<p>That is just plain mean, I’m so sorry to hear that this happened to you. I would be very upset too.</p>
<p>@jambajo i understand what youre saying and that they only accept a few oos but why single out a city like that? At the other other receptions, everyone was told they were admitted. If it wasn’t going to he the same then they should have stated that on the invite. I had to cancel school events and as did my mother Bc she attented with me. It would have been easier if they gave us a heads up before the reception. The whole process just isn’t up to par for a school that is so highly praised. Receptions should only be held for admitted students and not for rejected/waitlisted Bc it gives nothing but false hope. I just think they should consider changing that part of the admissions process. I most likely wont be filing for appeal.</p>
<p>And what about the email I received about meeting my admissions counselor? Ive accepted that I wasn’t admitted but just don’t understand why they didn’t think out the whole process of sending invites and emails to “maybe” students.</p>
<p>A Plea to UC Santa Barbara
Next year, if you are going to have a Chancellor’s Reception, please only invite applicants you are going to admit. It’s cruel to invite those you already know you are not going to accept. Don’t invite them just because you need bodies to fill up the reception hall. It’s not fair, it’s reprehensible, and it is a waste of their time and money. It’s not befitting of any university. Though in your invitation, you explicitly state that an invitation is not a guarantee of admission, you MUST KNOW how anxious applicants can be and may over-interpret any positive cues. Don’t add to this. It’s much easier to take a rejection without having been invited to such an event than getting invited, making an effort to go, and then getting rejected. Please stop this practice.</p>
<p>Oh so they have to redo their process, Why? Because you said so? Sorry the world doesn’t work that way, your reception was in early March and if you go through the responses in the reception thread they told you they had not finished making all the decisions and that you weren’t admitted. Stop bashing the process and get over it. They didn’t specify the differences between the receptions because they don’t expect students to log onto a college forum and compare receptions. Admit it if you never came to CC and saw that others were admitted on the spot, you wouldn’t have read too into the process and got your hopes up…</p>
<p>@CaliforniaRooted. FYI, I was admitted to the Honors College. So don’t assume.
No they do not have to redo the process because I said so, it’s because it’s wrong.</p>
<p>Oh please, to all those saying these kids shouldn’t feel hurt - I think they have every right. What was purpose did the Chicago area meeting? Enticing top kids to apply, sure that makes sense - enticing top admitted kids to accept, yup makes sense too. Telling kids they are top" applicants", selling the school to them and rejecting them? Seems like it was just a tease with no purpose. Really, they’ve already applied and aren’t going to be admitted, so why do it before the decisions are final?</p>
<p>To all you smarty pants “Sorry the world doesn’t work your way” commenters: tell me what was the purpose of the Chicago meeting?</p>
<p>(edited for repeated sentence)</p>
<p>@CaliforniaRooted that is not what we’re saying and I’m well aware at how the world works. And yet they had admitted students well before the regular date so of course most of the decisions were already made. CC has nothing to do with it, if a college calls you a top applicant and wants to congratulate you on your achievements, what are you supposed to think? Sorry for having some hope for a college that I didn’t think I was good enough to get into.</p>
<p>@Mom2Kids I couldn’t agree more. I think you said it better than I could’ve.</p>
<p>
To give additional encouragement to enroll to students that seemed to have high likelihood of being accepted? </p>
<p>I’d bet the invitations were sent out based on a preliminary screen using GPA and SAT scores. It could be those not accepted had poor essays or ECs, but my guess would be that in most cases it was due to OOS applicants not meeting all the A-G requirements and thus being ineligible for admission to UC.</p>
<p>What surprises me most about all of these posts is that none of you have acknowledged that UCSB personnel flew ALL the way out to Chicago to TALK TO YOU! They came to YOU! These receptions were a PR move. The purpose was to engage you as an applicant, talk about the school, and provide an opportunity to become acquainted with the campus. I’m sure that not all of the ppl in Chicago who applied have actually visited the campus! They clearly stated that students were not admitted. They clearly stated AT the Chicago reception that this was not the case. Yet you are still complaining. How many of you would actually have flown to CA to get this information? This was a luxury and you’re spitting all over it. Tough love about not getting in. They were acknolwedging you as applicants and that’s a heck of a lot more than other schools do.</p>
<p>^ Well said! UCSB took time out of their schedule to fly to Chicago and actually talk or get to know their applicants. I think you guys should at least give them credit for that. OP I’m sorry for your misfortune and I good luck with your other college decisions. </p>
<p>Sent from my LG-MS910 using CC</p>
<p>Were you there? How do you know what impression was given? What was the purpose of the reception? This was not handled well.People should not have left thinking there was an excellent chance they were accepted.</p>
<p>mikemac & CuriousJDG9513 &mayhemmay</p>
<p>Flying out to talk to potential students is something a school does to drum up applicants or to encourage those admitted to attend. UC’s receive much more money from OOS than local admits, so they are doing those students no favor by flying out, the students are doing them a favor by considering giving their hard earned (or their parents’ hard earned) money to that school. Or, perhaps later, if they receive finaid, donating as an alum. </p>
