]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll do that today.

[rojodo]

One of the advisers thought it was a good idea and offered some times he could be able to meet! Should I also contact the admissions office as well to notify them that I'll be coming by? I'm nervous that they'll decide to have an interview after all, and it'll be after I come by to visit?