Another wave of EN letters - 2/23/12

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Rochester
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<p>Another wave of EN letters (the remaining 10% that wasn't captured for various reasons during the mid-February pool) is scheduled to be mailed on Thursday, February 23rd. </p>

<p>I hope my transparency has been appreciated on this site. My frequent amount of 1am posts should attest to my commitment to keeping the CC users informed, and I'm happy to answer any private messages that come my way as fast as possible.</p>

<p>As always, please feel free to call our Admissions Office if you have any questions. The toll-free number is 888-822-2256. You shouldn't have to rely on this anonymous forum for your Rochester-related information. (I can't, and won't, patrol this forum 24/7)</p>

<p>A recent email to my boss has left me questioning my role on this site, so please feel free to ask me questions directly first. I am committed to helping everyone here.</p>

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<p>TSocash - you have been unbelievably helpful on this site! D and I truly appreciate all of the info and quick responses you have given and have also noticed your commitment to responding to questions outside of the normal work day. Please don’t go away based on the possible comments of one poster. You have provided an amazing service to the rest of us fumbling through this process! thank you!</p>

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<p>You’re always helpful Tyler! You have been an amazing resource to all of us, and are always helpful in responding to us. I thank you for the help that you have been, and for the help I’m sure you’ll give us in the future.</p>

4

<p>Thank you both, ohksaj04 and ozzyozwald, I’m trying my best!</p>

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<p>Tyler - </p>

<p>I’m sure you and your boss both realize that one disgruntled email has to be taken with a grain of salt.</p>

<p>I have found you to be impressively fast at answering questions and very tactful at handling people’s anxiety that drives us to ask questions that have already been asked and answered 10 times. I think you’ve done a great job. It’s nice to have a place to go and ask questions, and I think you’ve done a good job at answering or directing people to call the office and talk to someone on the phone.</p>

<p>If the admissions office is looking for any constructive feedback, I can offer two comments (and these have nothing to do with you personally):</p>

<p>(1) I think you’ll have less confusion if you just call it Early Admission next year, because that’s essentially what Early Notification is (early application, early answer, non binding), and everyone already knows what EA is.</p>

<p>(2) Personally, I think watching your application go through the process (1st reader, 2nd reader, committee, etc) is more anxiety inducing than helpful. I love that the website shows that everything has been received, and I think it updates pretty promptly - that part is great. But watching it go through the stages can become addictive, and people read way too much into what it means to be in one certain phase for a long time. It just kind of feeds hyperfocusing on waiting to get your answer!</p>

<p>While my HS senior only applied to Rochester and two safety schools, my older son applied to 14 colleges, so I’ve seen the interactions through the application process with 16 colleges. I think Rochester does a great job with communication and prompt answers. I had a chance to chat with an admissions officer for a while once, it’s a huge, huge job. I think Rochester has good communication, including having someone here on CC. I like that you aren’t doing a hard sell - you’re just here answering questions about the process and about what UR has to offer. That’s one thing my older son really liked about UR - not a lot of BS marketing, but good communication and information.</p>

<p>I’m not sure if telling people exactly when admits and rejections are being mailed is good or not. It’s fine if you get your letter promptly, but for people with slow mail, it can be excruciating, because the longer it takes, the more you feel that you’re in the rejected group! </p>

<p>Bottom line - you’re doing a good job, and it’s nice to have an admissions rep on CC.</p>

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<p>I also found your posts helpful Tyler. I hope you, or someone like you, is around for next year’s applicants.</p>

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<p>Yes - tell your boss we give you five stars!</p>

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<p>Thanks PinotNoir, I’m going to voice these two points at the next appropriate venue. I always thought that the name “Early Notification” sounded too similar to “Early Decision”, and I like your suggestion… This was our first trial run with with EN program, so things can always be changed.</p>

<p>I also appreciated your point on “super-transparency” with the MyRoc account and the decision letter notification. I’m sure there are people out there who like and dislike this… I’ll bring it up during our Application Review Debrief.</p>

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<p>Tyler - Count me among those who appreciate your always informative updates. You’re a great representative for Rochester - hopefully your boss understands the wonderful job you’ve done here!</p>

<p>Side note: I completely agree with PinotNoir on the benefits of using the standard terminology “Early Admission” (EA) rather than EN.</p>

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<p>Tyler, if it hadn’t been for you on cc, I would not even have known to have my son apply EN. Because of you I had my son’s interview moved up one month so it would play a role in his admission.</p>

<p>The common app also did not make the EN option understandable. I assume with the new version of the common app coming out this summer, you can control how you want your page to look. I also think U of R should just change it to Early action like everyone else. </p>

<p>You have been a tremendous resource for those of us on cc so please email you boss the link to this thread to he knows what an asset it is to have a admissions rep on this site. A number of other schools do that as well and I hope for future students this representation continues.</p>

