My son has a letter coming today ! Can you give me any insight ?
1 Like
Does it have a Class of 2025 decoration on the bottom, left hand corner?
1 Like
Yes ,
It’s the same exact Monroe letter as in the portal, packaged in a folded, colored brochure with some pictures and the 2025 class banner on one side and some welcoming messaging. It’s very nice but short and sweet. Congratulations!
1 Like
My child really prefers somewhere urban too, and has applied to other schools, but this is the first decision released so far. As you say, we have to let them choose for themselves.
But I’ll tell you why this has so much meaning to me and prompted me to post here.
When we met with the counselor in junior year concerning college apps, the counselor told my child to apply to other schools as a safety, and this is the recommendation for all students, no matter how high their stats. The counselor said W&M is still a gamble, even for top students. I don’t disagree with that, but I was shocked when my child refused to do it right on the spot. My child told the counselor that they would not apply to any school where they wouldn’t be happy to attend, so William & Mary it is.
So I am relieved(!) to see this acceptance, and I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the Cypher post card because it is a lovely way to get a likely if you’re going to do them. And then the acceptance packaging was also very much appreciated.
Phew.
1 Like
A friend’s student heard from their school guidance counselor that W&M typically releases in waves, meaning every Friday once the scholar program selectees have been notified. Student was told that now we are in March, notification emails should start going out in that manner. Anyone heard anything similar? Sounded unusual to me but then again, this has been an unusual year so nothing surprises me anymore.
Does anyone know what day/time of day decisions are typically released for W&M?
The last four years these have been the dates (all released at or around 5 pm) March 21 2020, March 23 2019, March 23 2018, and March 23 2017. However, this year the W & M admissions Instagram said they would be released in April.
Son just got the email and portal notification that he is a Monroe Scholar. Regular decision. In-state (Hampton Roads). Never got a cipher card. Plans to be pre-med and major in neuroscience.
Stats:
- National Merit Scholar Finalist
- SAT 1580 (800 math, 780 verbal), only took it once
- IB program at competitive school, top 5% of class.
- Eagle Scout
- Varsity letters each season except for one season freshman year to complete Eagle Scout project and last spring due to COVID.
- Student gov’t
- Multiple honor societies
- Peer tutor
- Volunteered in local hospital prior to COVID. Volunteered with Red Cross blood bank and local food bank throughout COVID and currently.
Son loves the school and the students. One of his close friends also got the Monroe Scholar notification this evening. Best of luck to all!
3 Likes
So are you saying this is your son’s first notification from the College? Even if he didn’t get a cypher (a likely) he may have gotten the email last week to check his portal for his acceptance decision because my child’s was in the spam folder and would have been overlooked.
I’m just asking because if he didn’t overlook the email last week and this is his first contact, then that means Monroe Scholars are notfied at different times, as someone asked earlier.
1 Like
He received the email at 5:22pm Eastern local this evening. His friend got his at approx the same time.
1 Like
Well if he and a friend got a first notification today, I guess that answers the question as to whether Monroe Scholars get notified at different times. And he may have an application that would have garnered a cypher, but his application was read late in the cycle. They explicitly state that they only send them to exceptional applications read early on.
Well, congratulations to all.
1 Like
Anecdotally, my daughter got the Monroe acceptance last week but never got a Cypher (as you mention). Good luck, everyone!
1 Like
Wow, W&M is just twisting the knife with this gradual rollout. Making students feel rejected week by week for an entire month.
3 Likes
Oh wow. As an alumna, I hope students don’t feel rejected week after week. Many of them have been reviewed favorably, but have not been notified. Only 25% get a cypher according to admissions, and even that, as has been said, depends partially on when the application is read.
While awaiting a decision, and since this is my first time going through this process as a parent, I also had the thought that a single notification day would be less stressful. But every year in my area of VA, the top students at each school tend to apply to W&M, UVA, and the Ivies (along with a safety or two). These early notices are an attempt by the College to reach out to those kids.
Ivy day and other T20 notification days are usually in March, so I think the College starts sending cyphers in February to those students most likely to be made an offer by one of those other schools.
I wish you all the best and truly hope I haven’t made anyone feel worse by trying to explain the rationale.
5 Likes
I found your rationale helpful, so thank you. I appreciate your input.
2 Likes
Thank you.
I would keep in mind that most parents/students are not aware of postcards being sent unless they receive one. (Most people are also not on CC, which could be good for their stress levels!) As @VA4life mentioned, the postcards are only sent to about 25% of accepted students, and they used to be relatively private before the age of social media. Their purpose is to get a positive message out to kids who are hearing early from competitor schools.
I had actually forgotten about Monroe Scholars until I saw this thread, even though my D21 applied to W&M. I think most applicants are not expecting to be named as a Monroe Scholar since they are only about 3% of a very capable and high achieving student body.
The vast majority of applicants will hear their decisions on the release date, but my heart goes out to any student who is feeling prolonged rejection or knife twisting 
. I don’t think any school has the intention of making kids feel that way, and knowing many in the W&M community, they would all want to find a kinder way if they could.
6 Likes
thank you! <3
Do we think decisions are likely for tomorrow? ED2 came out on a Wednesday and I believe last year they were released this week