Best and worst admissions offices

[Anonymous]

What a discussion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest post on here right now. Says a lot about you guys. You’re focused on the wrong thing people

Odd take. Most people would agree that how prospective customers are treated very much matters in any industry.

+1

[Anonymous]

UO is amazing! They have consistently been easy to communicate with and hyper-organized. The admitted students day was over the top, and chock full of information with a hotel discount and links to buy sports tickets. We went to a bb game and got a clear goodie bag with t-shirts, water bottles, granola bars, decorated duck cookies, pom poms, etc.

The Dean of Admissions walked around at the scholars luncheon and introduced herself, and then they paired us with a faculty member.

They continue to be organized, dedicated, and informative every step of the way. Not our experience at another more highly-ranked flagship.

We also went to Colorado Boulder's day and it was the opposite, they didn't even send a schedule, so I had to call to ask when it ended to book a flight. They had no idea and had to check around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest post on here right now. Says a lot about you guys. You’re focused on the wrong thing people

Odd take. Most people would agree that how prospective customers are treated very much matters in any industry.

How much of a range is there with this variable?

You sign up online for a tour. Your kid checks in at the desk. You listen to the presentation. You walk around the campus with a tour guide.

In terms of differences: Some schools give out a little swag. And apparently one provides a lunch ticket. In my experience, all have provided free parking, but maybe there are some with pay-to-park garages??

I’m genuinely curious. What exactly do you think these tiny “customer experience” differences on your day say about the relative value or experience of a four year college education at these schools?

Are you really this obtuse? Let’s try to make this easy. Mom and Larlo visit college A and are greeted by a cold receptionist and the AO seems snobby when Larlo asks a question. After the visit Larlo emails the territory AO and gets a curt response. Mom and Larlo visit college B and their experience is the opposite.

See how small interactions with staff members can shape feelings towards a college? If they want tuition dollars they can at least be friendly to people interested in giving them business. Even selective colleges care about yield and first impressions matter.

Gotcha.

My takeaway here is that different things matter to different people. Which makes sense. It’s all part of finding the right fit.

Personally, these types of “small interactions” with staff do not shape our family’s feelings about a college either way. A cold receptionist? Don’t care. An AO who seems snobby? We tend to give people the benefit of the doubt at busy events. Same with curt email responses. Regional reps are flooded, especially now that there’s all this advice telling kids to “reach out” to them to show DI.

But I do see how these things matter a lot to some people. My FIL, for example. He makes big assumptions about people based on small social interactions.

Thanks for explaining. You do you. 👍

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:W and L pompous.

My impression as well! They worked overtime to tell everyone how elite they were. Their words, not mine. We left early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait what? You’ve had more than one interaction admissions office at each school??? Like, beyond the school tour??? What in heavens sake for?!!

+100
I have kids at two different colleges and we have never once interacted with the admissions office at either school, or any of the others they applied to. This thread is hilarious.

Well the question is dumb. The ONLY interaction people would have is through tours and maybe a one-off question.

[Anonymous]

I think people need to realize what admissions / enrollment/ financial aid people go through.

I have friends and family who work or worked at a variety of universities in admissions including (top) Dean role from small liberal arts schools to state universities all the way up to top Ivies and equivalent.

It is stressful. You have to read files and basically work a minimum of 6 days a week during reading season. Then you deal with parents, alumni, professors, other administrators.

A friend said that a group in the office would all take turns on the phone when it got super busy and hated it because you’d always get screamed at.

All the people I know work crazy long hours and unless you’re the top person don’t get paid that great either, especially not for the hours you work.

Then, when some applicants don’t get in it gets even worse than the above.

People on here saying Larlo asks a question and gets a rude/ unengaged response.

Is that question found on the website? A blog? Did someone just ask it two questions ago and Larlo wasn’t listening? I hear over and over from people I know in admissions that asking questions that can be found online or are answered during the session that just ended are not a good look. Ask a question that you can’t find online or hasn’t already been asked/ answered.

I also don’t understand the curt email response. Most people want to get to the point. These admission members get hundreds of emails a day (maybe more). They answer the questions and move on. Adding flowery language, really?

Lastly, the receptionist is usually the person who gets the first brunt of stuff, so if they seem rude maybe they just had five parents yell at them before you came along. Who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people need to realize what admissions / enrollment/ financial aid people go through.

I have friends and family who work or worked at a variety of universities in admissions including (top) Dean role from small liberal arts schools to state universities all the way up to top Ivies and equivalent.

It is stressful. You have to read files and basically work a minimum of 6 days a week during reading season. Then you deal with parents, alumni, professors, other administrators.

A friend said that a group in the office would all take turns on the phone when it got super busy and hated it because you’d always get screamed at.

All the people I know work crazy long hours and unless you’re the top person don’t get paid that great either, especially not for the hours you work.

Then, when some applicants don’t get in it gets even worse than the above.

People on here saying Larlo asks a question and gets a rude/ unengaged response.

Is that question found on the website? A blog? Did someone just ask it two questions ago and Larlo wasn’t listening? I hear over and over from people I know in admissions that asking questions that can be found online or are answered during the session that just ended are not a good look. Ask a question that you can’t find online or hasn’t already been asked/ answered.

