Out-of-the-blue email from adrep

<p>No, Plainsman, your first instinct was right. There’s nothing random about it. Department chairs are invited to send letters to applicants who have indicated an interest in that department. These are not “love letters,” or indications of likely admission: in most cases they are sent before the application has been read or considered. They are simply intended to give applicants more information about areas of study in which the admissions office has reason to believe the applicant is interested.</p>