Emailing Departments while Applying--Bad?

happymomof1
Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:42:01 +0000

It is entirely appropriate to contact the department you intend to major in. If you plan a campus visit, you should try to tour that department and/or meet with the department’s student advisor. You will learn a lot about the department and will have a better idea about whether you really want to study there.

Since most departments don’t read your applications (except for some specific scholarships), there is no point in being a pest. Aim for polite and interested, rather than neurotic or pushy.