<p>As a newcomer to this site, I've come across tons of threads with titles such as "Good Sign?" and "Does This Mean I'm Accepted?" </p>
<p>I'd like to create a thread that dispels these myths, especially since I fell for one myself. My D received a Stafford Loan Application with the name of a specific college - and only that college - typed in the institution field; we deemed it a good sign, although we didn't get our hopes up. Two weeks later, she received a wait list letter. The loan application obviously meant nothing.</p>
<p>I just read of another poster who, through back door online clicking, managed to "bypass" the notification system several weeks early and discovered that she had a large financial aid award in her account. She was later rejected. (The award apparently still sits there.) Others have called admissions offices and have said that the person answering the phone "hinted" that they were accepted; they later were denied admission. </p>
<p>The odds are that some people will receive last minute requests for missing information - and get accepted. No one will remember those who got those same requests and were later denied admission; we're all grasping onto any hope we can find. The problem is that rejection hurts a lot more when one has begun to believe in these "good signs" or "back door acceptances." (I've even read of a student who was given a likely letter, only to receive a rejection, though that's a topic for a different thread.)</p>
<p>Here are the facts: requests for missing forms are meaningless and "cheating" the online set-ups of colleges is unreliable. Don't fall into that trap. Admissions decisions are mailed when they are ready. No one can predict the outcome before then.</p>
<p>I'd like to dedicate this thread to everyone who thought they had an "in" and then found the small envelope in their mailbox. Next year's applicants should know about you.</p>
<p>I wonder. if you found out you were accepted early and then were later rejected, could you print out the original and use it for evidence? Like when they misprice something in a store and they have to give it to you for that price.</p>
<p>hahaha nice. unfortunately, (I am fairly certain this is accurate, but I did not check) i think everyone remembers the MIT and Stanford scandal a few years ago when a bunch of kids found out rejected or accepted online by hacking. I believe that somewhere where you're signing your name it says something about dishonesty, trying to find out early, etc. So technically, if you used that, they could say ok you're accepted. But... we just found out that you violated an honor code and you're kicked out.</p>
<p>The actual process for the FA office to decide what money to offer an applicant takes only a matter of minutes. The bulk of what the FA office does is gather the information together in case they have to actually make an offer. I am willing to believe that the FA office may get a list of auto-denies from the Admissions office that they don't have to worry about, but it seems really unlikely that they would be plugged directly into the Admissions office.</p>
<p>I am sorry but asking for detailed information that requires making copies, completing yet more forms and paying for certified or overnight mail 10 days before decisions are posted is a little out of hand if the applicant is not getting accepted.</p>
<p>I agree, but I wouldn't think that overnight mail would be necessary. The universal decision date is April 1st, and then people pick their college by May 1st. It is just important that the FA office can make their FA offers shortly after April 1st.</p>