Admissions officer

Applying to College
41

<p>My opinion is slightly different on this...</p>

<p>If you are interested in a highly selective college or university, being respectful of an admissions officer's time is really important. If you have general questions, concerns, information to relay, it's a good idea to email the admissions office with your question or update (like, "I recently took the SATs but there is a problem with the scoring - please know that I have arranged to have the College Board send my scores as soon as they are available," or "I recently won X award and would like this information to be added to my application file"). Admissions offices are checking their inboxes daily, printing emails, and putting them in files - your info will get into your file if you email the admissions office with your additional information and put some identifying information in the body of your email (SSN, first and last name, name of high school, home town). Also, highly selective schools usually have an admissions officer "on duty" every business day to answer general inquiries - so call the admissions office, ask your question, and, if the receptionist can't answer it for you (and usually they can if it's a general question), they'll forward you to the "Officer of the Day" who can answer your question. </p>

<p>Last year, I had to have a heart to heart with a college counselor on the West Coast regarding the use of my email address - she was giving it out to every student at her school interested in my school. While doing so is perhaps appropriate if there is a important reason for a student to contact an admissions officer (like, say, to tell them that something very important was left off the application - perhaps the student had mono in 10th grade, missed a lot of school, and had a grade slip), in general, students aren't emailing admissions officers with anything too serious, or anything that would have a significant impact on the admissions decision. One of this counselor's students asked if they could visit campus and meet with me personally, DURING READING SEASON, to discuss his candidacy to the college, and this was after I had met him at a college fair, at a school visit, during his campus visit, and after he interviewed. This student had plenty of opportunities to communicate with me and my office who he was over and above the application, yet was still harassing me. And yes, it felt like harassment. Totally inappropriate and very entitled. </p>

<p>The point is, unless there is really something MAJOR to communicate, I don't think it's really appropriate to contact an admissions officer directly, other than to say a VERY quick thank you for an interview, the time they spent with you at a college fair or campus visit, or something else like that - especially if they have not personally told you it is okay so to do. It's not that admissions officers don't care, for they truly do care about their work and students - it's just that their time is extremely limited most of the time and they try to be objective when making their decisions. Unless a particular admissions officer gives you their contact information directly, trying to curry favor with them through electronic or phone contact can backfire - it's not worth the risk to do it yourself (and certainly not appropriate for parents to do it!!!!). Instead, ask your college counselor to call and ask a question, if it's truly necessary.</p>

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Unless a particular admissions officer gives you their contact information directly, trying to curry favor with them through electronic or phone contact can backfire

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<p>PhilaMom had told us that she and her child were "encouraged to 'stay in touch' ..." during a legacy event. So, in such instances, I do feel it's appropriate to initiate some sort of follow-up contact, though--as I already noted--this should be brief and could include a request for guidelines on what should follow.</p>

<p>Granted, sometimes it is the alumni office folks or the advancement folks who encourage alums and their kids to maintain contact, and then it is the overworked admission team that gets stuck dealing with the fall-out.</p>

<p>But often when a group of alums and their progeny are prompted to maintain contact it's because this constituency has been identified as "VIP's" by the college, or there is some other reason why the college is eager to strengthen the ties. </p>

<p>Thus, I stand by my original advice that, when a college official has asked a family to stay in touch with an admission officer, then judicious contact is fitting and possibly a win-win for all involved.</p>

43

<p>I have contacted the admissions rep assigned to my state two times. First, because I was sending a midyear report that was encouraged, but not required (and it was a great report so I wanted it added!). The second time was because I had just learned I won an award that was directly related to academics and my area of interest.</p>

<p>Each time, I e-mailed the rep a very brief note that I was sending the info to the Admissions office so that she would expect the update. She responded with a quick thanks and that she would make note in my file that an update was on the way.</p>

<p>I think that works well. No long story, no BS, just a quick "heads up" that doesn't even necessarily require a response.</p>

44

<p>I emailed my admissions officer a bunch after meeting him at a regional event. They were all specific and unusual questions that I actually wanted to know about. It also helped that I stayed after everyone had left the event and carried a good conversation on with him. In the fall I asked him to visit my school as part of his HS tour and he came. I don't think it hurt me, because I got in.</p>

45

<p>There was recently a talk at our school given by 2 admissions councelors and their major piece of advice was to establish a connection with the admission officer, and they came from state schools. I think that your guidance councelor is right, as long as you use common sense about the number of emails and make sure you ask good questions, unless it is your first e-mail. THen you can just introduce yourself.</p>

