I emailed my AOs at the schools I applied to after March 15 (the day stated to inquire about admission decisions), but have not yet heard anything (it has been 12 days). I emailed to ask for more information about reapplying and what I can improve on. I’m sure the admissions office is very busy organizing acceptances/waitlists, but I’m not sure if I was supposed to hear from them by now. If not, am I to expect a response after April 10? Should I try emailing again?
Thank you!
I would wait until after April 10. You probably won’t get a real answer from them about “what i can improve on” as your spot may have been given to a less qualified, full pay applicant. They might give some generic answers like improve your essays and such, but the real deal is about FP vs. FA.
AOs are certainly busy right now. I don’t know how you contacted them, but, if you haven’t done so already, I would specifically contact the people who interviewed you. I disagree with sanguine12: while FA does make acceptance rate go down, many (or most) of these schools have 30-45% of their students on FA-- so clearly it’s possible to get in with aid (and Andover, which I believe was one of thelittleswimmer’s schools, course, is need blind anyway).It seems perfectly reasonable to ask how to improve your application for next year. You might get a helpful answer-- or you might not-- but there’s nothing wrong with asking. I’d wait a few weeks, however, well past April 10th, before reaching out again.
I agree FP v FA was a big piece in admissions decisions at almost all schools, and again, now, post M10. The question re. applying again and how to improve your app is better to have in person, over the phone - better for them, and better for you. Start the convo with general check in and update re. where you are and what your plans are. Saying you want to touch base regarding their decision is a good opener, too. --Before picking up the phone, keep in mind the timing of your convo. If you’re WL then now is the time to have that conversation, and your focus would want to be geared toward what you can do to help improve your chances (for ex., is there anything further you can provide them - that’s a question for you, really, also, are you comfortable saying to them that you’re 100% committed, if they can put a FA package together you’ll go, etc.). Definitely don’t have a conversation now with a WL school about how you can improve next year’s app. - doing so could not only impact the little chances of getting off WL now, but also set a negative tone for next year (even it it is a realistic perspective, it can come across as pessimistic – think of it this way: you wouldn’t want a coach to talk about how the team can do better next game WHILE they’re still playing a game right now).
If you’re talking to a school to which you’ve been denied, then the convo is geared differently - again, opening with a general “wanna touch base re. decision” then possibly inserting some comment about your (understanding their perspec and yet feeling of) disappointment, that would then segue toward wonder if they recommend you re-apply. Draw them in, and be open to hearing what they have to say - they’ll feel that and be more inclined to talk, If they advise you to re-apply, then are there any areas in your app s/he would recommend you work on etc. It is important to keep your tone and attitude positive and supportive. Be open to the possibility that they don’t think you should re-apply, and that they would want to be subtle in this position (for ex., “you could do that…” could mean they do/do not believe it’s worthwhile). If it’s a deny school conversation you could have that now or later, it’s up to you.
Either way, I would only recommend emailing them AFTER having the convo - to thank them for their time (and, if it’s a WL: to reiterate your points (e.g., I am fully committed to (insert amazing school). Good luck.
Have your parents setup a face to face meeting with the AO who reviewed your app well AFTER April 10, but before the school ends for the year. The AO may or may not give some useful advice. I know a friend of mine who did this for his daughter when she was rejected from a particular school, and the AO gave some useful feedback.
The only real feedback I got was to improve my SSAT scores. Most people just said “There were just so few beds…” Sigh.
Thanks for all of the replies! I apologize for the late response.
@Daykidmom: My AOs (one was assigned to my region, the other was assigned to my category, 9th grade female) and interviewers (on-campus) are different people. Who would be better to contact regarding the situation?
@annieoakley: Thank you for the very comprehensive advice! I was denied to both schools I applied to. Unfortunately, I do not have either of my AOs’ phone numbers, which is why I decided to email instead. However, I do have the phone numbers of both of my interviewers. Should I call them instead?
@sgopal2: Thanks for the input! Unfortunately, I live over 1000 miles from both schools so my parents will be unable to setup a face-to-face meeting. However, I will try to contact them personally through a phone call.
Thanks again!
Many of them are on spring break. One of my interviewers emailed me today saying that they just came back.
Would be better if your parents were the ones who scheduled the phone call. More likely to get honest answers
@thelittleswimmer
I can’t remember for sure - did you interview by skype with alum? If so, then no - call the AO and ask to speak with someone, if you don’t have a name. If you DO have a name, then can you go to the school’s website and locate their full name and extension? the AOs usually have a list of their team players.
