Admissions office not returning calls with inquiry!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, just don't try to call the Jedi Academy. The AD there only accepts communications via the Force.

Unfortunately, my DC scored in 79th Percentile in the Midi-chlorians test so likely we will get a rejection letter from the big 3--Jedi Academy, Princess Leiah Academy, and Wookie School.

I recommend Hogwarts for an alternative education or, for the more stem-focused child, star fleet academy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, just don't try to call the Jedi Academy. The AD there only accepts communications via the Force.

Unfortunately, my DC scored in 79th Percentile in the Midi-chlorians test so likely we will get a rejection letter from the big 3--Jedi Academy, Princess Leiah Academy, and Wookie School.

I recommend Hogwarts for an alternative education or, for the more stem-focused child, star fleet academy.

HA HA HA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, just don't try to call the Jedi Academy. The AD there only accepts communications via the Force.

Unfortunately, my DC scored in 79th Percentile in the Midi-chlorians test so likely we will get a rejection letter from the big 3--Jedi Academy, Princess Leiah Academy, and Wookie School.

I recommend Hogwarts for an alternative education or, for the more stem-focused child, star fleet academy.

HA HA HA

I did hear that Wookie School has highest placement into the Ivies and Stanford, MIT, etc. They also have a high contingent of minorities as diversity is very important to them. Lot of Vulcans bus in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyine who can't return a simple phone call within a few days, especially when you're dealing with what is essentially a client, is ridiculously ineffective.

I understand the frustration, but you are looking at this from your perspective. Sidwell, if that is indeed the school you are talking about, gets hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of applications....and on top of that, many, many more "inquiries" and requests for information (on top of the many that actually do apply.) So, to assume that your personal call should sky-rocked to the top of the pile is a little narcissistic. That is why all schools have an online system. I'm curious what question you have that demands a personal call back that couldn't be handled online? Sorry.

Another poster brought in Sidwell. OP pretty clearly stated that it was a smaller school that rarely gets discussed on DCUM. That pretty much rules out Sidwell.

I'm the person who posted the initial ridiculously ineffective comment. And ironically, I went to Sidwell. Love the poster who said "public-school for you and yours!" Comments like that are ABSOLUTELY why we are going public voluntarily. God, private school parents are disgusting. As are the admission staff, apparently. Sounds like an awesome atmosphere for everyone!

[Anonymous]

Buh-bye.

[Anonymous]

You have to give tips(like $1) to get call backs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyine who can't return a simple phone call within a few days, especially when you're dealing with what is essentially a client, is ridiculously ineffective.

I understand the frustration, but you are looking at this from your perspective. Sidwell, if that is indeed the school you are talking about, gets hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of applications....and on top of that, many, many more "inquiries" and requests for information (on top of the many that actually do apply.) So, to assume that your personal call should sky-rocked to the top of the pile is a little narcissistic. That is why all schools have an online system. I'm curious what question you have that demands a personal call back that couldn't be handled online? Sorry.

Another poster brought in Sidwell. OP pretty clearly stated that it was a smaller school that rarely gets discussed on DCUM. That pretty much rules out Sidwell.

I'm the person who posted the initial ridiculously ineffective comment. And ironically, I went to Sidwell. Love the poster who said "public-school for you and yours!" Comments like that are ABSOLUTELY why we are going public voluntarily. God, private school parents are disgusting. As are the admission staff, apparently. Sounds like an awesome atmosphere for everyone!

you're right, of course. we have found most of the private school parents to be pretty vile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyine who can't return a simple phone call within a few days, especially when you're dealing with what is essentially a client, is ridiculously ineffective.

I understand the frustration, but you are looking at this from your perspective. Sidwell, if that is indeed the school you are talking about, gets hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of applications....and on top of that, many, many more "inquiries" and requests for information (on top of the many that actually do apply.) So, to assume that your personal call should sky-rocked to the top of the pile is a little narcissistic. That is why all schools have an online system. I'm curious what question you have that demands a personal call back that couldn't be handled online? Sorry.

Another poster brought in Sidwell. OP pretty clearly stated that it was a smaller school that rarely gets discussed on DCUM. That pretty much rules out Sidwell.

I'm the person who posted the initial ridiculously ineffective comment. And ironically, I went to Sidwell. Love the poster who said "public-school for you and yours!" Comments like that are ABSOLUTELY why we are going public voluntarily. God, private school parents are disgusting. As are the admission staff, apparently. Sounds like an awesome atmosphere for everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyine who can't return a simple phone call within a few days, especially when you're dealing with what is essentially a client, is ridiculously ineffective.

I understand the frustration, but you are looking at this from your perspective. Sidwell, if that is indeed the school you are talking about, gets hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of applications....and on top of that, many, many more "inquiries" and requests for information (on top of the many that actually do apply.) So, to assume that your personal call should sky-rocked to the top of the pile is a little narcissistic. That is why all schools have an online system. I'm curious what question you have that demands a personal call back that couldn't be handled online? Sorry.

Another poster brought in Sidwell. OP pretty clearly stated that it was a smaller school that rarely gets discussed on DCUM. That pretty much rules out Sidwell.

