SOooooo I’ve been having awful luck with the admissions counselor at one of my top schools. The first time I emailed him, it was his first week on the job at that school, and my email was just briefly saying I had really enjoyed my visit, asking if he will be in the area, and asking if there was an alumni rep for my area, and I received no responses, but I just chalked it up to him being very busy (as it was also november on top of being his first week on the job). Then, since I have an interview at that school this week, I emailed him a week and a half ago asking if he’d be in the office while i am there, or if he suggests anyone i can ask questions, etc. No response again. Should I be worried that my emails are rubbing him the wrong way? Is it just him? Im quite concerned… anyways, I figured my next step would be to email a professor whose class i sat in on in the fall on national security. How does one … approach a professor? Im not really looking for the professor to like help me get into the school, lol. Im just hoping she can answer some of my questions, as she is at the head of her department. Also, what is a reasonable subject line for such an email?
I’ve been in contact with a meteorology professor at penn state since last year. If need help on how I did that ask any questions 
Honestly, I wouldn’t email a professor to start with. I would email an administrator of the department in which you want to study. Many of the professors in “hot fields” (engineering, chemistry, biology, business) do not have time to answer undergrads, let alone high school students! If you’re looking into a field where there’s few students (physics, meteorology, some languages, anthropology, fine arts (at some schools) ) you might fare better. But an administrative coordinator can really point you in the right direction. And he/she can tell you who to email in terms of professors. Sometimes academic professors can be… short. And I mean short on time and patience. You don’t want to reach out and rub them the wrong way. And you don’t want to email the crazy one, and there is always one, and scare yourself. That’s what I would do, having gone through HS and college.
As a PhD applicant, I’ve even been hesitant to directly email the profs. And my experience/degree holds more weight with them. Go to the departmental website and go under “contact” to find the administrative person you should email or call.
Oh I see your point. That’s a great tip! thank you so so much!