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<p>TSocash - I’ve always been very impressed by way that University of Rochester admissions has been organized and transparent, but I wanted to draw attention to something that I don’t think anyone has mentioned (although I agree that your roll on this forum is wonderful).</p>

<p>UofR is the only school that I feel comfortable sending additional information. So many other schools implicitly seem to say that ‘if the supplement isn’t damn good or important, don’t give us the headache’. UofR is exactly the opposite. You seem to want as much as you can get. Maybe it is the checklist with all of the supplemental portions (Writing Sample, Family Rec, etc…), but all in all the MyRoc and the admissions offices language gives off a very warm and friendly vibe.</p>

<p>Or maybe this isn’t your intention, and the office is truly frustrated with all of these art supplements. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: I doubt it.</p>

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<p>TSocash - The amount of time and effort that you have put into answering questions on college confidential i am sure has helped everyone. It has definitely been very helpful to me. Now that I got into UofR i’m definitely considering it due to people like you. You have shown all of us the UofR actually cares about everyone!!</p>

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<p>TSocash - you helped me so much with this process. This was my son’s first choice and this is my first time through the college admissions process since basically the stone age. I can’t believe how quickly you answer questions, and how you don’t flip your lid being asked the same question over and over.</p>

<p>We all just want in, with tons of money - lol. Oh, and we want it now. :)</p>

<p>I personally loved watching the process on the myroc - sorry PN. It gave me something to obsess about. </p>

<p>I even went back and read through threads from a year ago - (I told you I was obsessed). Having this resource has made me much more knowledgeable about the ins and outs.</p>

<p>You’ve been professional, informative and friendly. I wouldn’t question for a second someone with sour grapes complaining. </p>

<p>I think it is very impressive to have an official representative answering questions here instead all of us trying to read the tea leaves. We’ll all have opinions on what we do and don’t like. </p>

<p>However, I agree with the “en” vs “ea”. Why do something outside the norm of every other college when it is essentially the same thing.</p>

<p>I look forward now to all the statistics - how many applied ed, en, rd and the percentage accepted and the yield. I love numbers.</p>

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<p>Tyler, in my line of work, I provide service to internal customers, so I have some experience with this. I’ve noticed that it’s human nature that satisfied customers are a quiet bunch unless specifically asked whereas dissatisfied customers tend to make more noise than a mule in a tin barn. Perhaps it’s time for some of us to buck human nature. Would Dean B. be the right person to receive an “attaboy” on your behalf?</p>

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<p>Wow, thank you everyone. I felt pretty terrible this morning, but you guys make me feel like I’m not doing half bad! I promise to be more clear in the future with every post.</p>

<p>SteveC, the Dean has enough on his plate already, so I wouldn’t go to the trouble of shooting him a message. (Although, I appreciate the gesture, and I couldn’t agree with your more!) He has been known to peruse these threads now and again, so hopefully he he’ll see this one. </p>

<p>I will continue to be as transparent as possible on these threads, answering questions and bringing up important notices as they arise. At the same time, this is a students / parents world, so I’ll stay out of the way until my help is needed.</p>

<p>Thank you all, I truly appreciate the kind words.</p>

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<p>TSocash - If you left CC, UR would undoubtedly see a noticeable negative affect on both applications and, more importantly, yield. One of, if not THE the main reason people choose UR over better known or more prestigious schools is the caring feeling that the university gives off, much like a small liberal arts school. People like you are a big part of that.</p>

<p>Edit: Also, so as to not completely hijack this thread, I am about to post a very long message in a new thread about some suggestions I have for UR admissions, and I would very much appreciate it if you would skim them.</p>

<p>To comment on the whole EN vs EA thing: I am not aware of any schools that offer both ED and EA, possibly due to rules set by CommonApp.</p>

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<p>Looks like I may be in this pile. My decision status just changed two days ago to saying that a letter was going to be sent out. If not, then I still think that I’m in this pile due to having the wrong address listed on myROC (seriously, I have no idea how I missed this one…). I changed it and contacted admissions, so hopefully, I’ll be getting something soon.</p>

<p>Yes, I agree with URHopeful. When I went to visit the school, they definitely made it feel like they cared about their students and it was a very pleasant environment. TSOCash, although I’ve only asked one specific question, you are definitely a helpful person on this forum. Thank you for your help!</p>

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<p>TSocash,
You always answer questions promptly, that let me feel you do patrol here 24/7 :slight_smile:
UoR keeps good communication with applicants and their parents, you did very well.</p>

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<p>I want to chime in as well - Tyler is fantastic!!! I bugged you quite a lot for a period and you were always super pleasant, knowledgeable and prompt. My hat’s off to you, sir!!!</p>

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<p>I recently learned that there are approximately 200 EN decision letters that still need to be sent out. The new expected mailing date is Monday, February 27th (so the date in the thread’s title no longer applies to remaining EN applicants). </p>

<p>As always, if you have any concerns, call the Admissions Office.</p>

<p>Tyler</p>