<p>Seriously, an open “learn more about UCSB” day in the area for all applicants would be one thing, but to ask specific kids to come? Why? To sell the school? All they have seemed to have done is upset those who didn’t get in after being told they were so close. And, they could easily have a local day a couple weeks later - when they actually knew who was admitted. I think they should rethink their strategy in this regard. </p>
<p>Also, colleges know about CC - know that kids share on it. If all the other meetings around the country told the attendees they were admitted, then really, this one should have been no different. I think it was poor planning on someone’s part.</p>
<p>^^ Who was your question directed towards? If it was directed to me then I’m sorry for upsetting you or anything. I went to the reception at San Jose and it was filled with a lot of useful information and presentations that made me seriously consider the school. In short, I ASSUMED they did the same at the Chicago reception besides admitting all the students there. A few people keep asking “What was the purpose of the reception?” I believe some of the above posters have touched on that answer: to give people useful information and give a brief overview of what UCSB is about. Again not trying to upset anybody just giving my own thoughts on the situation.</p>
<p>What’s silly about this is there is a simple fix, if you can’t offer good news at this late date…hold off having the reception until after decisions. I tried to reword the invitation and FAQ but it just sounds dumb to say you are a top applicant but we can’t take all of you. Also, as UCSB must recognize since there is another FAQ about it, students are likely to think if they cannot attend it might signal they are not interested and therefore hurt their chances for admission. There is just no win-win. </p>
<p>@CaliforniaRooted - if a college ignores CC then shame on them. It’s free research. Some schools monitor it and comment regularly, like UVA, to set the record straight when things get out of hand. You just can’t ignore it.</p>
<p>^ I think it was aimed at me :). And it’s wrong why? Because you say so what if I say it’s right? As far as my “assumption” my second post was not solely directed at you, and seeing as the title of this post is “Rejected after Chicago Reception” I’m not assuming anything. But anyways my post came off harsher than intended but I think some people are being ungrateful, as others stated UCSB personally flew over 100 faculty, students, and Alum, provided food and beverages etc. and all I see are complaints. You’re doing UCSB a favor and not Vise Versa" Wow 5 bucks for gas and 3-5 hrs of your life, “oh the struggle” this was UCSB’s version of a likely letter, likely letters are not a guarantee. And I do not think those rejected shouldn’t feel hurt. I just don’t think they should try and make the event out to be a scam to get their money etc. because if that was the case everyone at the Chicago event would have been accepted since oos pay double the tuition, the rejections if anything support the opposite.</p>
<p>My son received the invite to the New York reception weeks ago. The reception is being held in NYC this saturday, as well as in Washington on Sunday. Obviously we now know the answer as decisions have been posted - he was accepted - but at the time I reminded him to remain cautiously optimistic as it clearly states that the invite is no guarantee of admission, but we RSVP’d to attend to learn more about the school. I can understand getting your hopes up, as my son did, but you cannot blame UCSB. I am sure the decision to send the invites was made months ago, before they were done making all the admission decisions. Perhaps your major was popular and you were really one of their top applicants, but they just did not have the space.
My son applied to many private schools and none of them made the effort to organize any kind of personal info session like UCSB did, which is a positive in my opinion and makes you feel that they really care about the students and will go that extra mile. My son also received an invite to apply for a Leadership Scholarship at Berkeley, and again, they clearly state that this does not in any way influence or guarantee admission. Berkeley is a long shot for him, but he still applied. Perhaps next year they should hold the receptions after acceptances, this way there are no hurt feelings, but I am sure it was not intentional. Since it was just the Chicago reception, perhaps this was an oversight. Good luck to you. I am sure you will be accepted to many wonderful schools and this will be insignificant in a few weeks.</p>
<p>CaliforniaRooted - </p>
<p>First off, I want to say I don’t speak for any of the applicants invited to the Chicago area meeting, I’m not an applicant and I don’t live in the area and I didn’t receive an invite.</p>
<p>However, I am a California resident and tax payer - I want to know who funded these “100 faculty, students, and Alum, provided food and beverages etc” - UCSB? Is that how they are spending our tax dollars in these strapped times? To woo kids that they aren’t even admitting? Like I said, I think outreach before the admissions deadline, and after acceptance makes sense, but maybe the college could save a few bucks on the size of the reception hall and man hours if they just invited accepted students. How hard can it be to arrange it? And then no hard feelings. </p>
<p>There was an event for UCLA when my daughter was admitted a few years ago in NorCal, but it occurred & invitations sent after the students were admitted. It seemed to work just fine. </p>
<p>Anyway, yes these kids will get over bruised feelings and move on to a school that is right for them. Still, I haven’t heard a good reason to hold these “special invitation” events between application & admissions, yet. Cheers.</p>