I'm the person who posted the initial ridiculously ineffective comment. And ironically, I went to Sidwell. Love the poster who said "public-school for you and yours!" Comments like that are ABSOLUTELY why we are going public voluntarily. God, private school parents are disgusting. As are the admission staff, apparently. Sounds like an awesome atmosphere for everyone!

you're right, of course. we have found most of the private school parents to be pretty vile.

Which is why I troll private school message boards at night....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in enrollment, and if somebody calls me two or three times before I've been able to return their first call, I put them on the bottom of my return call list with the time of their most recent call. More calls does not mean faster response. My message says I'll return your call ASAP, and I will.

This is a terrible attitude given that your ASAP doesn't seem to be that soon.

ASAP is "as soon as I can," not "as quickly as you'd like." It's usually 72 hours-a week. I'm rarely at my desk. I'm running around campus, in meetings, at community events, etc. As with the other admissions person, I'm on top of email.

PP here-- my website also clearly says to email me with inquiries. I'm happy to schedule a phone call, but I don't feel bad about putting non-urgent vm at the bottom of my to do list. Sorry the whole world is not at your beck and call.

It can take you up to a week to return a phone call? This doesn't speak well of the school.

Yes, when the instructions clearly state to email me. We're not big on enrolling families who can't follow simple instructions.

Do you state in your phone voicemail greeting that it may take you several days to respond to voicemails, and that people should email for a quicker response? If not, you may want to do so. It's pretty unusual to a sensually require someone contacting your business to do so by a particular means of communication. This issue is probably mostly about managing people's expectations. I am also hoping your school states clearly on the website not only to email you with questions, but also specifically that phone calls are not welcome and will not be returned for days. If an organization provides a phone number for you, even if only one potential applicants call, I would think applicants have every reason to believe that it is an acceptable means of communicating with you. If you want to change that general assumption, I hope you are being quite clear about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in enrollment, and if somebody calls me two or three times before I've been able to return their first call, I put them on the bottom of my return call list with the time of their most recent call. More calls does not mean faster response. My message says I'll return your call ASAP, and I will.

This is a terrible attitude given that your ASAP doesn't seem to be that soon.

ASAP is "as soon as I can," not "as quickly as you'd like." It's usually 72 hours-a week. I'm rarely at my desk. I'm running around campus, in meetings, at community events, etc. As with the other admissions person, I'm on top of email.

PP here-- my website also clearly says to email me with inquiries. I'm happy to schedule a phone call, but I don't feel bad about putting non-urgent vm at the bottom of my to do list. Sorry the whole world is not at your beck and call.

It can take you up to a week to return a phone call? This doesn't speak well of the school.

Yes, when the instructions clearly state to email me. We're not big on enrolling families who can't follow simple instructions.

Do you state in your phone voicemail greeting that it may take you several days to respond to voicemails, and that people should email for a quicker response? If not, you may want to do so. It's pretty unusual to a sensually require someone contacting your business to do so by a particular means of communication. This issue is probably mostly about managing people's expectations. I am also hoping your school states clearly on the website not only to email you with questions, but also specifically that phone calls are not welcome and will not be returned for days. If an organization provides a phone number for you, even if only one potential applicants call, I would think applicants have every reason to believe that it is an acceptable means of communicating with you. If you want to change that general assumption, I hope you are being quite clear about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the admissions chair at a small school in the area. We have no lack of applications. If someone is rudely persistant or impatient I make a note of it. It could be the difference in your acceptance.

Wow, all that power has really gone to your head.

I'm sure the Board would love to know you turn down perspective students (money) for this.

[Anonymous]

I agree that it's rude not to return phone calls, but the reality is that most people communicate via email these days. I realize that the OP couldn't find an email (which seems very strange), but the reality is that calling is just not the way most people communicate anymore (except when you've set up a scheduled call through email). While I return the business calls I received, I resent people who call. Email is clearly the preferred way to communicate in 2015 for the vast majority of people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that it's rude not to return phone calls, but the reality is that most people communicate via email these days. I realize that the OP couldn't find an email (which seems very strange), but the reality is that calling is just not the way most people communicate anymore (except when you've set up a scheduled call through email). While I return the business calls I received, I resent people who call. Email is clearly the preferred way to communicate in 2015 for the vast majority of people.

If you choose not to communicate with someone, or to be appropriately responsive, buy a communication channel open and your organization, just be sure to be clear about it. It's not that hard. State on your voicemail system that calls they be returned, but that email will be far quicker and that voicemails may fall through the cracks. If that's your position, and if your organization is OK with that, then there shouldn't be a problem. But to assume that people should know to contact you through your preferred means, and that your treatment of them will be in part based on that, is totally unprofessional.

Also, many people have much easier access to a phone and voicemail than to an email account. Yes, even in this day and age. I don't think it's a great idea for an institution trying to make itself accessible to everyone to essentially limit communication to email without making it very, very clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the admissions chair at a small school in the area. We have no lack of applications. If someone is rudely persistant or impatient I make a note of it. It could be the difference in your acceptance.

Wow, all that power has really gone to your head.

I'm sure the Board would love to know you turn down perspective students (money) for this.

The Board doesn't want rude parents, either. Especially when there are plenty of applicants.