One of the qualities business schools look for in applicants is good judgment. One way to sabotage your b-school candidacy is to display an utter lack of common sense in your interaction with the admissions office.
I was reminded of that recently when I read a question that someone had posted to one of the top b-school’s admissions message boards. The question was about something very specific to the applicant – no one else was likely to have the same problem or to be interested in its resolution. The question was both personal and time-sensitive, regarding when the applicant would learn of his/her application outcome.
This is not the kind of question you should post to a message board. For one thing, you’re not likely to get the prompt answer you need. Admissions staff aren’t monitoring the boards 24/7 for urgent queries from applicants. You’re probably just going to annoy whoever does wind up responding to your question by the implication that they should have spotted and answered your question sooner.
Secondly, you undercut your chances of getting the answer you want when you ask a personal question like this in a public forum. The schools are more likely to make a ‘quiet exception’ to their normal procedures for a considerate applicant. This person put the school in the position of potentially having to say “no” for everyone to see.
If you have an admissions question like this, either email the admissions office or, better yet, pick up the phone and call. You’ll not only get the information you need sooner, but you’ll look like someone who understands how an office works.