Test 2

#TNHTW. Love it.

Recently our Executive Director shot an email out to the staff that included a link to this post at the Georgia Tech Admissions blog. Totally worth your time, especially if you’re an Admissions Dude like me. My favorite part though:

Appealing an admission decision

“My son is amazing! Didn’t you see his test scores? And we know someone who got in who is not as good. How do we appeal?” Well… first, it’s very nice to talk to you ma’am. Not being admitted to a school that you really want to attend stings. There is just no easy way to say it. And at most selective schools, denied and waitlisted students can easily make a case for why they would be great students on campus. However, applications have been read multiple times in a holistic process and ultimately are made in line with achieving institutional priorities. I see how you could read that as the party line but it’s actually just confidence in our decisions.

A couple of things to know here: first, we want to talk to the applicant in these cases. Not someone who does a good voice imitation of the student, and not someone who really loves the student. Honestly, our first thought when we speak to a parent or connected alum about an appeals is, “does the student really want to come?” If so, it seems like they’d be the one to pick up the phone, send the email, or complete the appeal form.

Second, we explain on our website what makes a valid appeal. It varies from school to school, so check their information. Our reasons for a valid appeal normally include medical information, significant life circumstances, or academic details that were not correct on the transcript initially. We also list some of the invalid reasons for appeal. You’ll notice among others that pictures as an infant on campus, a really strong desire to come, or “it’s the only school I applied to” don’t fall into the valid category. #TNHIW

I could go on about how score ranges don’t guarantee admission or how we don’t have quotas of admits by school, or how the recruited athlete didn’t really take your spot, or the fact that deadline really means deadline, or how remnant shampoo doesn’t really wash your body, but I think we’re on the same page now, right?

My emphases.

Good grief, I just want to HUG the person/team that wrote this post.

As an admissions professional, this is something with which I struggle nearly every day; at what point do I drop the notion of being friendly with our “customers” (students and their families), and start getting real? The issue with which we are faced is explaining to students (read: parents) why the admission decision they received is not necessarily that which they wanted.

The applicant to Penn State that pens an appeal letter arguing that they should be admitted because they have been season ticket holders for the football program since 1986 when D.J. Dozier led the Nittany Lions to a national championship should not get a second glance. Never mind that any applicant making that argument had not yet been born in 1986. And yet, when that appeal arrives on my desk (or one of my colleague's desks), I am obligated to investigate the student’s record. And respond.

About 18 months ago I attended the College Board Forum in New York City. While I was there, I had an enlightening conversation with a colleague from Columbia University. She said that Columbia does not entertain appeals. The decision you get, is your decision. Final decision. Period. End of story.

I suppose that I should look at it from a student-centric point-of-view: our process of appealing an admission decision helps students to find the right fit for them, even if there is a lot of blood, sweat & tears in the process.