<p>I just got a letter from Wake Forest today and it told me I have been selected for its Direct Connection Application, which is given to strong high school students and is personalized. I have also received similar letters from USC, NYU, Vanderbilt, Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, and a number of second tier schools. I'm just wondering if these things mean anything at all in terms of admissions. Also the school I most want to attend is actually lower than some of these schools but has not sent me anything. I'm wondering if that will hurt my chances at admission to that school or does it really not matter.</p>
<p>It’s most likely a “preferred status” that they want you to feel – in order for you to submit an app. Whether or not you actually are treated any differently, I don’t know. However, they want you to feel that they feel great about you. In turn, they hope you’ll feel great about them and apply.</p>
<p>As for your target school, their PR dept may just not be as sophisticated. Remember: the world revolves around marketing – even in College searches.</p>
<p>Thanks. Just wondering, do you know if the University of Michigan PR department is sophisticated? I just assumed that they would be so I’m a little concerned about the fact that I have not received anything from them despite showing interest in them.</p>
<p>LOL: UM is so huge that they just assume anyone in the midwest with high aspirations will drop them an app. The fact that they may not be scouting U out shouldn’t deter you from applying. It’s a wonderful school. I was accepted back in Oct of my Sr year so it made applying to other schools very un-stressful. I ended up turning down UM for an HYP however. Irony is that years later, I was working in AA and bought my 1st house near the football stadium. I’m now a UM sports fan although no longer live in AA.</p>
<p>This is interesting. D received the ‘direct connect’ email from Wake Forest, but not from USC, she has visited and submitted part one app for both schools.</p>
<p>merryecho: don’t read anything into that. The “direct connect” or whatever is just a PR vehicle. Not every school has one nor do they feel the need to create one.</p>
<p>It’s like getting a mailer from American Express with “You’ve Been APPROVED” on the envelope…</p>
<p>T26, is this your opinion, or based in fact? I am curious because D and friend visited and interviewed at WF on the same day, and both completed part 1 of the common app at the the same time. But the friend has not received the direct connect email. And, as the OP mentions, he has also received one from USC, while D has not. If it is purely pr mail, they are doing a sloppy job of it.</p>