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WestrnMom
Super Moderator
| Joined: | Fri May 26th, 2006 |
| Location: | West Coast, USA |
| Posts: | 1161 |
| Mana: |   |
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 09:00 pm |
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When S applied to colleges last year, some of the schools gave each student applicant a web account so they could log in and see if anything was missing from the application (transcripts, recs, GC info). I advise a few students I've worked with on college applications, and got a call from an older student who is applying to grad school. I suggested a call to the admissions office to make sure everything arrived on time. That is what my son did for every school where he thought something might be missing. The student did call the graduate school admissions office and was told that information can't be given out by phone, which is the opposite of S's experience last year. By the time their suggestion is followed (sending a postcard) it will be too late, as everything must be postmarked by next week. I told the student that the grad schools handle less paper than the undergrad admissions office and not to worry since it's too late to do anything more. Is there anything else I can tell this student? My son wouldn't be attending the college he is today if they hadn't told him over the phone that his teacher recs never made it into his file. He was able to have them faxed in quickly by the due date.
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mackinaw
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Michigan |
| Posts: | 776 |
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 09:19 pm |
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All of the business schools (MBA's) that my daughter is applying to have on-line submissions directly to the school. Fill in the blanks for identifiers and other information (name, major, schools attended, addresses, test scores, GPA) on the form. Upload the essays. Upload a .jpg of the transcript(s). Upload a copy of your diploma. Upload a 1 page resume -- .pdf or .jpg. Recommendaton forms and letters submitted online. You know instantly whether your file is complete, which letters are "submitted" and which "in process" or merely "writer notified." No waiting at all.
I imagine some other professional schools and some doctoral programs do the same (ours doesn't).
The problem at undergraduate admissions offices is in part that, as you indicate, the numbers are so large that the adcoms couldn't possibly ask overworked guidance counselors to upload transcripts, or teachers to upload recommendation forms and letters. Even the schools that allow applicants to check the status of their application materials on-line don't always post new information quickly (say, within a week).
But eventually, they do tend to let the applicants know if information is missing, and there is usually enough time for them to follow up: missing a transcript, a test score, a letter of recommendation. I think Carolyn wrote an article on her blog reminding us that for every applicant there could well be 6 to 12 different pieces of information coming in at different times -- applications, letters of recommendation, SAT scores, ACT scores, transcripts, portfolios, and so forth. Ten thousand applicants? Think 60,000 to 120,000 pieces of paper. So you can pretty much figure that for the first 2-3 weeks after the submission date all the admissions offices are doing is sorting. logging, and filing (or misfiling, as the case may be).
Still, I think after giving them a bit of time (a couple of weeks) to sort and log in what you've sent (or asked to be sent by teachers or the school), it's fair to call and ask if all is complete. If they won't tell you, then there could be a problem, as you indicate. But our experience (even many years ago), is that they always did -- even when it turned out that they had misfiled a transcript or two and we had to request that another one be sent.
Last edited on Tue Jan 8th, 2008 04:55 am by mackinaw
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WestrnMom
Super Moderator
| Joined: | Fri May 26th, 2006 |
| Location: | West Coast, USA |
| Posts: | 1161 |
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 09:34 pm |
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So, no news is good news, then? Thank you.
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scoop
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 4th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 546 |
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 12:10 am |
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Mackinaw,
Were there any academic issues for your daughter when she started applying to business schools? Did getting a BFA mean she was missing any courses? I'm thinking waaay ahead here and wondering how current choices may affect my D if she looks at post graduate education. Thanks.
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mackinaw
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Michigan |
| Posts: | 776 |
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 12:28 am |
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Scoop, at this point I can't say for sure. There's some evidence that her unusual background (for B-school applicants) in industrial design (at RISD) is a plus that makes her stand out from the legions of IB, IT, engineering, and consulting applicants. We'll have a better sense of this in the next few weeks. I think that with B-schools, as it is for undergraduate admissions, if you satisfy the basic "numerical" criteria (test scores, GPA), then it's your other credentials that really matter including work experience, leadership, essays, letters of reference and sense of purpose (career goals, coherent story about your fit to the given program).
In my daughter's case, she's also interested in B-schools that have dual degree programs in environmental studies (or kindred areas), because she wants to build on her background in "green design" and advocacy of green business solutions. For at least one of the programs she's applied to, that dual degree piece would be easier to qualify for if she'd had some science in college. She had no science or math at RISD, but these were relatively strong areas for her in high school. Just for the MBA itself, good quantitative aptitude is important; and having some college courses in economics would also be useful. She did, however, score well on the GMAT, and in fact her quantitative and verbal percentiles were nearly identical. So this will help to compensate (at the application stage at least) for her lack of math in college. But she's now enrolling in a calculus course at NYU to build up her preparation and credentials.
The reason I can't speak definitively about any of this is that she hasn't yet learned the results from any of her applications. She put in two applications in round 1 (R1) and is putting in two or three more in R2.
Last edited on Tue Jan 8th, 2008 04:55 am by mackinaw
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DesperateDad
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| Joined: | Tue Mar 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 829 |
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 12:55 am |
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| I really like Carolyn's suggestion about enclosing a self-addressed postcard with the rec envelopes that are handed out to teachers & GC; also include if mailing supplemental materials, or hardcopy app. When the package/envelope was opened by the college (mailroom?), some even signed the postcard; others just date-stamped it, and dropped it back in USPS. Used it last year and it worked like a charm. Heck, several postcards were returned faster than the college was able to upload the info into its online system.
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scoop
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| Joined: | Wed Oct 4th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 546 |
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 01:12 am |
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| Thanks Mackinaw, D is making some science/math decisions for senior year and they could affect her down the road. I don't believe they will impact her art school application. Your daughter sounds great and I wish her the best of luck with her applications.
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