Do B-schools have email blacklists?

Question

Before I interviewed at a school, I sent emails to several students in clubs I was interested in. Everyone replied promptly.

Shortly after the interview, I sent a series of follow-up emails. Nobody responded. This seemed strange.

Has anyone else had something similar happen? Do B-schools circulate an "email blacklist" to their students?

isa · Answer

Interesting. Hasn't happened to me. Did you send your follow-up emails around exam time? if so, am wondering if they got lost in that shuffle...

riverripper · Answer

We definitely dont get lists of emails to avoid. Though students will talk amongst themselves if someone is especially annoying. Also sometimes you get an applicant that asks way too much, like a list of 50 questions...or extremely generic ones that seem like fishing since they have no clue about the school. Students are free to respond as many times or as few of times as they want.

Don't take it personally there are days I get 100 emails and things get lost in the shuffle very quickly. Especially during exams or recruiting when you have a million other things going on. I try to get back to most people, but there are some people who get very short answers and some people get blown off quickly. Students are usually pretty good about judging fit and sometimes if they dont feel you fit they wont go out of their way to sway you into applying or attending.

billyjeans · Answer

Don't worry about it man. If they don't respond, it's no biggie.

rhyme · Answer

Our email blacklist isn't updated until after each round, so I wouldn't worry. Just kiddin. There is no blacklist.

That doesn't mean people always reply, just watch what you ask and how you ask it. A guy a while back asked me to read his essays and comment, and he kept referring to the school by the wrong name in his essays. I can't say I found that particularly motivating to find the time to help him.

Also, leadership roles may have recently turned over to 1st years, so its just possible they are going into the void because they are reaching a totally different set of people who either don't know what to reply, haven't sorted out who is going to reply, etc.

belfi · Answer

Thanks -- I guess a little paranoia sets in after six months of apps.

Texas is really making me wait out what I assume will be a rejection, it's no fun.

riverripper · Answer

You read the essays? Someone emails me with essays that I dont know then I dont think I would waste my time. I find that very rude...I mean I read essays for some folks on here but thats different than some unknown person emailing me.

3underscore · Answer

We had someone send the same email to eight people who clearly would be able to speak to each other. Demanding a response ASAP, using capitals, bold, colors and everything. It was pretty amazing.

I dare say he won't be attending school here.

It is worth bearing in mind that the information network at a school can work very efficiently if you piss people off, and they can go out of their way to make life difficult for you. It is very, very rare though. I can only think of the one event that really overstepped the mark, and I have read or answered over 1000 emails this year. So don't worry, just people are busy and sometimes don't know what they got themselves into. It is tricky to answer all the emails.

Do B-schools have email blacklists?

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