Ran into some friends over the weekend who have been through the process a couple of times with their kids. As we were discussing their March 10th experience and subsequent steps toward making their final choice on schools, they mentioned that in the final days leading up to M10, they started receiving calls from two different schools, doing some combination of probing on their interest level and pitching on the school as a possibility. I’d be curious to know if others who have been through this before have experienced the same thing…
It depends on the school. The TSAO schools have an agreement not to contact applicants before March 10th, and they seem to hold to that, at least in our experience. Other schools have been known to call-- some for recruiting (sometimes a coach will call, for example), sometimes to gauge interest, sometimes to discuss financial aid (are you still interested if you don’t get it, will you commit to attending if you DO get it). We knew people who got all these kinds of calls, but, again, not from the TSAO schools.
At least one school I know of may contact an applicant that is not accepted a few days before M10 as a curtesy/warning, if a sibling already attends the school.
The first time we received a call before M10, I saw the area code and let it go to voicemail. The AO left a message saying, Congratulations and you’ll be receiving an official letter/ package shortly. Not a TSAO school but a school we loved… Same thing happened the next two rounds ( again- not TSAO schools). I believe I (accidently) picked up one call and spoke to an AO delivering good news. I remember it being a very warm and brief conversation - and definitely more of a Happy Congrats Call than a Hard Sell Call.
No one ever asked us to commit right there on the spot. I think if they had it wouldn’t have gone over very well.
The reasons why I liked letting these M8/ M9 calls go to Voicemail?
I wanted the kids to hear the news. They were home for Spring Break, too and off doing other things. It was a thrill to play the messages when they got home and see the expression on their faces. It was also nice to see their shoulders drop down from around their ears… Nothing like being able to breathe again! Bring on M10!
Plus- if they couldn’t believe their ears or wanted to hear the message(s) again- they could. I’m not too proud to say that I hit replay a couple of times myself.
Exciting days ahead…
Photographermom - how many kids do you have? I’m not sure I have the fortitude to go through this too often! my hat is off to you!
Three ( SD and two boys) BS admissions for the boys was back to back. Good times 
Oh Lord, I will be in a panic starting on March 1st!
Last year, DD received 2 letters on Sat. M8 and got followup emails when she awoke on M10. She is now at one of those schools. Another 6 schools notified on March 10 as expected. Early letters occur because (I assume) schools probably want to be cautious and ensure letters don’t arrive AFTER M10. I have not heard of acceptance emails coming prior to M10, nor schools opening their portals early.
My son applied to mostly TSAO Schools. One day school called on M7 with good news. However nothing from TSAO schools
We didn’t get a call or confirmation. We did, however, have a contact which made us pretty sure an acceptance was coming. I don’t want to go into too many details, but we weren’t shocked when the acceptance came.
We went through the process two years ago. Two emails and one package arrived on March 8, which was a Friday. The others arrived the next day.
Some schools do M10 so much better than others…
Two years ago, we received an acceptance letter on M7 from our favorite school. We were not so surprised to receive the mail earlier because it was a snail mail and we lived in the same State as the school. (M10 was Sunday that year.)
Another school called us very early in the morning (like 7AM) on M8 and wanted to talk to my son and delivered the news. (Again, M10 was Sunday.) Other 2 schools released their acceptance via email. No school that we applied called us beforehand for probing.
We received a phone call about a week before March 10th asking if my son would attend even without financial aid. It was a top school. We said yes… a week later got the acceptance letter. He had four great years there. Well worth the investment and sacrifice as he discovered a new sport and was recruited to an Ivy as a result. Still loving his sport and his college.
When my son went through the process we heard back from two schools shortly after our late January interview but there was neither a communication of any decision nor any request for commitment etc. We did not hear again until decision on M10. Now my son is a senior and his sister is applying to his school - a TSAO school. My son has referred to “sibling day” and that decisions for siblings often come out a day or two early. Time will tell.