Great Advice from Admissions Officers

Parents Forum
21

<p>"Mini, -- I think you owe every kid who attends a State University an apology. It's not like you to be so elitist."</p>

<p>Apology tendered. I did mean institutions expecting $180k from those to be deemed worthy of entering their halls.</p>

<p>For the record, the essay (a graded writing sample) was REQUESTED as part of the application - what was submitted was used as part of the package for the optional arts submission to make for an integrated whole. (And, for the record, it was a homeschooler's submission where a traditional transcript wouldn't have said much.) But, be that as it may, I know that not only the admissions office, but the college president read it, and listened to the CD. And I know from the personalized acceptance letters from other admissions officers that they did the same, or had other faculty do it for them.</p>

<p>Whether they SHOULD or not, I'll leave it for you to decide. Whether it is a good use of resources, I leave to them to decide. But that they in fact did so is not in question.</p>

22

<p>As Carolyn pointed out, it is paramount to target your application package to the individual school. With a bit of sleuthing work, anyone can find the quirks of the schools or, more importantly, the quirks of the adcoms. </p>

<p>FWIW, I believe that CD and tapes should be sent DIRECTLY to the department that MIGHT appreciate them. It makes no sense to send a baseball game or french horn recital tape to the ADMISSION office. You have to trust the system that the baseball coach or music loving professor will take the time to flag the file and become your champion. </p>

<p>The alternative may just become another good-time moment at the end-of-admissions party. Does anyone remember the account how adcoms would play the tapes of unsuspecting students at the party, and with the help of a dose of liquor, find the submissions hilariously funny.</p>