What is a college admissions rep supposed to do for your child after they've been accepted?

Parents Forum
61

“…he/she is not special…”

I laughed at this, because it both pulls at a low-lying suspicion parents may come to, even while it belies what we may (want to) believe.

Reaching out to others with clearly stated questions is not a problem for most people, who can easily direct you to the best office or person to help. Sometimes you may find doors open more easily or readily for you as a result. Can’t expect that, no, but neither will you know if you opt not to do it when you find the information you need is not revealing itself to you.

Admissions officers are probably invested with the same duties and mandates everywhere. But let’s not forget that each of them brings to their work a range of skills and personal attributes which make them well-placed for working with the public. When you find one who works so well within the roles of admissions officer and thoughtful resource, it simply makes for a great moment.

62

“No contact or advocacy” is the standard, in my (pretty extensive) experience. Props to those adcoms who made an effort–it’s clear that their doing so has raised their schools in your estimation.

63

The head of admissions was very nice to my daughter at our visit day, but I assumed we got the same treatment as everyone else. We were on a plane on the way to student orientation when my daughter got an email reminding her to bring her vaccination records or she couldn’t register. It was a Friday, and orientation was Monday. Nothing we could do about it at that point., and I figured she wouldn’t be able to register (which turned out to not be a big deal anyway).

I saw the head of admissions at a reception and mentioned that they should send the email reminders several days before the orientation as a few of us (just a few) traveled a long distance and left before the day of orientation. Not complaining, just pointing it out. She was so helpful and called the registrar’s office and asked if a copy was attached to her high school transcript - and there was! I had no idea. I really liked how practical she was.

64

Our S got into several Us. He was also a NMF. He was not actively courted by any of them once he received his admission. I did call all the Us he was accepted at and ask how they handled prolonged medical absences. I conveyed their answers to S and that was an important part of the decision-making process.

We did attend an admitted students reception for the U he planned to attend and then new student orientation after he had committed. The dean of engineering had remembered him from interviewing him at his HS and greeted him and me at the orientation.

Other than that we had no contact from admissions, nor did we expect any. I guess expectations and procedures vary.

Our D ended up transferring to the large private U her brother attended. When she was an applicant awaiting transfer admission, she communicated with the admissions Rep who gave her some suggestions on which courses would and would not transfer and helped make sure her app wasn’t marked late despite time zone issues. Once she was admitted, she stopped hearing from and communicating with him. She was still thrilled to transfer and matriculate there.

65

“No contact or advocacy,” is the actual standard? Wow. I think that makes sense, sure.

66

Organizing campus preview days by admission office for students and parents to have the opportunity to ask more questions and see more about the school before committing is the standard. That’s my experience with my 2 kids and 1 kid that I helped with the application.

67

“…he/she is not special…”

lol, this really is true. I attended Williams College preview with S1 and not once, but TWICE during the weekend the President made a comment along the line of “this weekend is for you to make a decision, not for us to convince you to come. We have accepted far more students than we can accommodate and we realize that a large percentage of you will decide to go elsewhere.”

68

Usually it is more institutional…you are invited to an admitted student’s day, to apply for an honors program.
I am an alumni volunteer and we are asked to contact admitted students to share our experiences.

69

Other than invitations to attend accepted student events, my 3 kids had no further contact with admissions officers. In fact, only my youngest even knew who theirs was, and only because she needed to communicate to him that her GC had resigned which would result in some guidance office administrative delays, and also that the first marking period at her school wouldn’t even end until after the first quarter grade submission deadline for ED applicants.

One school S applied to had a parent of a current student reach out by phone to me to answer any questions, and just today I received an emailed note from an alum of D17’s school offering to answer any questions we parents may have. So any additional communication was rare, and did not come from the admissions officer even though the admissions office likely facilitated it.

70

Look at it this way, even if all the admissions reps rolled out the red carpet for your son, he will have ZERO contact with them once he starts school. None. So he has to choose a school based on factors other than how much the admissions people sucked up to him. These factors should include finances, fit, facilities and faculty. Admissions reps are not on the list.

71

OMG, I’m writing that down. :smiley:

72

@ScreenName48105 Bloomington?

I have not read this entire thread but they are admissions reps, not college counselors.

73

This OP seems to be a hit and run. Has he been back even once?

74

@Nrdsb4 The comments were not to the OP’s liking.

75

Spot on. Great comment.

76

piling on the piling on of the pile.

our experience was likely affected by a different track in that all three of my kids were recruited athletes, two of them likely the top priority recruit for that coach. that is the person who rolled out the red carpet, and had others roll it out.

but recruiting at D3 involves applying ED, which, again, changes the track.

with all that said, once the kid chose his/her ED option, applied and got in, it was crickets after that save for the occasional “how’s club season going so far?” and a lot of reaching out by future teammates, both those who were in their recruiting class and those already at the school.

but admissions? never again. our sample was limited to Middlebury and Skidmore. one of my three left Middlebury (I had two there) and transferred to Pomona and no longer plays his sport. and Skidmore is this year, so I guess there’s time for the experience to show itself differently, but I doubt it.

importantly, to your question, we haven’t been expecting anything either. maybe the occasional mailer, sure, but in terms of Skidmore trying to track my kid into the school already in some way, shape or form, no. she also wasn’t going to qualify for Skidmore’s very limited merit aid, so that’s not coming. and of course Middlebury doesn’t give out any, and I make too much for any need-based aid. so there’s that.

sorry I don’t have more to offer. I won’t try and guess why you were expecting what you were expecting, but it might be worth heeding the advice of some of the sage posters in this thread. time to let go. trust me, I know it’s hard. with my last one, it’s been particularly difficult for me. she’s my girl, we’re very close, and I was much, much more involved in her sporting life, her recruiting and all those related activities than I was with my boys (because she wanted me to be btw). but this, her senior year, is the time I’ve chosen to cut the rope. I do literally NOTHING unless I’m asked. that includes sharing opinions, etc. it is all her show now unless she needs me.

77

MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Love @massmomm 's comment; I never thought of it that way, but so true. Anyway, it does look like the OP has left the building, and since most posters are pretty much saying the same thing, I’m closing this thread.