I also don’t understand the curt email response. Most people want to get to the point. These admission members get hundreds of emails a day (maybe more). They answer the questions and move on. Adding flowery language, really?

Lastly, the receptionist is usually the person who gets the first brunt of stuff, so if they seem rude maybe they just had five parents yell at them before you came along. Who knows.

+1000

Common sense + empathy for the win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest post on here right now. Says a lot about you guys. You’re focused on the wrong thing people

Odd take. Most people would agree that how prospective customers are treated very much matters in any industry.

How much of a range is there with this variable?

You sign up online for a tour. Your kid checks in at the desk. You listen to the presentation. You walk around the campus with a tour guide.

In terms of differences: Some schools give out a little swag. And apparently one provides a lunch ticket. In my experience, all have provided free parking, but maybe there are some with pay-to-park garages??

I’m genuinely curious. What exactly do you think these tiny “customer experience” differences on your day say about the relative value or experience of a four year college education at these schools?

Are you really this obtuse? Let’s try to make this easy. Mom and Larlo visit college A and are greeted by a cold receptionist and the AO seems snobby when Larlo asks a question. After the visit Larlo emails the territory AO and gets a curt response. Mom and Larlo visit college B and their experience is the opposite.

See how small interactions with staff members can shape feelings towards a college? If they want tuition dollars they can at least be friendly to people interested in giving them business. Even selective colleges care about yield and first impressions matter.

Gotcha.

My takeaway here is that different things matter to different people. Which makes sense. It’s all part of finding the right fit.

Personally, these types of “small interactions” with staff do not shape our family’s feelings about a college either way. A cold receptionist? Don’t care. An AO who seems snobby? We tend to give people the benefit of the doubt at busy events. Same with curt email responses. Regional reps are flooded, especially now that there’s all this advice telling kids to “reach out” to them to show DI.

But I do see how these things matter a lot to some people. My FIL, for example. He makes big assumptions about people based on small social interactions.

Thanks for explaining. You do you. 👍

I think it is reasonable for people to consider disinterested, inattentive responses from an admissions office prior to accepting admission as indicative of how their DC will be treated by the school after admission.

Of course, there are also other, possibly more important factors, but a kid will have to navigate the bureaucracy and a dismissive admissions office isn’t a good sign.

[Anonymous]

Weird to me that some people don’t care whether the college treats prospective customers like crap or not.

Will you care if it turns out the deans and professors show a similar level of disinterest in your kid, after it’s too late to do anything about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people need to realize what admissions / enrollment/ financial aid people go through.

I have friends and family who work or worked at a variety of universities in admissions including (top) Dean role from small liberal arts schools to state universities all the way up to top Ivies and equivalent.

It is stressful. You have to read files and basically work a minimum of 6 days a week during reading season. Then you deal with parents, alumni, professors, other administrators.

A friend said that a group in the office would all take turns on the phone when it got super busy and hated it because you’d always get screamed at.

All the people I know work crazy long hours and unless you’re the top person don’t get paid that great either, especially not for the hours you work.

Then, when some applicants don’t get in it gets even worse than the above.

People on here saying Larlo asks a question and gets a rude/ unengaged response.

Is that question found on the website? A blog? Did someone just ask it two questions ago and Larlo wasn’t listening? I hear over and over from people I know in admissions that asking questions that can be found online or are answered during the session that just ended are not a good look. Ask a question that you can’t find online or hasn’t already been asked/ answered.

I also don’t understand the curt email response. Most people want to get to the point. These admission members get hundreds of emails a day (maybe more). They answer the questions and move on. Adding flowery language, really?

Lastly, the receptionist is usually the person who gets the first brunt of stuff, so if they seem rude maybe they just had five parents yell at them before you came along. Who knows.

I understand, I get that it is stressful, but my DS applied to a school with one of the highest number of applicants, and AO staff were always outgoing, responsive and patient in dealing with inquiries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait what? You’ve had more than one interaction admissions office at each school??? Like, beyond the school tour??? What in heavens sake for?!!

+1 What are you people doing to get your kids in such that you have strong opinions about the people who work in admissions offices. It's literally an online application that requires zero interaction with a human.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest post on here right now. Says a lot about you guys. You’re focused on the wrong thing people

Odd take. Most people would agree that how prospective customers are treated very much matters in any industry.

You are a "prospective customer" after you have been accepted - and they will be very nice to you then, promise. Not sure why folks like you think anyone needs to win you over - also, free lunch lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest post on here right now. Says a lot about you guys. You’re focused on the wrong thing people

Odd take. Most people would agree that how prospective customers are treated very much matters in any industry.

You are a "prospective customer" after you have been accepted - and they will be very nice to you then, promise. Not sure why folks like you think anyone needs to win you over - also, free lunch lol.

Well, depending on the selectivity of the university, they may only take 3% of applicants, so expecting admissions offices to answer detailed questions when they get 60K applicants, most of them who will not get accepted, is unrealistic. Again, college applications are online--you really don't need to "interact" with the admissions office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Georgetown is the worst

I completely agree!