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Why should UC Berkeley send more than one e-mail asking my son to apply for its scholarship which required a time consuming essay to write when it had no intention of accepting him? I don't think it is right.
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<p>You're right...Berkeley admissions should get better with internal communications...it seems they're getting their messages mixed up.</p>
<p>JiffsMom, you're right...I looked at my wall calendar wrong.</p>
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<p>Agree. Similar experience here. UCB admissions could have easily blanket-emailed only the generic reminder letter posted on their site. They specifically chose not to do so.</p>
<p>"I don't feel I am being too critical. Likely e-mails came from UCSD and UCLA and then my son was accepted to those schools. ...I am uncomfortable with an intelligent university which has intelligent people sending out misleading e-mails which imply future acceptance and then deny admittance."</p>
<p>Isn't a likely email just that, a likely email? It implies that you are likely to be accepted. Likely is not an absolute term, so rejection is possible. If the likely email implies acceptance, then the school might as well just send out acceptance letters. </p>
<p>And you think this is bad? Not one of the transfer applicants to Harvard even had a chance because Harvard never told anyone that there are no spaces for transfer applicants. Thus, many applicants spent countless hours on their applications just to be technically rejected. What Berkeley did in terms of the Alumni scholarship is shady, but it pales in comparison to what is happening elsewhere.</p>
<p>Berkeley has one of the top computer programs in the world. With this in mind, can't Berkeley admissions figure out how to run its computer programs to only send likely e-mails (reminding you to submit your application for its leadership scholarship award, come to Cal-Day, don't respond to other UCs until you hear from us!) to those on the admitted list and not send them to those they are denying?</p>
<p>The scholarship they sent emails suggesting applications for was from the Alumni Association - not Berkeley Admissions. They have no way of knowing ahead of time who will be admitted, and it said so in both emails I received.</p>
<p>To tastybeef: I have not read about the number of transfer students accepted at Harvard, but I would assume it would be a very small number. Nevertheless, I agree with you that Harvard made a mistake in your case. I also sensed that this year there would be such an avalanche of admissions to the top ranked schools, that I sensed it best to limit such applications. Of course, many followed the opposite strategy of applying to many Ivy League and other top schools thinking I only need one acceptance. The bottom line is it is crucial to have at least 2 true safety schools to be able to come out a winner in this year's admissions.</p>
<p>All this Monday morning quarterbacking is silly. </p>
<p>Why should they unofficially announce decisions before they officially announce decisions?</p>
<p>My point is Berkeley sent numerous e-mails which hint at acceptance and then send a denial letter. UCLA and UCSD sent likely e-mails and then came the acceptances.</p>
<p>^ Well, all I can say is that the likely e-mails were more likely for your kid at UCLA and UCSD than Berkeley.</p>
<p>I assume there were appropriate disclaimers at the bottom of the email. If not, maybe you have a good case for appeal.</p>
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My point is Berkeley sent numerous e-mails which hint at acceptance and then send a denial letter.
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<p>Believe me, "likely" letters are much more explicit. They actually say: "I am happy to approve you early for admission." Saying "We're worth the wait" means that Berkeley, the university, has "worth"--in other words, Berkeley is great, so don't commit to other universities just yet, as Berkeley will be sending out decisions soon. Those who interpret it otherwise have some serious wishful thinking; eagerness and hope are clouding their sense of rationality.</p>
<p>I do think that Berkeley should have put a disclaimer at the bottom, but I think it should do that for every email it sends out, even if it's just saying, "We received your application!" Either way, it doesn't matter--the "hint" is a bit of a stretch.</p>
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Why should they unofficially announce decisions before they officially announce decisions?
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<p>Many schools vying to enroll top students (especially very highly qualified female engineering applicants ;) ), etc., send likely letters to sway students' decisions. This is not unusual at all. What is unusual is the way UCB handled, or rather didn't handle, the issue of sending what appeared to be likely emails when that was not the intent.</p>
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I assume there were appropriate disclaimers at the bottom of the email. If not, maybe you have a good case for appeal.
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<p>There were no disclaimers on email #3. There was a differently worded, more generic reminder letter posted on UCB admission's website. That just served to make email #3 look even more like a likely letter.</p>
<p>UCB admissions could have cleared up the discrepency in wording with a public announcement on their website, but chose to remain silent. They were either careless or arrogant. Neither makes UCB look very good.</p>
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Believe me, "likely" letters are much more explicit. They actually say: "I am happy to approve you early for admission."
