We are limited to virtual events and my son has not visited (though I have-- and he has been to the area as his sister attends Smith).
I’d like him to do anything virtual that works schedule-wise, but am curious what to focus on.
I should add that this is the only school he has been accepted to and he won’t hear from any more until late March.
No, but we are nearby in Loudoun Co. My DH went to UMASS Amherst and our son has been accepted, but we are not sure where he really wants to go… he’s very undecided.
I think there are two Destination Day events. Last year, one was on February 19, the Saturday preceding the beginning of Massachusetts high schools’ February break (which starts on President’s Day). I think the other one was on Sunday, March 27. One feature of Destination Days that’s helpful is a presentation and tour of the department/school to which the prospective student has been admitted.
1 Like
The destination days this year are 2/11 & 4/1 - can’t remember if I got it from their website or some other communication from them.
2 Likes
There are 4 destination days and depending on your College of admissions/major you will have a choice of two dates. Here is the link to the page on Destination Days: https://www.umass.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/admitted-students/destination-days/destination-days-schedule
3 Likes
Any indications of another wave today? Still waiting!!! S23 oos for Isenburg and we are getting anxious!
4 Likes
We’re hoping to hear something today too for CS.
1 Like
Us Too! We are instate and waiting for Isenberg! Hoping to hear today!
2 Likes
A new intsagram post just now…it states they do not have an exact date for the next wave of acceptances. All early decisions will be out by the end of January. So I would assume we will not have decisions today. So disappointed.
Waiting for CS here too. The wait is torturous!
2 Likes
I’m really disappointed in how UMass has handled the EA process (keep in mind I have a child already at UMass, and have been through this once before).
There is no transparency on their part, other than snippets of information that are released sporadically through Instagram (of all places). I really don’t think that a social media app is the appropriate place to make these disclosures – note that there is absolutely no mention of the release process on the UMass website.
Back to transparency, it would be helpful to know (or understand) the following:
- How many decisions are released per “wave”? Are they predominantly
acceptances? Rejections? Deferrals? Totally random? - Are different majors released in different waves? From Instagram (this is the best source, sadly) it appears to be random, but who knows.
- How many waves are anticipated? Give us at least some idea when they will be (create and stick to a schedule like every other university my child has applied to).
- What about merit aid - is my kid more or less likely to receive merit aid based on when he is accepted?
- I’m frustrated with all of the social media posts regarding admitted student functions - why not hold off on posting that information until all EA admits are notified? I feel like posting this information (multiple times now) means: (1) my child isn’t going to be accepted, or (2) if he is accepted, we may not have an opportunity to sign up for an event because everyone who was notified earlier will have snapped up all available slots.
Bottom line is this - I have no idea about the methodology behind when waves get released, and whether it is a bad thing for my child to have not received something yet. It is causing my child anxiety (especially knowing his sister received her decision a couple of years ago prior to Christmas). It seems like this could all be remedied easily - disclose on the admissions website what the process actually is, remove the mystery behind it all.
I realize the process is not as straightforward as it may have been prior to the pandemic. However, other schools seem to be progressing just fine – the best way to describe the UMass approach to date would be “haphazard” at best.
11 Likes
Thanks. At least we know it’ll have to be soon. (Was hoping for today though.)
1 Like
I am 100% with you. UMass was the very first application we sent in - we applied EA on 10/2. We applied EA to South Carolina, Delaware and Indiana a day later. We also applied RD to other schools - Tennessee, Rutgers, and Louisiana - in late November and early December.
We have gotten an answer from EVERYONE so far, except UMass, TN and Rutgers. TN will be releasing RD answers on 2/15. Don’t know when we’ll hear from Rutgers but I totally understand any delay - all EA applications should be reviewed before they even glance at the RD pile.
But I’m struggling to understand what the UMass issue is. Isn’t the whole point of EA to get an answer sooner? All our other EA decisions were received by mid-December. And now answers are rolling in for our RD applications - which were sent in almost 2 months after we applied to UMass.
We’re frustrated. Very.
4 Likes
I agree with you too. My graduate degree is from UMass and my daughter was (thankfully) accepted in the last wave, but more info and transparency about the process would have been helpful and appreciated.
1 Like
Does anyone know if releasing EA decisions in waves and allowing some students to sign up for admitted student visits before other EA applicants even have an answer done at other schools too or just UMass? My family is new to this process.
The registration for admitted student events is NOT open yet. UMass has said they will send registration emails to admitted students on Jan. 22, which is this Sunday. It would make sense to me that there is another wave of decisions prior to Sunday, but I have no personal knowledge of that. My heart goes out to all who are still waiting. Even though my son has already received a decision from UMass, he like many others, is still waiting to hear from some schools. So, I very much know how brutal the waiting is.
Goes to show just how different processes are from one campus to another. My son applied to 12 schools - all of them EA except 1 which was RD. We’re still waiting on 7 of them (including the RD). Virginia Poly’s EA date is mid Feb.
South Carolina published all responses to EA applications on the same day, so admitted students all got info on events at the same time. Delaware and Indiana’s EA was more like “rolling”, kids seemed to typically be getting answers within 6 or 7 weeks of applying. We got our Delaware acceptance in mid-November and were able to get into an event on 12/3. Kids who applied very close to the EA deadline probably hadn’t received their decisions yet. And I don’t know what Indiana did…once he got the yes from Delaware he sort of lost all interest in that school.
2 Likes
I don’t mind the wait, so long as the school is upfront and transparent about the admissions process. My son is waiting on schools, too, but I know when the decision will be released, who is receiving decisions on that day, etc. In other words, there is no apprehension and no room for misinterpretation, because the schools have been open and disclosed their process.
3 Likes