Another head scratching rejection

Parents Forum
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<p>Thanks for filling in the blanks.</p>

<p>Testing for understanding </p>

<p>Does MD require that everything be sent together in one package?</p>

<p>It sounds like there are some holes in the process at your D's school that may need to be addressed. </p>

<p>I know at my high school I keep a database of all my seniors which at any given time I can give them a report with what schools they applied to and the dates that everything was sent. </p>

<p>I hate to say this, but I also don't trust the school mail system. Since the post office is one block from my school and on my way home, I do not send anything out through the school mail, I just purchase stamps at the post office and drop everything at the post office myself (I also keep extra stamps and I tell the students to drop letters at the post office on their way to the train station).</p>

<p>I don't understand if your D gave the science and math teacher recommendation forms, why did they not mail them directly to the college. </p>

<p>Did D give them stamped envelopes or does everything has to be mailed as one package by the GC? </p>

<p>Why did the professor mail the recommendation to highschool instead of directly to the college ( Everything gets sent to the mail room , sorted then a school aid places mail in each person's mail box. You would be suprised the amount of mail that gets misdirected in a school. While it may have taken 2 to 3 days to reach the school, it probably took longer to get to the GC's mail box). </p>

<p>I also tell my students to purchase a bunch of post cards to and submit it with everything they mail. Address the post card to your home address. On the other side write </p>

<p>Received by (name of the school)</p>

<p>In the corner indicate what was in the envelope (teacher rec- Mr. J, Teacher rec- Dr. X, etc) most schools will send back the post card. (this way you have a record before waiting for the status checker).</p>

<p>When writing up your/ your D's antecdotal, I would suggest that you give a date by date accounting of what happended.</p>

82

<p>Sybbie,
I have not followed the entire chronology of this thread as far as what was submitted when by whom, but regarding your last post, at our high school, all teacher recommendations are sent by guidance with the application. Students are required to give guidance their completed applications (if paper, rather than online) and guidance submits the application, transcript, guidance counselor recommendation, and teacher recommendations as a package. Teachers give the completed recommendations to guidance - they do not send the recommendations directly to the colleges.</p>

83

<p>Well since she was applying to multiple schools, to spare the professor sending it 10 different directions, she suggested he send it to the school, dumb move #1 of ours.
Our district treats the parents as nincomepoops, they must do it all. Must all go thru them. Why I do not know. The kids are given a warning do not leave anything unless it is in your GC hands, okay, then follow thru. No we just give them stamps.
A progressive district by us, friends kids, kids/parents order what they want online, to be sent where, 3 days later a printout of what was ordered, what was sent/date and time. No guarentees what went into the envelope, but at least a receipt of sorts.</p>

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<p>not sure if it "has" to go in one envelope. I know I ordered college transcripts for her to be sent in, those went separately in October. Forgot that part 12 college science credits as well in her file.
Oh let me go have a drink. :)</p>

85

<p>CBK, not to cause you to need/ want a second drink but is it possible other colleges also have the same recommendation letter from this GC? </p>

<p>And as for the high school profile, if I had not asked to see it during a GC, student, parent conference I would not have. Daughter's high school also required everything go through GC but they kept a check list for each student for each college application. Luckily, the GCs were very on top of things.</p>

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<p>well yeah it is darn certain they do and have received the same one.Checked one site, says got the math teachers one, but missing the science teachers one. Oh crap, unless they like a he/she that is a sideline cheerleader(a new hook) one can do nothing but laugh about this. </p>

<p>And my friends wonder why I always have a story? </p>

<p>I will be a dog chasing my tail straightening out this mess tomorrow. </p>

<p>Another problem nothing to drink either!</p>

87

<p>
[quote]
Oh crap, unless they like a he/she that is a sideline cheerleader(a new hook) one can do nothing but laugh about this.

[/quote]
LOL. I'm buying. Head over to the Alley. Tell the gals to put it on my tab. You are right - nothing to do but laugh it off. Crying ain't gonna help.</p>

88

<p>I'll buy the second round. What'll it be?</p>

<p>Patience and power to you tomorrow!</p>

89

<p>I will take a swig of all that is out there. </p>

<p>I told D giving birth was a heck of alot easier and didn't last the entire year.</p>

90

<p>UMD doesn't require that everything comes together. </p>

<p>DS's GC sends out her letter, transcript and school profile in one package. DS had to get them in to the registrar 30 days in advance, and they asked that students stagger submitting them so they would get 11/1 forms first, 12/1 requests in late October, etc. Teacher recs can go with the GC package or not; DS gave the teachers stamped envelopes and the teachers sent them independently. DS's rec from his mentor (signed and sealed) went in the envelope with whatever hard copy materials DS sent to each school. He had one other external rec that the prof sent directly.</p>

<p>The ONLY thing that was "missing" was the most recent SAT report at one of his EA schools -- they had his SAT from March, but not the most recent SAT-IIs. The school didn't ask for SAT-II, but we sent anyway for merit $$ consideration, and my guess is that when it came in the office, they saw there wasn't a new SAT-I score on the report and tossed it. The GC sent a score card for us instead. </p>

