<p>S is a senior who recently applied to UA. He is a NMSF, 4.0 GPA, 1590 CR+M SAT, etc, etc. Earlier this week he received a large envelope with a letter enclosed congratulating him on his admission and explaining his scholarships (Presidential at least with the added portions if named NMF). The envelope also included information about the Honors College with instructions on how to apply online through his Bama account. When son went online to do this, he noticed that the admissions decision was not reflected online. He immediately sent an e-mail to the admissions office (just filled out online from, did not direct it to anyone in particular as there is not currently a NH rep listed). After 3 days, he got a response today telling him that this letter was sent to him in error, that he should disregard it, and that he had not yet been admitted due to items missing from his file. </p>
<p>Wow. Even though I know that he will in all likelihood be accepted and truly receive this scholarship, it is still quite a disappointing turn of events and S is definitely not feeling the love (which is a shame). </p>
<p>Has this ever happened to anyone else? Suggestions for follow up?</p>
<p>I feel for you, but mistakes do happen. Rest assured that if your son truly is a NMSF with the stats you’ve mentioned, that it will all fall into place. If he’s missing something key to the actual decision … likely just the transcript or test scores since those are the only supplemental information required by UA besides the application … then it will come in due time. Maybe someone noticed his stats, etc. and just jumped the gun! Don’t give up on Bama, they won’t give up on you! :-)</p>
<p>^^^ incidentally, you can check your application status on myBama and actually see the status of receipt of scores and transcripts and the dates they were received, by going to the Academics Tab and finding the Link for Application Status. Good Luck!</p>
<p>What is missing from his app? Transcripts? test scores?</p>
<p>If something is missing, then I don’t think you can blame Bama or say “not feeling the love”. You can’t blame a school for not admitting until all the parts are in, right?</p>
<p>If everything has been recently sent, then maybe those items still need to be processed? </p>
<p>Nothing to really “follow up” with unless things were all sent if awhile ago and may be lost. What is missing? If the school has been sent everything, and the missing links don’t show up on MyBama by about Tuesday, then call Admissions or your area rep. </p>
<p>(BTW…the same thing happened to my NMF son at another school. No biggie…there’s lots of paper, files, etc, that need to be managed and sometimes boo boo’s happen).</p>
<p>This didn’t happen to my D, but she did wait a very long time to be admitted, even though she had stats for the Presidential, because while she requested her transcripts through the required channels, her high school didn’t send her transcript for more than 3 months after she applied. We did know that it was the HS that was holding up the works, though.</p>
<p>I would call the admissions office, explain the situation and ask what’s missing. And I wouldn’t let the premature letter affect my decision - mistakes happen; it’s how they’re dealt with that’s important.</p>
IMO, you probably can fault the university for sending the exciting, thick envelope when no envelope should have been sent. I mean, it was the fault of somebody at the university.</p>
<p>But mistakes happen. I would discourage my kid from writing off a college or university that he otherwise liked over this.</p>
<p>I agree that a mistake was made in sending the envelope, but the “not feeling the love” part after being told that the school still needs some info (transcripts? scores? who knows) simply means that. It doesn’t mean that the school doesn’t want you. It just means that the school can’t truly admit you w/o the needed items.</p>
<p>there have been numerous threads over the years of schools accidentally sending “Accepted” letters to “Rejected” students and so forth. this student is not going to be rejected. The hold-up is a formality and once the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, the student will be admitted.</p>
<p>The OP and parent know that the student has all the right stuff to be admitted. However, until the school has uploaded (or whatever) the missing info, it has no idea if there’s some hidden F’s on a transcript or so forth out there.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son, GraniteStateMom. He is obviously an awesome student. 'Bama loves him so much they sent him the big Valentine before Valentine’s Day. </p>
<p>Such is the ardor generated with love at first sight: very passionate, sometimes a little messy. :)</p>
<p>You didn’t mention whether Admissions apologized for their mistake. They certainly should have. Mistakes do happen, but this was a biggie, and it could have been handled better. It took too long to receive a response, and I think a personal phone call to your S or his guidance counselor would have smoothed this over much better. He sounds like an awesome applicant, and their handling of this has made him feel unwanted. They really dropped the ball. </p>
<p>As others have said, don’t let this situation cloud your son’s judgment in making his choice. Admissions offices are often staffed with many young and relatively inexperienced staff. It wasn’t personal, but it sure can feel that way when you are on pins and needles waiting for the envelope.</p>
<p>Unwanted? Nonsense. It’s quite the opposite.</p>
<p>Somebody screwed up and that’s disappointing. A bruise, not an amputation. And nobody with GraniteStateMom son’s stats is sitting on pins and needles with respect to the ASSURED scholarship package for which he qualies at UA.</p>
<p>Malanai, I like your style! But yes, this was a big disappointment, mostly in the ways that nova2nola mentioned. While mistakes do happen, the fact that it took several days for S to hear back was a little surprising. Son received the e-mail, and while I did read it, I don’t have access to it at the moment. Although it wasn’t impersonal, it also wasn’t terribly apologetic.</p>
