<p>Hi guys, I’m so sorry to hear the horrible news. Fortunately, I’ve been very sick for the last few days and didn’t check my status that early, lol. Glad to see that I’m in now, but sorry for you anyway. Wish you get into a fine school!</p>
<p>Hey prospective students, my heart sank this morning when I read the article in the New York Times, because I acutely remember that feeling. I am a Vassar alum from the class of 2002 and wanted to share my story in the hopes that it can offer a little light at the end of the tunnel.</p>
<p>I applied through the regular admissions process (not early) but my heart was still set on attending Vassar. On the day the letters arrived, I was crushed to learn that I had been placed on the wait list. (crushed, there was sobbing involved)</p>
<p>However, I replied to Vassar and let them know they were still my number one choice, and that I would absolutely attend if they offered me a spot. </p>
<p>A long wait ensued, and it wasn’t until early June that I was finally offered a spot in the class of 2002. I won’t say that the waiting period was fun, or even pleasant, but in the end it was worth it. If I had given up when I received that wait list letter, I never would have attended Vassar. </p>
<p>So, don’t lose hope applicants. If Vassar is still your first choice, let them know now, and keep those fingers crossed for regular admission! Good luck!</p>
<p>electrika, we have been rejected, not deferred!
we can’t apply for regular decision
it’s over</p>
<p>um…i don’t get it. Early Decision’s point is to let them know that Vassar is our first choice. What do you mean If Vassar still is? To whom are you referring to?</p>
<p>This is the worst day ever!
On reading the signed letter that I’m in, my family and I spontaneously decided to celebrate at a resort near town.
I was effectively celebrating while the whole issue went on, and only just read the email that I’m declined, with no available support since admissions office is closed.
Now, I only have a saved letter on my computer as a momento that I was in for that short period of time (yes, I was so excited that I saved a copy of the letter.)
I’m crushed.</p>
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<p>I’ve been in contact with Kareen. As usual, the NYT twisted the facts.</p>
<p>Kareen’s note to me, which she gave permission to post.</p>
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<p>Anyone “accepted,” then deferred (rather than rejected)? Do you think they might give those people a bit of a break during the RD round?</p>
<p>If you read other universities admissions blogs, they talk about how they “triple check” everything to be absolutely sure that the right letter gets to the right person. Trust the hippie-dippie culture at Vassar to be supremely unbusinesslike. Unfortunately, because Vassar is a top school, this will resonate for awhile. Seriously embarrassing. And, clearly, the benighted admissions office just turned its back on the crisis – so much for the vaunted touchy-feely liberal warmth and “supportive” culture. Well now we know that was a fraud from beginning to end, and this incident exposes the time-serving bureaucrats there for the “not my job” groaners they truly are. If the place was what it was cracked up to be, they would have called in the admissions office to work on Friday night or Saturday morning and called each reject up personally (they have the phone numbers on the apps) and apologized. “Houston, we have a problem.” Vassar just shrugs. Bad. Bad. Bad.</p>
<p>Amen, placido</p>
<p>So sorry to hear of the email snafoo, everyone. It is upsetting for everyone on all sides of the equation for the Vassar ED email (not talking about the above Colby side comments).</p>
<p>I guess I won’t be doing any alum interviews this weekend ;)</p>
<p>Cadence, give me a break! Agreeing with Placido when you don’t know the facts and condemning the entire institution because of the error of one individual is akin to suggesting Colby College is the drinking mecca of the NE LACs because of the infamous and possible record breaking alcohol related incident last fall. Not to mention the arrest a few years ago of the women’s soccer captain et al. for supplying alcohol to underage students.</p>
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<p>[56</a> Colby College Students Face Alcohol Charges After Wild Party](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>56 Colby College Students Face Alcohol Charges After Wild Party | HuffPost College)</p>
<p>@CrewDad I keep trying to post on the article about what you said about Kareen. None of my comments have been approved by the NYT… censorship in all its glory.</p>
<p>That is why sometimes it is better to not speak to the press at all. They have license to do what ever they want with your statements.</p>
<p>As a parent of a child waiting to hear from colleges, I am extremely aware of what these kids go through. A simple, big envelope vs small envelope (yes, some schools do use snail mail) in the mailman’s hand can send a child into joyous celebration or sobs of sorrow.</p>
<p>I tend to agree with kellybkk’s comment that a student has no options to withdraw an ED by blaming it on a ‘computer glitch’, so why should the college. As Candice said, for Vasser to cavalierly blame it on the ‘glitch’ reflects very poorly on the school.</p>
<p>On the most important day of their hitherto lives, the school mess up and they don’t have staff on hand to take care of it gracefully. Tsk…Tsk…Tsk……</p>
<p>Hey everyone,</p>
<p>My heartfelt sympathies to those who received the erroneous acceptance letters. I’m a Senior Editor with the Miscellany News, the student newspaper of Vassar College, and I’m writing a story about the incident. I would really love to speak to anyone who received one of these false letters over the phone or via email. If you have the time and are interested, please shoot me an email at <a href=“mailto:erlorenzsonn@vassar.edu”>erlorenzsonn@vassar.edu</a> anytime before Tuesday at 3pm EST. It would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>I’m sorry to hear that the New York Times took some quotes out of context. Please don’t let that scare you from the (student) press! </p>
<p>Thanks,
Erik Lorenzsonn</p>
<p>As one of the students who’s acceptance was rescinded, I don’t ask for Vassar to re-accept me. I want to get in based on the strength of my application and fitness for the college - if Vassar thinks I don’t add value to their school, then I am better off elsewhere.</p>
<p>But what upsets me the most is how the Dean had allowed such insincere apology to be given to the victims. I was asked last week to re-submit the ED Agreement form before the Dean made the admission decision on Wednesday, but today I am one of the students in the accepted-and-then-rejected pool. Well, there isn’t any point in pursuing the matter anyway…</p>
<p>I am still reeling from the pain, but will move on anyhow.</p>
<p>This whole incident is terrible, most of all Vassar’s incompetent and seemingly indifferent handling of the matter. Why wouldn’t Vassar call each of the students affected and apologize personally, and at least refund the impacted students application fees as a gesture? These steps would seem to be part of Crisis Management 101. Are they totally oblivious to how this will be perceived generally, and the impact on their image? Instead they send a CYA, bland letter and say they won’t be doing anything else. It may be a great school, but the admissions office is obviously not managed very competently.</p>
<p>Mistakes happen, and sincerest sympathies to those affected. Surely the person responsible for neglecting to remove the placeholder has been addressed by the staff. But to expect a personal call from admissions for a denied candidate (76 of them) and a refund of the app fee? That seems excessive. The error was up for approximately 1/2 hr. according to the article. The school has no way of knowing who saw it in that half hour. So they sent out an email of apology after hours on Friday. It is an unfortunate error. And understandibly people are upset. Again, sorry for your loss, but you will surely attend another equally wonderful school.</p>
<p>Actually, they did have a way of seeing who saw it…I got a rejection letter, because I checked at 5:15. They knew I never got the false acceptance, so they never sent me an apology.</p>
<p>I was accepted then deferred. I have yet to hear of anyone else in my position. (I’m not sure if that is a good thing or not)</p>