Will schools email us if they need additional documents or we need to keep checking the online application?

[Misayalion]

I am getting paranoid of this because this is my first time applying to grad school. Could someone who has been through this answer this question? Thanks a lot!

[TammyTams]

Depends on the school! A few of the schools I applied too (they were much smaller programs btw) sent out weekly this-is-what-youre-missing emails but I'm pretty sure they're automatically done by the system. I did notice that the larger, more popular schools did not. Regardless, most schools leave it up to you to send everything in and follow-up via email if something is missing (1. Thats unless they tell you to not email them, then don't. OK State flat out posts a notice saying they won't answer emails and 2. Just last week I had to email a department to hunt down my GRE scores. It took 2 days for them to find them but if I didn't follow up then I probably wouldn't have been considered this round.)

[Misayalion]

13 minutes ago, TammyTams said:

Depends on the school! A few of the schools I applied too (they were much smaller programs btw) sent out weekly this-is-what-youre-missing emails but I'm pretty sure they're automatically done by the system. I did notice that the larger, more popular schools did not. Regardless, most schools leave it up to you to send everything in and follow-up via email if something is missing (1. Thats unless they tell you to not email them, then don't. OK State flat out posts a notice saying they won't answer emails and 2. Just last week I had to email a department to hunt down my GRE scores. It took 2 days for them to find them but if I didn't follow up then I probably wouldn't have been considered this round.)

Thanks. My question is how I would know if something is missing tho. Do I have to email them? The more popular schools are pretty bad at responding to emails....For example,  my GRE result was sent by ETS. Do I have to check with the schools that they received it? 

[TammyTams]

10 minutes ago, Misayalion said:

Thanks. My question is how I would know if something is missing tho. Do I have to email them? The more popular schools are pretty bad at responding to emails....For example,  my GRE result was sent by ETS. Do I have to check with the schools that they received it? 

Sorry for talking right past your question but usually the online portal (that you may have to set up via a link once the school processes your submitted application) will update you once they receive your GRE from ETS. BUT there were two schools I did have to email after a few weeks bc the portal SWORE they had yet to receive my scores and after a few emails to the department they were able to find the scores. So yes, if you notice there is something that is still not logged on the online portal, despite having sent it weeks ago, email them bc chances are it's laying around in the office unnoticed. Hopefully I answered your question this time!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

I'd also check that your online portals list GRE scores (not all of mine do). One of my schools sent me an email a couple weeks back that they were missing my GRE scores (which were sent electronically back in October). Their portal doesn't list the GRE so I would have had no way of knowing they were missing if they didn't email me. :/

[Misayalion]

11 minutes ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

I'd also check that your online portals list GRE scores (not all of mine do). One of my schools sent me an email a couple weeks back that they were missing my GRE scores (which were sent electronically back in October). Their portal doesn't list the GRE so I would have had no way of knowing they were missing if they didn't email me. :/

Thanks. My problem is I sent GRE score before I submitted my application, which I think is  fine. As a result, it probably takes some days for them to match the score with my profile. I think I am just being paranoid here......

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Allow a few days to a week if the scores were sent electronically. My issue is there was a name discrepancy that kept my scores from being automatically uploaded to my app. I'm still working on it. x]