<p>I need some advice here.
I got a mail from an admission officer of one of the schools I'm applying to... and they said they want me to re-submit my portfolio online even though I sent them CDs. I gladly did, and a day or so later, I got a reply, saying that they have made my decision, but won't tell me over e-mail and it will arrive at the very latest in the first week of December (this was told to me around mid-November).</p>
<p>According to you is this a good sign or a bad sign, and what do you think were the reasons for re-submitting an online portfolio? And is the fact that they won't tell me my decision over e-mail a bad sign? Or do they send out mass decisions all at once (because I'm assuming rejection letters come by regular posts, while all affirmatives arrive by UPS/DHL etc...)</p>
<p>I doubt that any institution would deliver a decision, thumbs up or down, via e-mail. It may have to to with privacy laws and the Federal Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA), or institutional policy. E-mail is considered informal, and there is no way to determine if the e-mail account actually belongs to the applicant.</p>
<p>I think they told you they made a decision because they don't want you to commit prematurely to another school before receiving their letter of acceptance - but that's JUST a guess. Otherwise I can't think of any reason why they would say anything.</p>
<p>About the resubmission - an online portfolio may be accessed by anyone regardless of platform, software, etc. It eliminates any possibility of platform or software version incompatibilities.</p>
<p>Could be....
Many of my Univs have told me my decision over e-mail actually.... some even on Facebook! (lets not take any names - but I consder that college ultra cool for doing so - shows they know the current trends and the staff are modern young creative people)</p>
<p>Yes but the CD is completely accepted.... and I ensured its cross compatible with any platform. I theorized that this could be so that my portfolio could be reviewed by a travelling Head of Admissions or something like that.... someone who needed to see it but couldn't be sent the CD....</p>
<p>Anyways, few days left, lets see what happens....
Thank you for your thoughts.</p>
<p>frankly, they may have lost or scratched your CD. It happens, and it's great that they contacted you for an alternate submission if that was the case. Or, they may have wanted to be able to email several faculty with the link so that they get multiple opinions without trying to pass the cd around which can get time consuming or result in loss.</p>
<p>Many schools do communicate decisions by email. But some still do not believe it is appropriate, so this may be one of them. Or, sorry to be the Debby Downer here, but it's possible that they communicate positive responses by email and negative ones by snail mail. Not saying it's likely or unlikely (as I have no idea of the strength of your application, etc.), just admitting it's a possibility.</p>
<p>I know that is a possibility, because I have received all my acceptance letters by a courier company (except one). So. It is a possibility I have to accept that the "No." would come by snail mail because why would they want to spend anything on it actually.</p>
<p>Alternatively, theres the theory that they send out a large bunchy of decisions on a particular date.</p>
<p>(Oh and P.s. - scratching or losing my CD is kind of out of the question, because I sent one by DHL, and a second one by the rep. that came to my school. So, quite unlikely. It could be the reason that you said about sending it around. OR a drastic theory lol is its for scholarship decision which takes place at some other section or whatever - haha)</p>