Turn around time on applications?

PegV420 · 11-04-2009, 12:29 PM

Just curious as to how long it takes to get an answer at this time of the year. Also, how do the kids hear? On line or snail mail? Thanks!

mom2collegekids · 11-04-2009, 12:38 PM

We heard by snail mail.

When DS2 applied last year (beg of Oct), we heard within about 2-3 weeks. Don't know if that is typical or not. I would imagine that UA is being bombed with apps right now, so it could take longer.

cganyard · 11-05-2009, 08:28 PM

My daughter just got her acceptance letter, by snail mail, last Saturday, which was several weeks after the office of admissions had received everything. Apparently the hold up was in the test scores. When she called to ask why they weren't showing up online, they said they'd received them, but hadn't processed them yet. I guess things are a bit busy this time of year! Anyway, within a week after they showed up as "rec'd" in her application status box, she got the letter!

Also, I wanted to give a shout out to momof2collegekids, who's been a wealth of information! Many thanks!

mom2collegekids · 11-05-2009, 10:58 PM

^^^

You're very welcome!

I can only imagine that UA is swamped with applications - especially from those students who want to meet that Dec 1st deadline for scholarship consideration.

I have no idea how many employees they have processing the apps. Does anyone know? UA received 18,500 apps last year; I think they'll get over 20,000 this year.

I imagine they're having to process about 2,000 each week - which would be about 400 a day - some weeks perhaps more, some weeks less (but that's just a guess based on the number of apps)

PegV420 · 11-05-2009, 11:43 PM

thank you to both of you. Her ACT score has still not shown up on her status page but at least since calling we know they have it. The wait is on....

mom2collegekids · 11-06-2009, 12:09 AM

^^^

Well, at least it's helpful to know that it is taking a several weeks for apps to process, so no need to fear if you don't hear anything for a bit.

I wonder what causes the delay for putting the ACT score up? I wonder if they're waiting til next week when they'll put up those who have Oct tests.

cganyard · 11-06-2009, 08:17 AM

PegV420,

Good luck to your daughter! If they have told you they have her scores, it shouldn't be too long before you hear from them.

BTW, my daughter's acceptance letter came in a thin, white envelope with a simple UA Admissions Office return address in the upper left hand corner. No thick envelope, no big "congrats" on the front like some acceptance letters, so we didn't know she was in until she unfolded the letter and read "Congratulations!"

She also received a certificate of admission and a freshman checklist, though those might have come under separate cover...sorry my memory is foggy about that.

Hope that helps!

mom2collegekids · 11-06-2009, 08:46 AM

^^^

Yes, I remember that - small envelope.

But it was weird because then we got this big envelope with this nice certificate that had his admission on it. Nice to put in a scrapbook.

Oh, and we received DS2's admission into Honors College before his admission into the school. I think that Honors was just more efficient with their mailings or something. Funny.

Then, you'll get a congrats from the dean of the college your child is majoring in. Lots of congrats come. LOL

In the spring, if your child received a scholarship, Alabama will send your school this big padded crimson folder with Alabama's seal on it (a folder padded like the ones diplomas come in) and inside will be the scholarships cert (or certs).

At both sons' graduations, they were presented these padded folders. Anyway, it was nice when the principal announced their scholarships and presented the folders to them (and to the other kids who got them, too.) My kids' school makes a big deal out of scholarship awards.

cganyard · 11-06-2009, 09:16 AM

Yes, I remember now! Both envelopes came on the same day. We'd been out all day and were exhausted, which is why I'm foggy on it. But as I recall, my daughter saw the business size envelope first--which was the admissions letter. She tore that open, then after the screaming and hugging was over

we noticed another larger white envelope--which contained the admissions certificate and another letter of congratulations. I know now it was the same day because the letter ended up on her bulletin board, while the certificate ended up on the fridge.

That said, my daughter's NOT going to be in the Honors Program or receive a scholarship, so it may be different for other students.

PegV420, good luck and keep us posted!

catfan · 11-06-2009, 10:47 AM

For those of you that have questions regarding your applications, try contacting your regional recruiter. Ours has been very helpful when asked to check ACT, and application status. She can breeze right through the system and reply back via email in less tha 24 hours. She does however, use my D's My Bama email adress, so we are getting in the habit of checking it daily.
Our recruiter also has facebook pages for both parents and students in her territory, so you might wnat to check those as well.
At our schools awards night, many colleges will send their reps to present scholarships. I hope UA will. We anticipate at least 2 students from D's school receiving scholarships.

PegV420 · 11-06-2009, 11:17 AM

cganyard, Thank you so much for telling me that your daughter got a small envelope. That will help defray any panic at first (although you never know, it could still be a rejection). Also, thanks for mentioning your dd will not be in the honors college or get any scholarships as mine will not be getting either as well. She is writing an essay for one scholarship but I doubt very much she will get it.

Catfan, our regional rep has been fantastic. It was her complete knowledge of the university and enthusiasm for it that finally convinced me to allow my northern daughter to apply. Any questions we have had she answers very quickly.

navarre1 · 11-06-2009, 11:26 AM

If we were to choose our school by the amount of mail, Alabama's the WINNER..LOL

mom2collegekids · 11-06-2009, 11:29 AM

CGanyard

If your D gets a 3.3 GPA the first semester at UA, she can apply to UHP (at that point, ACT/SAT scores don't count

).

