Tuesday, November 30, 2010
To waive or not to waive?
I don't have an opinion about which button you should check in the waiver section of the recommendation form. In recent years, I've noticed more students checking the "no" button. This is totally fine. However, make sure you read the waiver and understand where and when it comes into play.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Let's talk about arts supplements
If you're thinking of majoring, minoring, or being significantly involved in the arts at UVa, you may want to submit an arts supplement along with your application. Supplements are reviewed by faculty members in visual arts, dance, drama, and music (including the marching band). The reviews will become part of the application.
Submitting an arts supplement is not required for those interested in the arts. You are not trying out for anything at this point.
On the arts supplement page of our website, you will see cover sheets to use for each type of supplement. Please be sure to follow the directions on the cover sheets! Arts supplements are due by December 1st for those applying to start their first year in Fall 2011.
Feel free to use the comment section below to ask questions.
The "photo shoot" for this entry produced so many hilarious pictures that I had to share them.
CavDog clearly thought the paint brush was a new toy.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Behind the scenes logistics
For decades, admission offices around the country (and world, no doubt) have been receiving components of applications.
Back when I was in high school, schools sent application packets to students by mail. Those packets included all the forms one needed to submit and some included a slew of envelopes that were labeled for each component. Regardless of envelope, everything got to admission offices by mail and got filed from there.
I wound up working in my Alma Mater's admission office and spent a good part of my year filing documents. There were thousands of documents coming into the office, but our little staff filed and filed to make sure all the components met up. We actually enjoyed the work a little bit...I even remember sneaking into the office with two admission officers (one of whom is now a counselor at a private school in Connecticut *wave*) one Saturday to finish the filing as a surprise to the administrative staff. The dean came in to garlands made out of envelopes strewn around his office that Monday. This is probably why I enjoy the days when we help open the mail here in the Office of Admission at UVa.
These days, the process is far smoother and doesn't take nearly as long. The Common Application automatically tags every document you send online with data that allows our system to file automatically.
Each night, the Common Application system sends newly completed applications (we have things set up so it only sends us your file when you submit all three parts of the application, the Common App, UVa Supplement, and payment). Our system runs a script (an automated process) that looks through any miscellaneous documents that have arrived by mail. If it finds a match, the system moves those documents from the miscellaneous area of the filing system to the newly created file for your application.
Items that arrive in the mail are scanned and loaded into the system for the same matching process.
No matter how your documents are sent, they will all meet up in the end. Some schools still have the traditional, paper filing system and that will work just fine (it will probably take a little longer than our automated system, of course). This is one part of the process I don't want you to worry about.
Once your application is processed by our system, you'll get an email confirming its arrival. That email contains your login information for our SIS (Student Information System). You can log into SIS to track your application (you'll see your checklist shrink as items arrive). You'll also see a link to your decision on notification day This is explained in the application instructions, which you've hopefully read at this point!
Back when I was in high school, schools sent application packets to students by mail. Those packets included all the forms one needed to submit and some included a slew of envelopes that were labeled for each component. Regardless of envelope, everything got to admission offices by mail and got filed from there.
I wound up working in my Alma Mater's admission office and spent a good part of my year filing documents. There were thousands of documents coming into the office, but our little staff filed and filed to make sure all the components met up. We actually enjoyed the work a little bit...I even remember sneaking into the office with two admission officers (one of whom is now a counselor at a private school in Connecticut *wave*) one Saturday to finish the filing as a surprise to the administrative staff. The dean came in to garlands made out of envelopes strewn around his office that Monday. This is probably why I enjoy the days when we help open the mail here in the Office of Admission at UVa.
These days, the process is far smoother and doesn't take nearly as long. The Common Application automatically tags every document you send online with data that allows our system to file automatically.
Each night, the Common Application system sends newly completed applications (we have things set up so it only sends us your file when you submit all three parts of the application, the Common App, UVa Supplement, and payment). Our system runs a script (an automated process) that looks through any miscellaneous documents that have arrived by mail. If it finds a match, the system moves those documents from the miscellaneous area of the filing system to the newly created file for your application.
Items that arrive in the mail are scanned and loaded into the system for the same matching process.
No matter how your documents are sent, they will all meet up in the end. Some schools still have the traditional, paper filing system and that will work just fine (it will probably take a little longer than our automated system, of course). This is one part of the process I don't want you to worry about.
Once your application is processed by our system, you'll get an email confirming its arrival. That email contains your login information for our SIS (Student Information System). You can log into SIS to track your application (you'll see your checklist shrink as items arrive). You'll also see a link to your decision on notification day This is explained in the application instructions, which you've hopefully read at this point!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Election Day Q&A with Dean J
Judging from the number of people who have registered for the 10 AM information session today, many of your schools are out for election day. We hope you enjoy the day off!
Please feel free to post any questions you have about your applications in the comments below. I'll work through them in the next few posts.