<p>In defense of the admissions folks, it has been a massive year for applicants, and it does seem like Penn’s portal is basically broken in many ways. If that is the main way for getting emails routed to the proper regional coordinators, it is possible that your emails just never got delivered.</p>
<p>Having said that, it is important for schools to realize that impressions developed while interacting with schools (either through emails or on phone or on campus visits) can easily clinch or torpedo applicants’ interest in the school. All applicants’ antennae are up, looking for reasons to love or dismiss a school as they work toward making their final decision.</p>
<p>I took my sister to a school for an admitted student’s day, and the day was very good, but they ran out of box lunches and had overflow crowds in some of the sessions. The computer running the presentation at the main event had no audio working, and another one the microphones were not working; there were a couple of other minor logistics mess-ups, most of them miniscule. </p>
<p>Now, this was a major national university, and our experience was obviously not a reflection of the education or experience my sister would receive there. However, she has pretty much written the school off, saying “if they can’t count heads at 8:30am and get lunch for everyone by 12noon, or guarantee a seat at sessions when they knew in advance how many people were coming, then what happens when I try to get into a popular class? Do they overbook everything here?” First impressions are lasting…</p>