46

<p>I just want to add that you could also contact admissions officer through social networking sites (like facebook,twitter,myspace 0-0), if ONLY permitted. I had an interview by this admission officer that gave me his contact card. I searched his name and added him, in response he added me too. Another admission officer from a different school added me despite that I didnt even know him nor gave my e-mail. I used a fancy email on my networking sites and not the formal email I gave on schools that I applied. I bet he searched my name also I check if he is a credible admissions officer. But the most terrifying situation I had was an admission officer keeps on calling me not only on our land phone but also on my cellphone. I e-mailed him but in return he didn't reply on it instead he called on my cellphone. I never picked up the calls coz I was on my classes.</p>

<p>Those guys that contact me headed my admissions decision to their Head. Result= accepted.</p>

47

<p>Sally - As I suggest at the end of my post and as you reference, if a student is told specifically that it's okay to contact the officer, it's fine. My post wasn't a reaction to your advice, specifically ;). </p>

<p>At the most selective level of schools, I don't know many admissions folks who are giving out their direct contact information to students, unless there is some sort of alumni affairs or development interest there, as seems to be the case with PhilaMom. At other levels of selectivity, I know that admissions officers are very willing to communicate directly with applicants, as it helps their yield, but at schools where the admit rates fall below 30%, fewer and fewer admissions officers seem to be willing to give out their contact info. I know a few schools, in fact, that have an internal policy not to give out business cards directly to students. As I mention in my first post in this thread, admissions officers at these schools try their best to stay objective - part of this involves trying to keep the playing field as level as possible; for those students without good counselors or the knowledge that they can contact admissions offices (for whatever reason), one could argue that they are at a disadvantage in the process for not taking advantage of the opportunity to make friends with an admissions officer. This is why at many of the most selective schools, admissions folks try not to become email buddies with any particular students.</p>

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<p>AdOfficer makes a good point. When discussing the protocol of communicating with admission staff members, all colleges are not created equal. So it's often wise to distinguish between those who work at highly selective institutions and those who work at colleges and universities that are less so. When it comes to the schools that admit more applicants than they turn away, then "sales" is really a critical part of an admission officer's job, and you're more apt to find staff members who welcome and encourage ongoing contact.</p>

<p>Sure, even at the Ivies and their ilk, there's a certain amount of selling involved. Admission folks at Yale want the creme-de-la-creme to pick them over Harvard; Penn always loves to snag admitted students from Princeton, etc. And all of most uber-selective places vie over top athletes, minority students, etc. </p>

<p>But, for the most part, when 10 applicants are turned away for every one who is admitted, and when highly qualified students--those who are accustomed to success at every turn--feel as if they're doing battle for a handful of freshman slots, then it's easy to understand why invading admission officers' in-boxes is attractive--yet also inappropriate.</p>

<p>I've also found that many high school students today, more than ever before, don't seem to always understand the "boundaries" that divide them from their elders ... whether it's teachers, college professors, or admission officers. While some teenagers are indeed very respectful of the adults in their lives and of their privacy, few seem as terrorized by the thought of calling a teacher at home or an admissions director at the office as I was back in my high school days eons ago.</p>

<p>While, in many respects, today's informality and accessibility is a plus, I do think that there are times when students don't understand that they are crossing lines which may be invisible but are there nonetheless and are very important to recognize.</p>

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<p>"While, in many respects, today's informality and accessibility is a plus, I do think that there are times when students don't understand that they are crossing lines which may be invisible but are there nonetheless and are very important to recognize."</p>

<p>I couldn't have said it better myself!</p>

50

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"While, in many respects, today's informality and accessibility is a plus, I do think that there are times when students don't understand that they are crossing lines which may be invisible but are there nonetheless and are very important to recognize."

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I couldn't have said it better myself!

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<p>Actually you probably could have. ;)</p>

<p>When I took another look at this, I realized I screwed up some agreement stuff.</p>

<p>Trying again: While, in many respects, today's informality and accessibility are pluses ...</p>

<p>Better? :)</p>

51

<p>Vanderbilt comments Please</p>

52

<p>Personally, I think it is a good idea to contact the admissions officer AFTER meeting them in person, or having a contact through your college counseling office.</p>

<p>With that said, I've always sent follow up emails to admissions officers that I've met with a few days after the said meeting, with a few jabs of topics we touched on in conversation, followed up with a question on something they really didnt delve into. It shows you paid attention in the meeting, have interest, and want to keep in touch. Always a plus.</p>

<p>And for the schools I did this for, I got into them. And both admissions DIRECTORS from the schools have had nothing but praises directed towards my college counseling office in regards to their students. ;)</p>