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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My DD is interested in going into a very specific major.  Researching schools in advance, we both thought one particular school would be “perfect” for her.  Our experience with the school including the virtual visit was so bad that she’s thinking of not applying. On paper the university sounds great and has great reviews.

I’m just trying to reconcile this in my head with I am reading with what we experienced. We tried to make an appointment to visit the University back in Jan (pre-COVID).  We started off on the wrong foot because we wanted to meet with an academic advisor in the department my DD will be majoring in. I called and got a very snippy receptionist who told us who to contact. DD contacted and didn’t hear back for a week. DD sent a follow up message requesting a meeting. Person setting up meeting with academic advisor made DD feel like she was impatient. FWIW- all the other schools she set up meetings with got back with her Within 24 to 48 hours. Due to COVID visit was understandably cancelled. They offered a virtual tour. It was horrible. The AV was poor, they had technical difficulties  and we were unimpressed with the admission rep.  We met with the academic advisor later and she cut of off and was downright rude. My daughter was in tears after the virtual visit.

I’m sure if I posted the name of the school people here would say that’s an amazing school For the major- yet our experience was anything but. The school went from being a top choice for DD to I don’t think I should apply.

I am just wondering if others had similar experiences with colleges letting them down pre-admissions but applied anyway and went. My thought is if they can’t treat DD well when she’s a prospective student, why should I think they will treat her any differently if she were to be accepted?

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This is going to sound more harsh than it is meant, but your post reeks of entitlement.  Universities are not structured or staffed to respond to the whims and demands of prospective students.  Advisors and professors have their hands full serving their current students.  No way they can also serve tens of thousands of needy prospective students.  And then to cry after a poorly executed virtual visit in the middle of a global pandemic?  That's some serious snowflake behavior.  I would suggest telling your DD to put on her big girl pants, and make a decision based on bigger picture factors and not whether the school catered to her scheduling wishes and had slick AV.  [/quote]

This. Please don't apply to my school - your family sounds needy. [b]Some semesters I teach 100 students, many of whom require frequent meetings outside of classes. Depending on admin assignments, I may also advise undergraduates in my major - which again requires frequent meetings. I also advise several PhD students, which takes many hours of work each week. These students are my priority. Your high school student may or may not apply, and may or may not be accepted. You are asking me to donate my own private or research time to you and your family.[/b] Perhaps the other schools assign admin work to faculty specifically to deal with prospective students (perhaps because they are more in need of applicants) - in which case the faculty's schedule has specific time assigned for such tasks.[/quote]

Not the PP to whom you're responding, but in all seriousness and without snark: Have you considered trying to move to a smaller college? Where you would not have 100-student classes, at least? Or is your research something that you feel only really can be done where you currently teach? Because all the undergrad and PhD advising and your very understandable protectiveness over your "private or research time" sound like things that are not contributing to making your academic career a source of fulfillment to you. Since we can't convey tone very well in posts, I'm adding that I really do not mean that as criticism. I just hear...stress.[/quote]

Yes - during the academic year, life is very stressful. I may have sounded defensive, but the majority of posters here do not realize how much work research active faculty do - usually we work many more than 40 hours a week, in contact with students or colleagues or coauthors in the evenings, on weekends etc. Sometimes I am asked on a Friday night to write a report that can be circulated to the department by Monday morning. Similarly, if a student is in distress - it doesn't matter if it is 8pm at night. If I were to become deadwood (as in, no research), as some of my colleagues, then I would be able to fit all the work into a 40 hr week. The posters here who expect faculty to be in touch with prospective undergrad applicant - would they be willing to stop working on a deadline for their job, or ignore their current clients, or not put their kid to bed, for a possible client, who may or may not have the money to even purchase the company's product?[/quote]

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