S/O of the Big White Envelope thread

[hopskipjump]

All the variances in college mail has been interesting. I actually read through it all (dd is 100% uninterested unless it's a school she's applying to) because I think it's interesting to see the differences in what each university appears to value (or think their prospective students will value...). Nancy in NHs thread about the Big White Envelope brought to mind UMass's look-book.

 

DD applied there - and about 2 weeks later, we get this in the mail (see attached pic). Our first reaction was excitement (and a little surprised, since UMass is rumored to sometimes be persnickety regarding homeschoolers & they hadn't yet contacted her for any additional information... and we weren't expected a response from them until January...) - then we realized it was just the look-book. I'm thinking... they need to send this book before kids have applied. Send something else... the "Book of MAYBE," perhaps... afterwards! lol!

 

 

 

[Gwen in VA]

That's cruel! I am so sorry!

 

i do love the colleges that simply put "Welcome Class of ????" on the envelope. It eliminates ALL suspense -- especially if the kid is away and the parent is stuck staring at an envelope she can't open for the rest of the day.....

 

[plansrme]

That's awful.  They really need to rename that book.

[Joules]

I have been annoyed with the "please apply" mailings we are still getting from schools he applied to EA.  Every time one of them comes, I think that it could be an acceptance.  None have had "Yes" on the outside like that one though.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

In a way it's good that I also have a junior. Ds1 has been getting some hefty mailers from select colleges. One this week made me scratch my head as I can't imagine Dec is the time to start applying to a super competitive school.

 

So I hand the mail over to ds2 to browse through.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I have been annoyed with the "please apply" mailings we are still getting from schools he applied to EA.  Every time one of them comes, I think that it could be an acceptance.  None have had "Yes" on the outside like that one though.

 

 

Yup-I love those "personalized" letters warning of approaching deadlines.  Ummmm-You already have an actual application in hand-now your school is looking silly... 

 

The "Yes" book--ugh!  That is awful.

[hopskipjump]

What IS with the continued "you should apply" emails and snail mail from schools already applied to? It's so odd! Take dd off your spam mailing list already!! You HAVE our money! Just send out the acceptance faster - that'd make everybody happy! :)

 

DD is in the process of talking with coaches at several universities. They have regular emails and phone conversations... but the coach of one particular uni also sends out "canned" emails... very generic recruiting emails (won't you consider us? or Here's a little about our team! kinds of emails), with dds name added in (where I am sure they "add in" any other girls' name who has shown interest in the program). It drives dd BONKERS and every one of those canned emails drives dds interest away from that coach. She's like, "I have been on an official VISIT there - surely they know how to take me off the generic, spam mailing list? Or are they that technically inept?"

 

(They are offering her a full-ride scholarship, though, so I keep talking dd off the ledge when she gets cranky about the emails... ;) lol )

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Ds got a thin white envelope from a service academy last month. Inside was a one page flyer for an admissions forum. The sort of forum focused on the steps to applying. Which he's had done since Oct.

 

On the other hand this school is bad about letting interested students know about events and chances to meet mids. So it was good that they reached out. But would it have killed them to use an envelope marked Admissions Forum?

 

I wonder if schools don't consider the impression made over time.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

DS is especially annoyed by schools that send emails that urge him to "finish your application" when he's never started one.  He feels that it's manipulative and dishonest and has decided not to apply to a couple schools based on a flood of hard sell emails like this.

[RootAnn]

 It drives dd BONKERS and every one of those canned emails drives dds interest away from that coach. She's like, "I have been on an official VISIT there - surely they know how to take me off the generic, spam mailing list? Or are they that technically inept?"

 

It is possible they might be technically inept. Some older people aren't that savvy, but they still have to send out emails & such for their jobs. They do the best they can without having to spend a bunch of time on administrative tasks (like removing kids who have visited from canned emails). DD#1 has an online teacher she adores, but he is not an organized being, often can't find documents on his computer, and doesn't do well answering emails. But, he can really TEACH and is very likable. IMO, that's more important than his organizational, email responding, and technical skills -- as long as those things don't get in the way of his teaching.

[hopskipjump]

It is possible they might be technically inept. Some older people aren't that savvy, but they still have to send out emails & such for their jobs. They do the best they can without having to spend a bunch of time on administrative tasks (like removing kids who have visited from canned emails). DD#1 has an online teacher she adores, but he is not an organized being, often can't find documents on his computer, and doesn't do well answering emails. But, he can really TEACH and is very likable. IMO, that's more important than his organizational, email responding, and technical skills -- as long as those things don't get in the way of his teaching.

 

Agreed.  Oddly enough, these particular coaches are relatively young... actually a pair of the youngest coaches dd is talking with. So, it's especially strange. The university itself (portal, email communications, and snail mail) isn't very organized either. DD thrives on other peoples' organization and since she's considering coaching at some point herself, having good coaches (with solid reputations) to model will be important. So, her hunches that she may not be a good fit there are probably correct. But... the scholarship is keeping them on the tables (until she is to the point of getting more information from the other coaches she's talking with...).

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I have to remind myself that many colleges are contracting out their marketing, or at least their initial email and general mail marketing campaigns.  My kids have noticed that many of the emails read pretty much the same.  So there may actually be minimal overlap between the marketing and the admissions staff.

 

I was amused by one flyer ds got this week.  It had a road sign with 3945 mi to RIT from our hometown and the car had a vanity plate with ds's first name.  It was pretty clever.  (Even if you can't really drive to RIT from here.)

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

DS is especially annoyed by schools that send emails that urge him to "finish your application" when he's never started one.  He feels that it's manipulative and dishonest and has decided not to apply to a couple schools based on a flood of hard sell emails like this.

 

DD has been very amused by several of these emails.  In many cases they have come from schools that she has never contacted.  They have also pushed ED deadlines hard.  She made an early decision not to apply to anyone ED (only EA) since she doesn't want to commit to any school based their ideas about what we can afford.  She has often commented that this sort of marketing could catch an applicant off guard if they hadn't done their research and push them into making a poor decision. Also, she doesn't appreciate the manipulation.

 

I have to remind myself that many colleges are contracting out their marketing, or at least their initial email and general mail marketing campaigns.  My kids have noticed that many of the emails read pretty much the same.  So there may actually be minimal overlap between the marketing and the admissions staff.

 

I was amused by one flyer ds got this week.  It had a road sign with 3945 mi to RIT from our hometown and the car had a vanity plate with ds's first name.  It was pretty clever.  (Even if you can't really drive to RIT from here.)

 

This is what I think-the school must have marketing levels contracted out to a mailing or advertising company.  Your kid's name and address are assigned a level and they receive the mailer of the day/week/month with no cross contact about their actual application status (and there must be a similar email system).  However, I still think it is a system that works against the school, students that have applied get wary and feel like a number when they get the "apply now" letters.  However, I suspect that the schools aren't worried since they know once you've applied, those letters/emails probably aren't likely to reduce their acceptance to enrollment conversion rate.

Edited December 19, 2015 by JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst