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Email Pokes

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:16 pm
by Scholar
Hey all, I want to email to ask about my application status at a few places that I know have released decisions. Is this frowned upon? What do these kinds of emails usually say?

Re: Email Pokes

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:49 pm
by Helpmepls
Idk if it's frowned upon. Tbh I've just been sending them lately. Whenever I've gotten an offer from the place, they won't respond to the email. I recently, however, sent an email to Rutgers and they wrote back saying there was a chance but not a high one.

Re: Email Pokes

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 8:00 pm
by newtonjeep
What seems to be best way of emailing? Like, do you include you've received other offers, etc...

Re: Email Pokes

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:40 pm
by veenzaan
I've mailed 3 places recently - a couple of them gave some nice responses. I just wrote - "I just wanted to ask if there is any update for my application, and if there is any estimate as to when the decisions will be sent."

Got to know that two places has already sent first round offers (WUSTL and UF), that WUSTL is taking v few students so shouldn't expect much, and then a day later got a mail for a video call at UF.

(Edit: Turns out a person declined at UF a day after my mail and they contacted me right away. I'm not sure if my expression of interest meant anything in terms of where I was in the waitlist)

At the same time I had also mailed to UIUC and they just said there is no update yet, in case they get something they will send a mail.

For WUSTL and UF, these were the respective Graduate Studies Directors replying through their own mail IDs, while for UIUC it was 'Math Graduate Advising' that I got a reply from - I believe the latter type would generally not give much information.

Re: Email Pokes

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 10:25 pm
by Helpmepls
newtonjeep wrote:
Wed Feb 22, 2023 8:00 pm
What seems to be best way of emailing? Like, do you include you've received other offers, etc...
I do not include offers if I'm inquiring about my admission. If I were admitted, however, and was trying to negotiate nearer to the end of the process I would mention other offers as a last-ditch effort: for example,

"university x has offered y, for financial reason i find myself drawn to choose them, however, your university is my first choice. Is there any way that my financial package could be supplemented?"

Please do keep in mind with the above though, we're really at their mercy. We don't have a lot of bargaining power even the very best of us (imo).

Re: Email Pokes

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 5:14 am
by 18sama20
How long should it lapse after the application deadline before which sending an email to the schools would be considered impolite?

Re: Email Pokes

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:46 am
by FieldsMedalist
18sama20 wrote:
Fri Feb 24, 2023 5:14 am
How long should it lapse after the application deadline before which sending an email to the schools would be considered impolite?
1 month is not bad.