If that is of interest to her, I would suggest taking an easier course load of Core Curriculum classes that first semester (which I recommend anyway for first-time frosh), to guarantee the GPA.

Plus, I think it's nice for kids to start out college on a good note by having a good GPA their first semester. I think it just "sets the tone." A good GPA the first semester convinces a kid that "I can do this; I can handle college."

(Believe me, even so-called smart students are sometimes scared that college may be too hard for them or that "everyone will be smarter than me." My son's GF, who goes to another college, told me, "I thought everyone was going to be smarter than me; but they're not." She is a straight A student who actually feared that she'd be the "dumb one" in her pre-Pharm major. Kids!!! )

If your D qualifies and decides to apply to honors after her first semester, she should continue to mix easier and hard classes each semester to maintain her GPA (which, again, is a good idea for any student).

On a related note.....many students have higher GPAs in college than they did in high school because of their interest in their major, and because there are so many classes (of varing difficulties) that can be taken to fulfill Core classes. If your major doesn't require it, and you're not strong in science, you don't have to take chemistry to fulfill the Natural Science requirement, you can take astronomy or something else that interests you that has that N designation.

Heck, it you're a music major, why should you need to sweat it out with Organic Chem? LOL

If a 3.3 is a bit too hard for any kid, that student can apply to IHP which requires a 3.0 (if interested in a foreign language and doing a study abroad). The student will still get all the honors benefits. http://honors.cbhp.ua.edu/index.php?page=ihp

Here are the IHP requirements: http://honors.cbhp.ua.edu/index.php?...p-requirements

Frankly, for a lot of majors, IHP is a good thing. Becoming fluent in another language is a plus for many careers.

I think that with a *carefully-chosen schedule,* almost any dedicated student could probably do this if interested. The key is the carefully chosen schedule. I'm not suggesting basket-weaving classes, but simply choosing classes that do fill the Core req'ts that aren't too hard and are also of interest to the student to help balance a harder schedule. (Again, a student needs to check his major's req'ts to make sure a harder class isn't required.)

My sons aren't "artistic," so they knew not to take any Fine Arts classes that would be too hard or boring for them. Instead, DS1 took Honors Arts and Parody because he knew that class would be fun and fascinating - and it was. FA requirement is now filled.

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From website....

Currently, the UHP serves 20% of each incoming class of students. The UHP offers them smaller, more exciting courses with fellow Honors students and an array of enriching opportunities to grow and develop as a person.

It's our philosophy to be selective but not exclusive in our admission to the UHP: all eligible students are admitted.

Current UA students with a 3.3 GPA or transfer students with a 3.3 GPA will be accepted into the UHP upon submission of their applications. Students will be notified of their acceptance via email.

Current UA students with a 3.0 GPA or transfer students with a 3.0 GPAwill be accepted into the IHP upon submission of their applications. Students will be notified of their acceptance via email.

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I know that there's a GPA requirement to graduate in honors...see below. The honors college does not kick a kid out if he gets below the 3.3 GPA (or 3.0 for IHP) for one semester. The student is given a warning, and as long as he gets a 3.3 (or 3.0 for IHP) the next semester, he's fine. (I called the Honors College office before typing this.)

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More from the website...

How do I complete the requirements of the Honors Programs and graduate from the Honors College?

All UHP students must maintain a 3.3 GPA to graduate from the UHP. IHP students and CBHP students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to graduate from those programs. The remaining requirements for each program are different, so visit the programs' webpages to learn more. Your diploma will indicate "With Honors" upon your successful completion of the Honors Programs' requirements.
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I really like the fact that their diplomas will have "With Honors" written on them.

Now here's a hint to anyone who wants their child to eventually be in honors college and in honors housing...

If your child does not start in honors, but might qualify for honors after the first semester AND you'd like your child to be in the honors dorms, THEN...

Sometimes, there are openings in honors dorms before classes start (this year there were many openings). When that happens, Housing will let some non-honors frosh grab those empty rooms. If you nab one of those openings, then your child can be in honors housing for as long as the student wishes.

See, the rule is, to be in honors housing, you have to start in honors housing. So, by doing the above, a child can get into honors housing, then get admitted to honors college after the first semester, and then remain in honors housing in the future.

mom2collegekids · 11-06-2009, 11:50 AM

Navarre...

That is so true about the mail! LOL

After a campus tour, you typically get a post card from your tour guide and some mailings. But...after you apply...it's a landslide of info...from the university, from the college of your major, from housing, from bama dining, from the honors college, etc, etc... LOL

But, I must say, they do have tasteful looking mailings.

mom2collegekids · 11-06-2009, 12:00 PM

I posted the big long post without noticing Peg's post.

So, that post is really for anyone whose child won't enter in the honors program, but might be interested in joining after the first semester.

It's nice that UA has this option for dedicated students who just didn't test well with SAT or ACT or may have had a high school GPA that didn't make the cut-off.

I like this statement from the Honors College website - "It's our philosophy to be selective but not exclusive in our admission to the UHP [and IHP]: all eligible students are admitted."