Be open to hearing what they have to say - and good luck!! We’re rooting for you 
And yes, I agree with @sgopal2 that these calls would be best if handled by your parents - so if they were at all involved in your app process, coach them with all of our advice. That way, they can include the challenging part of the convo where you/they ask for constructive feedback. It’d be a lot easier for the AO to be more (brutally) honest if the call is made my DM or DD than by you.
If they haven’t been involved at all, then go for it!
@annieoakley: For both of the schools I applied to, I interviewed with faculty members on-campus. I looked at the websites but unfortunately did not find any phone numbers or phone extensions there.
Thank you for the encouragement!
are you sure?? every school my DD applied to has a list –
do you have their names?
if not, then just call the AO and ask to speak with someone regarding the admission decision. S/he may ask you who you worked with, so be prepared to say something that doesn’t reflect poorly (for ex., perhaps you can say you misplaced the person’s card? then ask for their help in locating the person’s name before they transfer you).
BTW - next time - always get their business card and follow up the interview with a thank you - via email (at a minimum) or hand-written note (better, imo).
@annieoakley: Oh! I think there may be a small misunderstanding.
I did get the business cards of both of my on-campus interviewers (I requested it after the interview). I looked for my AOs’ cards but did not see one on the desk at the time. I did not see either of them at the admissions office. I have the names/emails of both of the admissions officers, but I was not given a business card or given their phone numbers.
I hope this helped!
So at both schools: you went to campus, interviewed with a faculty member, got his/her card, and then spoke w/met w/ an Admissions Officer, an entirely different person, but didn’t get his/her card…
Idk what to say - for sure this is not something to be handled via email. It’s a phone call. Your parents will want to talk to the person who handled your application, whoever that is, IFF you want to gain insight into what happened and how you can try again with them or another school in the future.
Just fyi, I found my AO phone #s online, on a link off the main AO page - though you can just call the main AO # and ask to speak to the AO (the name you have).
Since these are admit denies, there’s no rush, but I wouldn’t wait either…
Best.
For clarification:
Exeter assigns each applicant based on region to a certain AO. I emailed with this AO after my AO contacted me in the fall. For Andover, it is a bit different where the AOs are assigned via categories, called “personal application advisors”, so each AO has more applicants to handle (i.e.: two people handle all inquiries for applicants applying for 9th grade female). Because my Andover AO was quite busy, we did not keep in contact as much as I did with my Exeter AO. I exchanged only emails with my Exeter AO.
My Exeter and Andover interviews were all on-campus. I did not meet with my admissions officers in-person at either school when visiting campus, as they were not in the office at the time. I do not believe I saw the business cards for either one at the admissions office, but I was nervous that day so I could be wrong. My Exeter and Andover interviews were with faculty members. After the interview, both faculty members gave me their business cards to contact. I said thank you, flew home, and sent those two plus my Exeter and Andover AOs handwritten thank you cards.
Does anyone know where I can find AO phone numbers on Exeter and Andover’s websites? I looked but cannot seem to find any–only emails.
The last two weeks in March are spring vacation. Now everyone is focused on revisiting students etc. If you are are trying to engage about the wait list then yes keep trying to get in touch, politely. If however you want to know about your application I do not think you will get anything from anyone until after April 10th if at all and I would not get your hopes up that they are going to give you any real feedback. How many applicants are each of these AOs responsible for?
Exeter’s AO 603-777-3437 -
from E’s AO page: “PLEASE NOTE: We want to work with you, directly. Always be sure to make personal contact with our office when you have questions or concerns about the application process; we are eager to help you.”
http://exeter.edu/admissions/109_7733.aspx = Exeter’s Team. I like to see the person I’m talking to - helps.
and as an aside - yes, AO are focused on their Admits. That’s not a reason to not place a call…
If you get their vm, leave a msg. if they dont’ get back to you right away, trust they will when they can.
How do you know AOs are still young at heart?
They like playing (phone) tag!
Bad joke. Sorry.
Just for support @thelittleswimmer, we have found it extremely difficult to get good information or answers from AOs at Andover and Exeter. At Exeter – no contact other than interview. Name disappeared from website soon after interview. All further contact was with admissions staff, who frankly seemed baffled by DS’s application and hassled us for many weeks about wanting more info despite sending them way more than any other school asked for or required. At Andover – there is the assignment by category, but that person hasn’t emailed much in the way of responses. At other schools, warm and lovely relationships with AOs with emails and answers to relevant questions that show specific knowledge of the kid and leads to much better feelings about the atmosphere. Someone posted recently that Andover and Exeter try to hard sell kids and recruit. My kid had the opposite experience and loved other schools visited more. We will see what revisit days brings. WL at Exeter and so not going back, but also turned off by application experience. Visiting all other schools and should be fun to see what they show after the application experiences at each.