Hi,
I am currently a junior in high school, so in the summer I’ll be applying for colleges. My main choice is Vanderbilt University. Would I give a good impression if I started emailing the admissions counselor about the university this year? Or would they find it annoying? I want to show that I have a genuine interest in the college (because I do), but I don’t want to come off as pestering.
Thanks!
They are busy. Don’t be a pest unless you have real question for them. And a “real question” is one that you can’t easily find the answer to on the website. They do not want pen pals, but are there to answer questions that can’t be answered easily other ways. If you get a chance to meet them in person (presentation at your high school, some kind of session in town, college fair, etc.), do that for sure and introduce yourself.
This. If you have something you genuinely want to ask or new information then by all means send it along, but adcoms are not looking for regular pen pals. Nobody likes a brown-noser, and adcoms recognize it right away. Asking questions that are clearly answered in the guidebooks or online, rambling emails that say nothing, these will not help your cause.
Perhaps see if Vanderbilt has regional officers. I know that some schools those folks advocate for people in your region and are at your fingertips if you have questions. We have a few that know us by sight and first names and others that send holiday cards and congratulations on things my son has accomplished, so they are somehow in the loop with admissions.
The admissions officers are busy now dealing with this years cycle of applicants so I’d wait until after May to contact them. And I’d only email if you have a specific question that is not answered on the school website – I don’t think that admissions officers want to get a bunch of email from students just saying hi and that they are interested in the school. I do agree that if you meet an admissions officer it is then OK to email a quick note.