<p>Keep in mind that Penn has around 20,000 RD applicants. The admissions staff numbers around 30 people. Those are not particularly good odds for an admissions officer. According to the JHU admissions blog, each admissions officer receives 150-200 emails a day.</p>
<p>It is wholly unreasonable to expect an email to an admissions officer to be answered promptly at this time of year. [Admissions</a> officers](<a href=“http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/15/committee.jpg]Admissions”>http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/15/committee.jpg) are positively swamped with [url=<a href=“http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/28/p3270010.jpg]piles[/url”>http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/28/p3270010.jpg]piles[/url</a>] of [url=<a href=“http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/17/p1100018.jpg]applications[/url”>http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/17/p1100018.jpg]applications[/url</a>], with only lukewarm cups of coffee to keep them going. </p>
![http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/15/committee.jpg]Admissions](http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/15/committee.jpg%5DAdmissions){kind=link}
![http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/28/p3270010.jpg]piles[/url](http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/28/p3270010.jpg%5Dpiles%5B/url){kind=link}
![http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/17/p1100018.jpg]applications[/url](http://hopkins.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/17/p1100018.jpg%5Dapplications%5B/url){kind=link}
<p>You should call if you want a prompt answer.</p>
<p>
Given the slaughter of Stanford SCEA this year, I’d place my money on a rejection or deferral.</p>