<p>After hearing the many stories of last/missing/messed up items, I am VERY thankful that our experience was so easy. Should probably drop DS's GC a note and let her know that, too. It's a big school and they are seriously understaffed.</p>

<p>Sybbie, you do your students and parents a tremendous service. Bravo!</p>

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<p>CBK, As frustrating as it may be I think you need to separate your daughter's future from past errors on the GC's part. We had one at our school whose sheer incompetence (plus a good measure of malice) caused a great deal of heartache so I believe that it can and did happen; however. . . it's time to concentrate on the future not the past. Once your daughter is safely ensconced in the college of her choice you can go after this guy with a vengeance, but for now you may need his cooperation.</p>

<p>What you can do:
I think you've received a load of advice on how to approach UMaryland for a re-evaluation. Simultaneously you should double check the application packages that were sent the other schools that your daughter applied to. In addition to making sure that the statistical information that was submitted was accurate -- transcripts, scores -- I would also reconsider her academic references. </p>

<p>In my opinion, the GC's recommendation doesn't carry a lot of weight unless it's deliberatively negative. Usually it's neutral. Colleges understand that public school GC's are often overworked and under qualified [there aren't a lot of Sybbies out there :)] and thus they put more emphasis on the teacher recommendations. First you should make sure that the schools received the appropriate recommendations. Second, I would consider sending in another supplemental recommendation.</p>

<p>I would also consider sending in a resume or activities list that clearly outlines your daughter's achievements. I would be forthright with the admissions committees: tell them that it was brought to your attention that your daughter's application package was "incomplete" and you want to make sure that they have everything they need to evaluate here. Colleges are used to this. Ideally this communication should come from your daughter, but again, some parent involvement in righting what's wrong isn't, to me, entirely out of line.</p>

<p>Good luck and after the dust settles and your daughter is wearing the sweatshirt with her college's name on it, come back for ideas on how to fix this guy's wagon. For now, concentrate on the finish line.</p>

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<p>I also one to add one thing-- if your daughter really doesn't like her safeties, it is time to look for some new ones and visit the other schools to which she is applying.</p>

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<p>I know people are well-meaning, but I am stupified by the suggestions for a gap year b/c she didn't get into Maryland (Yes, I've read the long gap-year post). There are scores of schools like Maryland that she could attend.</p>

<p>I apologize, but my perception of Maryland is marred by the fact that my worst-ever intern was a proud alum...</p>

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<p>CBK -- Be sure to give us updates!</p>

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<p>I'd call right away. As a parent of a UMD freshman from OOS, your daughter's scores and ECs seem, at least, to raise a substantial question. My brother is actually dealing with a similar problem at another large state school--his son's college counselor wrote down the wrong gpa on the summary form (inverted the last two digits), and he's gotten a positive initial reaction from the school, which has asked him to send additional materials. It's at least worth a shot.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

96

<p>As someone who works at a university (not in admissions but I work closely with admissions) I urge you to call and ask questions including asking about an appeals process. Especially at large universities, mistakes are made and, of course, they often have mis-information which can be corrected.</p>

<p>You would be shocked (maybe not) how many people ask for reconsideration (or complain bitterly) whose children are not even in the ballpark for admission. I'm not at UMD but it sounds like your D is in ballpark and another look at her file might change things, or at least answer some of your questions.</p>

<p>Good luck!!!</p>

97

<p>well an update, </p>

<p>It has been a hellish week trying to work and play phone tag, meet with higher ups. An aside, I was speaking to one of my childs friends moms, she works in the guidance office at one of the other schools in our district, people in her office heard her half of the conversation, EVERYONE knew which GC she was speaking about. So seems there is a pattern of lack of attention to details.
Spoke to Maryland, yes there was the Math rec missing, so she had one teacher rec, and the research guy, so did not have
the two high school recs required they said the ACT scores should have been the dominating read, no school profile was sent, although seems our school doesn't send them most kids go instate, so no idea the reason how the OOS schools can judge what our school is like.
They said to resubmit the recs, midyear transcript, her research(which we were told NOT to send by GC) yeah like I should have listened to that one.
Strange also, daughter said a boy in her grade lower GPA only one AP class(ni idea of scores) was accepted.
Have appt with vice principal to correct the wrongs tomoprrow to get
all new stuff to resend to the other schools. Daughter refuses to deal with the GC at this point, can't say I blame her, though if there were proper checks and or the kids themselves/parents sign off on each schools folder before maybe this stuff wouldn't happen and cause so much strife. All the UMD press since Obama/Hillary visit hasn't helped much either.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Spoke to Maryland, yes there was the Math rec missing, so she had one teacher rec, and the research guy, so did not have
the two high school recs required they said the ACT scores should have been the dominating read, no school profile was sent, although seems our school doesn't send them most kids go instate, so no idea the reason how the OOS schools can judge what our school is like.

[/quote]
Good job. Way to go.</p>

99

<p>CBK,
Glad to hear Maryland was willing to take the time to reconsider D's revised folder. Hope your D has not fully ruled them out.
Best of luck to her with her other applications as well. Glad she'll get the chance to amend them.</p>

100

<p>Good job, CBK!</p>

<p>And a nice letter from the Vice Principal to send along with all the missing forms is not too much to ask for in my opinion.</p>