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<p>Not at all. Many are subtly worded in any of several different ways. Read paragraph 6 in this response, for an example:
What</a> are Likely Letters Like? - Ask The Dean</p>
<p>Paragraph 6:
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Some colleges–not the Ivies–put their own spin on the Likely Letter. Their early missives may not address the acceptance issue at all but might, instead, include an invitation to attend a campus event that seems geared to accepted applicants or to join a special (and clearly elite) academic program in the fall. This sort of more obtuse “Likely Letter” can be heartening but also confusing, leaving students to wonder, “Well, am I in or not yet?”
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<p>Cal Day is hardly a campus event geared to accepted applicants. It's an open house with activities for people of all ages, ranging from elementary school kids to college students. I attended ages ago, in middle school. Even a small amount of research would show that it is not in the slightest geared toward admission to Berkeley.</p>
<p>The paragraph explicitly says that those subtle likely letters can confuse applicants because they are unsure whether or not they actually are likely letters. And like everyone here said, all a likely letter means is "likely".</p>
<p>How did Berkeley Alumni (for the scholarship) get our e-mail address when we are not Berkeley alumni? I see your point about the scholarship e-mails coming from Berkeley Alumni. However, I think they received our e-mail address from Berkeley admissions. Also, I have no desire to encourage my son to appeal any decision. Berkeley made a decision to represent itself in a way that creates false hope. I want my son at a university which is more sensitive to its students. I am also concerned about some of the types of students described at Berkeley on this forum. Intelligent-wonderful! But, I don't want my son around "pothead" types.</p>
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This sort of more obtuse “Likely Letter” can be heartening but also confusing, leaving students to wonder, “Well, am I in or not yet?”
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<p>This says it all...it's obtuse and thus no guarantee.</p>
<p>See, the problem with this board is that there is too much information. All the anecdotal information you've heard gave you a false sense of security, unfortunately.</p>
<p>"My point is Berkeley sent numerous e-mails which hint at acceptance and then send a denial letter. UCLA and UCSD sent likely e-mails and then came the acceptances."</p>
<p>Emails that hint at acceptances do not guarantee acceptance. Only the real acceptance letter is official, nothing else is. The only real guarantee of early admission is Regent's Scholarship invitation. It should come as no surprise that emails with hints are nothing more than just advertisements for the university.</p>
<p>"I am also concerned about some of the types of students described at Berkeley on this forum. Intelligent-wonderful! But, I don't want my son around "pothead" types."</p>
<p>Not only is this comment unnecessary, it also shows a sign of bitterness. In an undergraduate student body of nearly 25k, do you truthfully expect nobody to experiment with drugs? In addition, what makes you think there are no "potheads" at other campuses?</p>
<p>Just as an example, this disclaimer appears on Northwestern's various blanket applicant emails so that the receipt of such does not mislead anyone...</p>
<p>"We are sending this to all applicants to Northwestern. ...We wish you all the best and remind you that decision letters will be in the mail by early April.</p>
<p>UCB admissions could do the same thing, but apparently haven't figured this out yet.</p>
<p>To Tastybeef: I think colleges each have its own unique flavor and attract certain types of kids. This is a generalization of course, but some schools are very diverse, more intellectual, more conservative, and in Berkeley's case-a reputation of being more "liberal". The current thread on "potheads" at Berkeley was not started by me. Students should look for goodness of fit and a school where you feel comfortable. On the one hand, I like Berkeley's proximity to the Silicon Valley high tech companies because my son loves tech and Berkeley's location lends itself to easier find of internships in many high tech companies. On the other hand, the liberal element at Berkeley is not the right fit. In our case, it was a blessing to be "denied" admission at Berkeley. I just did not like how Berkeley sent many e-mails which had a hint of acceptance on its way. Many thanks to all who contributed to this discussion.</p>
<p>Berkeley EECS majors are probably the least likely to be "potheads".</p>
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Not at all. Many are subtly worded in any of several different ways. Read paragraph 6 in this response, for an example:
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<p>I don't know how updated that source is. I've seen some of the likely letters from the Ivies this year, and they were very straightforward. Stanford's was very explicit.</p>
<p>To kyledavid80: Where is your child going next year? It sounds like you were very lucky to get likely letters from Stanford and the Ivies. Congratulations!</p>