Request for college visit go unanswered

[swimmermom3]

This Saturday we are leaving on a trip to visit a couple of the colleges to which ds has been accepted.  We will also plan to visit the two remaining schools that won't announce their acceptances until the end of March.  We would like to visit on March 25th and I put in our first request on February 25th.  I followed the requested format and sent it to the correct email address.  No response.  I sent a duplicate request on March 7th to another email address also suggested. No response.  Ds contacted the admissions officer for our area, whom he had previously met with in person.  He gave ds a phone number to call. The people at that number requested that we resend the information to the same email that we sent it to the first time. We did that on March 11th. How long do I wait for answer?

 

Do I assume that he has not been accepted?  Ds applied to 8 schools and will/or has visit/visited 7 of them.  Every school but this one has been excellent in responding quickly. I am a bit baffled as to what to do next.  I hate to be in that area and not see the school.

[Pegasus]

I'd just show up. 

[JanetC]

I'd just show up.

If you are going to be in the area anyway, yes, just show up and see what you can even if admissions office won't have you down for any tour or meeting.

 

If there is a department you want to see, try calling them directly to see if you can meet a professor or student with that major.

[swimmermom3]

If you are going to be in the area anyway, yes, just show up and see what you can even if admissions office won't have you down for any tour or meeting.

 

If there is a department you want to see, try calling them directly to see if you can meet a professor or student with that major.

 

Thanks, Janet.

 

That sounds like a plan. The particular department or school actually is having an open house the following Monday. Unfortunately, it is only open to juniors.

 

I am just truly baffled.

 

[Mom22ns]

Thanks, Janet.

 

That sounds like a plan. The particular department or school actually is having an open house the following Monday. Unfortunately, it is only open to juniors.

 

I am just truly baffled.

 

 

We didn't have a school not answer, but we did have one ignore our request for a meeting with a specific department. We emailed a second time asking about the meeting request - no answer. I had dd email the department she wanted to meet with directly. They responded and said that it had to be setup through admissions, but they contacted admissions for us and voila, admissions got back to us.

 

All that to say, I agree with contact the department and just show up.

[Luckymama]

I got kind of a weird, cold, standoffish vibe (not snooty, though) from Admissions at the non-junior-visit-day school. There were only students staffing the office. The information session started 20 minutes late. The admissions dude who presented was really not charasmatic at all (I have sat through many a session, sigh). Our tour guides were second-semester freshmen. I hate having younger tour guides because they really don't have much experience yet to be able to answer questions. I mean, they are supposed to be the face of the school!

 

Sorry Lisa :grouphug:

[JanetC]

Thanks, Janet.

 

That sounds like a plan. The particular department or school actually is having an open house the following Monday. Unfortunately, it is only open to juniors.

 

I am just truly baffled.

 

 

Well, it is a crazy time for colleges. You could just be lost in the shuffle and not on their radar. Are classes in midterms, finals or spring break, when the work-study employees' jobs are not getting done? Does the phone always roll into voice mail? If you could reach a human it would be easier to interpret their lack of response.

[hopskipjump]

DD had a sort-of similar experience. A university contacted her about a scholarship interview & gave a list of available dates and said, specifically, that if those dates would not work to contact them directly. Which she did. They replied (about a week later) with an assigned date and an itinerary. She emailed - and called (was sent to a different person's voice mail each time). They emailed her a reminder email - she replied to THAT.

 

And... nothing. lol

 

It was the oddest thing!! She was like, Ummm... they didn't even double-check if they'd left me stranded at the airport or anything!! (They had her cell phone, but never contacted her by phone!)

 

I think sometimes, the admissions office gets a case of "someone else will answer the phone and take care of it."

 

Another vote for just showing up. Maybe, if you're in town a day before calling them directly and just saying "We Will Be There Tomorrow. Where Do We Go Upon Arrival?"

 

Good luck!!!!  (I wouldn't take it as a sign that your ds wasn't accepted. I would just take it as a sign that the school, now that they have this year's admissions underway are turning to focus on next year already.)

[swimmermom3]

I got kind of a weird, cold, standoffish vibe (not snooty, though) from Admissions at the non-junior-visit-day school. There were only students staffing the office. The information session started 20 minutes late. The admissions dude who presented was really not charasmatic at all (I have sat through many a session, sigh). Our tour guides were second-semester freshmen. I hate having younger tour guides because they really don't have much experience yet to be able to answer questions. I mean, they are supposed to be the face of the school!

 

Sorry Lisa :grouphug:

 

I don't know if we just timed this whole trip wrong, but for us it made sense to travel when the acceptances where in and we had narrowed down the choices, especially since we are on the West Coast and his choices are predominantly Chicago and eastward. Unfortunately, the two schools you and I have been talking about are the last to do their acceptances. 

 

I have arranged for six visits successfully, but this one is eluding me.  I spent 11 minutes on hold trying to talk to a live body. The live body informed me I should really try to send the request as she instructed. I politely told her that I had already done that three times.  She suggested I call back tomorrow when the person who coordinates Friday visits will be in the office.  :tongue_smilie:

 

Given your experience, I wonder if we might be better off just meandering the campus and asking questions? 

 

[Luckymama]

Are you talking about the school that has the junior visit day or the other one? I'm confused lol (blame calculus!)

[swimmermom3]

The school with the junior visit day is the one we can't get a visit with and he would really love to see that program. We'd like to be there on Friday and do the other university on Monday.  It is getting confusing here too and I can't blame it on calculus.  However, I did just get my first pair of glasses, maybe I can blame it on them.  My counter tops, kitchen table, and computer all slope downwards to the left.  You'll recognize me when we meet. I'll be the woman in glasses who is listing left. :D

 

 

[angela in ohio]

Well, it is a crazy time for colleges. You could just be lost in the shuffle and not on their radar. Are classes in midterms, finals or spring break, when the work-study employees' jobs are not getting done? Does the phone always roll into voice mail? If you could reach a human it would be easier to interpret their lack of response.

 

This. This is not a typical time for visits, and they are focused on admissions decisions right now. They will swing back into visit mode in another month or two for juniors and accepted students. I wouldn't read too much into it.

[Bootsie]

Have you checked to make sure that an email response hasn't gone into your spam? 

 

I have seen some universities that are disorganized.  I know of one that forgot to send out acceptance letters to a large group of accepted students a couple of years ago! 

[swimmermom3]

Have you checked to make sure that an email response hasn't gone into your spam? 

 

I have seen some universities that are disorganized.  I know of one that forgot to send out acceptance letters to a large group of accepted students a couple of years ago!  :huh:

 

I have definitely learned to check my spam folder while in the college application process. :tongue_smilie:

 

Good news this morning!  The young woman I spoke with yesterday did follow up as promised (yes, I did get her name after she told me she'd follow up the call). I had an email saying that they'd love to have Sailor Dude visit and that we'll have a schedule by the end of the week. Sigh of relief.

 

While we work on this process, I think of all of you parents with multiple kids going on to college and I am in total awe.

 

One of the best aspects of homeschooling has always been the smaller number of hoops to jump through.