Best/Worst Admission/Rejection Letters/Packages.

Hello: having gone through this last year, I have to say that some schools do March 10 acceptances with a bit more flair than others. Here is what our experience was last year:

Lawrenceville: simple letter inside of a thick envelope with contract and revisit day brochure. No phone calls, emails.

Choate: Nothing came on M10, but within a few days we saw a nice thick envelope with a brochure containing acceptance letter and some additional letters from teachers/sports that my son expressed interest in. Received a couple of follow-up emails from admissions and from nearby parents to ask if we had any questions. Also included was a nice king size pillow cover with the words “Dream Big: Choate Rosemary Hall”. It was very nice.

Taft: nice thick envelope on M10 (first class mail) with a handwritten note on the front written by dean of admissions. Schedule of revisit days included. Followup personal emails from the coach and the interviewer

Deerfield: Priority mail envelope arrived on M10 with congratulatory letter for students/parents and details on revisit days. A few days later a tube arrived enclosed with green/white M&Ms and a poster of the school. Nothing was personalized on the acceptance letter. Had received a couple of emails and phone calls from Deerfield parents shortly thereafter asking if there were any questions. Did a revisit day and it was quite well done. As a parent I received an invitation for a detailed phone questionnaire during the summer (I assume to get details on why we didn’t accept).

Hotchkiss: Priority mail envelope on M10 with folder, congratulatory letter. Nothing personalized from what I remember. Several emails and phone calls from local parents/students encouraging to come to revisit day.

Andover: Had probably the best packet I’ve seen. Arrived by Fedex on morning of M10. Included was a thick folder with several letters. One signed by the dean with a small note affixed to the front. Second was a personal handwritten notecard from the interviewer. Details on the revisit days were included. The revisit day at Andover was well done — lots of freebies (umbrellas, pancho, t-shirts).

My son became a bit overwhelmed the week after M10 dealing with all the phone calls and emails. My wife and I both also received about a half-dozen phone calls from parents, admissions, coaches, etc. The attention was short lived, and after A10, all contact except the school which he accepted stopped.

Enjoy March 10 to April 10, it will go by quickly. Some schools are quite flashy, but keep in mind that you shouldn’t choose a school simply based upon which had the best admissions packet and best goodies.