<p>For those who said that if things were missing, we can’t blame 'Bama, I’m not sure that I agree. If things are missing, the letter shouldn’t have been sent. I agree that when the dust settles in the spring, this will not seem like a big deal. Those who have recently gone through the application process hopefully remember the emotions involved. This was S’s first acceptance and he had that instant relief that comes with knowing he had a school to go to that we can afford. All of a sudden, that safety net is gone. Yes, as a parent I know that this is temporary. I’m not sure that S is so certain of that. Unlike me, he doesn’t spend hours reading CC and doesn’t spend a lot of time comparing himself to others. I think he looks at it like this: the chances of his acceptance letter being sent in error were extremely small, but if that could happen what’s to say that something else extremely unlikely won’t go wrong?</p>
<p>Those of you with kids at 'Bama know how great the school is. Unfortunately, our first impression has not been terribly favorable. I am optimistic that this will change in the near future!</p>
<p>OP – I feel for your family. The entire process is very emotional. Although your son’s stats are great and I am sure one any missing items get in he’ll be accepted, the entire issue is a disappointment. I love how friendly Bama has been to our family, but this was a mistake on the part of Bama to have mailed the package. No way around that in my mind. Everyone makes mistakes. I just hope your son can look beyond this when making his final choice and realize it is outside the norm.</p>
<p>My son had a disappointment along the way but he overcame it and everything worked out well in the end. It would be nice if everything was smooth sailing, but that’s generally not how things work out in life. I think it would be a pity if this was a showstopper for you.</p>
<p>I would have called rather than filling out an online form. I rarely get a quick response to those and sometimes never get a response.</p>
<p>It is disappointing that the system let a mistake slip through and give a talented young person (and his family) a little admissions whiplash.</p>
<p>In the big scheme of things, Bama’s sin probably sits somewhere between using Bowling Words and praying with your legs crossed. That said, I admit my view is tempered from many, many years, miles, and experiences. </p>
<p>I think your son is entitled to his feelings, and I hope the adults around him simultaneously respect his hurt feelings and help him with perspective.</p>
<p>In the same circumstance, I would probably tell our high school college counselor to watch out for a more widespread issue. And knowing me I would probably take an opportunity to get a senior-ish person on the phone or take my meeting during a tour, and let them know how unpleasant the mistake was for the family. (I probably wouldn’t use bowling words, but I’d have a tone in my voice or glare on my face indicating I was considering it.)</p>
<p>“Bowling Words and praying with your legs crossed.”</p>
<p>I’ve never heard that expression before and frankly I have no idea what you are talking about, but being a bowler, I can imagine what “bowling words” are. ;)</p>
<p>Thanks to those of you who understand his feelings. Yes, BillThePoet, the sin is quite minor in the grand scheme of things and if this had happened to someone else, I would likely respond in a similar fashion as many of you. GSSon is a level headed kid who I’m sure will look past this in the months to come when it’s decision time. At the moment he wants to drop plans to visit and cross 'Bama off the list. Fortunately H and I are not ruled by the emotions of a 17 year old and won’t let that happen.</p>
<p>Riporin - I would have called too, but this is his application, not mine. Between school and his internship, S felt he didn’t have time to call during business hours so he sent a quick e-mail. I think that’s actually pretty responsible on his part. I may, however, take a page out of BillThePoet’s book and call next week to pass on feedback. </p>
<p>One of the things that is so attractive about 'Bama is the reports of how friendly and helpful everyone is. Looking forward to experiencing some of that first hand.</p>
<p>Were you able to find out what information the admission office needs? </p>
<p>On the bright side, once you get the information in you should hear back in short order. My son applied to one school in September and didn’t get his acceptance until late February. They screwed up too and admitted him to two colleges, one he didn’t even apply to.</p>
<p>GraniteStateMom: The other day, I checked my son’s mybama account, and I discovered an e-mail that said he was rejected by the Honors College. Oh, he has the stats and everything. In fact, he has met most of the people in the HC, because his older brother graduated from Bama.</p>
<p>A day later, he got a personal e-mail from Allison Verhine, apologizing for the mistake and saying that he was more the welcomed by the HC. He found some humor in this. Things happen. At least we can laugh about this. About six weeks ago, Bama accepted my son, but had the wrong SAT and GPA. That mistake made him ineligible for the HC or any scholarship money. Fortunately, we got that mess straightened out.</p>
<p>Crazy things happen. My older son had a friend who got an acceptance letter from one of our VA schools. Then, she got a rejected letter from that same school. The guidance director got involved on that one. She later selected a different school, because she got more scholarship money.</p>
<p>Besides, your son really needs to visit Bama. My youngest son has loved the school since his first visit in December 2008. And not just for the football, either. He says his older brother has some very pretty female friends.</p>