I was also lost by the end of the letter. Pare it down to the facts about your son that was denied. You could mention the fact that your other son who was offered a scholarship received his notification by email if you wish in order to illustrate that there are differing policies in place. The rest of the information is just too difficult to follow as written.
As a side note, my dauther’s college, TCU, still sends out letters by snail mail instead of email. However, they have an online portal that is supposed to change approximately 1 to 2 days after the regular mail is expected to arrive. I think that’s works well in case the letter gets lost or delayed.
I agree that expressing disappointment in a system that lacks an electronic back up in the event of a lost letter is warranted. Hopefully someone in a position to make a change will read your letter with an open mind.
Yep, in case you haven’t sent it, cut out all the stuff about triplets and results at other schools as it’s irrelevant. The school’s unwillingness to deliver the information via fax or email or phone (presumably after they verify son’s identity by SS or application number or something) is the issue. You can mention his brother’s email notification of the scholarship since that’s relevant.
As it is currently written, I was completely surprised that this wasn’t an email complaining about how your son got rejected or about how the wording of the letter wasn’t nice enough. You’d hate to have your very valid point ignored because someone bails out early of what sounds like a totally unnecessary email.
I’ve edited your letter for maximum effectiveness:
“You apparently have a policy prohibiting decisions by email or fax (even though my other son was notified early by email and invited to apply for a scholarship). I would ask you to review this policy. In today’s world of electronic messaging, it seems archaic to rely solely on the US Postal Service for delivery of such important information.”
The rest is just irrelevant.
Way too long. I get that you are angry at WCU for having no alternative method of notification especially if the letter is lost. That’s a reasonable reaction. However, this point was not only lost by the end, I also missed the ending. The letter is just too much to read; most people will not read beyond the first two paragraphs.
I may include that with triplets, you received admissions decisions in other forms and timing, thus you do have points of comparison to WCU’s method for this particular application round/year. But you don’t need to go into detail of what schools or their decisions.
Did your son have to open the letter in the office? If they did not put the letter in an envelope, bring that up.
I think it would be very unreasonable and unrealistic to expect a teenager who has waited so long for word from his first choice school and then driven 1/2 hour to not open the letter immediately. An adult could maybe wait until they at least got into the car but most kids couldn’t/wouldn’t. School should have realized that and faxed/emailed the response.
Many of DDs schools mailed not emailed responses but as has been noted, most also updated portal a few days afterwards…
I am totally on the poster’s side (tho agree with editing letter).
It is unrealistic to expect a child to wait - I agree - that’s where parental counsel comes in (“honey, let’s wait until we’re in the car” or “honey, let’s go outside before opening the letter”). I was really questioning if the admissions office just handed the kid an open piece of paper without an envelope for even a hint of privacy.
The sad reality is that the size of the notification probably gave it away anyway. I also wonder if son had been accepted if they would have been more accommodating on the telephone calls right from the get go.
Since he was not accepted, it will probably fall on deaf ears. Send it if it makes you feel better.
@FullRetard Maybe it will have some slight impact since the other Son was admitted. They won’t want to stave away the rest of the family.
I disagree with editing the letter. Send it as is. You wrote it explaining your family circumstance, and you express it. I think the admissions office was unprofessional and uncaring to deal with your S’s rejection like that. I think they SHOULD hear about it. However, you should send your letter to the Dean of Admissions. I think that is the best way to make a difference.
I’ve just noticed in life that when people try to hard not to make waves by sugar coating the bald truth, the impact of what we are trying to do is muted.