Admit It!  You’re counting down the days until summer break.  It’s hard not to.  The weather is getting nicer, the days are getting longer, it’s nearly June.  Here at W&M it’s already technically summer break.  The Class of 2012 graduated on Sunday (yeah you’re right, college calendars rule).  While most of the campus slows down during the summer, our office heats up (figuratively and literally – have you been to Williamsburg in the summer?  It’s definitely hot).  Summer is absolutely a time that many prospective students choose to visit colleges.  While the campus may not quite feel like itself, it’s still a great opportunity to get a feel for an institution and to at least begin exploring whether or not a school will be on your short list for applications come fall.

Beginning May 29 and continuing through August 17, we offer information sessions and tours at 10:00am and 2:30pm (with a few notable exceptions which can be found on our visit calendar).  We also offer 10:00am tours on select Saturdays.  During the summer we also offer on-campus interviews to rising high school seniors.  These are offered on weekdays beginning June 25 and ending August 17.  Additionally while we cannot offer you the opportunity to sit in on a class, we do encourage you to contact any department in which you’re interested and see if someone is on campus during your visit that might be able to meet with you.  If you cannot make it to campus, we offer tours and interviews and a host of other visit opportunities during the fall as well.  Or if you do make it to campus this summer but want to see what W&M is like when classes are in session, we welcome you back for a second visit any time.

So somewhere between governor’s school, your part-time job, a road trip with friends, the family vacation, days at the pool/beach, summer reading assignments, concerts, an internship and whatever else you have planned, squeeze in a trip to W&M and make us part of how you spent your summer vacation.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It!  The top question on most applicants’ minds post May 1 is whether or not schools will go to their waitlists.  We are definitely fielding a lot of questions about our waitlist, that’s for sure.  The purpose of this blog is to give those of you still active on the waitlist a general update about W&M’s waitlist and what happens from here.

So why is part of the wait over?  Because we can answer the question on all of your minds, will W&M activate its waitlist.  The answer is yes.  We are able to admit a small number of additional students to the entering class.  The follow-up question of course is how many?  That question doesn’t have a definitive answer.  There are so many factors that contribute to building and completing a class and the number of students enrolled in the Class of 2016 changes every day.  Some days the number goes up (new deposits from admitted students who were given an extension on the May 1 deadline for example).  Other days the number goes down (students may have been admitted off a different school’s waitlist and choose to withdraw their W&M enrollment).  So there’s no fixed number.  We can tell you that it’s not so small as to be insignificant (like last year when we admitted literally 10-15 students from the waitlist) but not so large as to be sending a thick envelope to most of the students on the waitlist.

Okay, so the big question answered.  The next question most people have is how does this work?  Completing the class cannot be completed in a day, not even in a week.  It’s definitely an ongoing process.  Late last week and early this week, the regional deans culled together the most competitive students from their individual regions (remember, our waitlist is not ranked).  We then presented those candidates and the most competitive among them will be the first to be contacted.  Contact is first attempted by phone (we will call both the student’s cell and the home phone if both numbers are provided).  Voicemails are left if the calls are not answered.  An email is also sent from the regional dean to the student’s application email address if no one was reached by phone so PLEASE CHECK YOUR VOICEMAIL AND EMAIL.  We know that you prefer to communicate by text or social media but there’s something that just doesn’t seem right about texting you something like “You got off the waitlist. LOL.  Emoticon,” you know what I’m saying?  The purpose of this call/email is to see whether the student is still interested in W&M (as much as we like to think W&M is da bomb – and it is – and therefore irresistible – which it totally is, there are absolutely students who respond affirmatively to the waitlist in March who by May are no longer interested).  Those who remain interested will be offered admission.  They then have two weeks to accept or reject our offer.  As we get positive and negative responses we keep a close eye on the size of the class.  Should the class remain at a shortfall after these initial offers are made, we will start the process over again and continue until the class is filled.  That is why some of the waiting is still ahead of you and ahead of us.

All students remaining on the waitlist will receive an email update from us by mid-June.  Additionally, just as a PSA on our office’s behalf, if you responded affirmatively to the waitlist but you no longer remain interested, please email admission@wm.edu and ask to be withdrawn (I realize that the likelihood of disinterested students still reading this blog is unlikely but a girl can try).  So yes, the wait is and isn’t over.  Helpful and not helpful all at the same time right?  We are taking steps to complete our class as efficiently as we can and with your help, we will do just that.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It! admitted transfers, you’ve opened the “Good News” email, you’re psyched about potentially joining the Tribe and you’re trying to make those tough decisions that come with multiple proverbial thick envelopes.  Well our Day for Admitted Transfers is designed to help answer your questions and to help you decide whether or not W&M is the next step in your educational journey (which we of course hope it is).  So, looking for reasons to attend?  We’ve got a list for that.

1. It’s Williamsburg in the spring.  The flowers are blooming, the trees are green and the campus looks gorgeous (we’ll win you over with that if nothing else).
2. Free William & Mary swag, ‘nuf said.
3. Our tour guides are taking a break from studying for finals to give you all a tour.  They’re excited to meet you and to show you around.  Don’t leave them hanging.
4. Assistant Dean of Students, Ben Boone will be there.  He LOVES transfers!
5. Kim Van Deusen will be there.  You know her.  She signed your admission email and admission letters.  You’ve been emailing, faxing, calling, consulting, meeting with her for what seems like forever.  She LOVES transfers the most!
6. The weather forecast looks pretty favorable (high in the low 80s and minimal chance of rain).  We’ll take it.
7. The Admission Ambassadors have been working hard for months to ensure you have a great day. They won’t let you down.
8. Faculty and administrators from numerous departments will be on hand to introduce you to their programs and to answer your questions.
9. The Griffin has been repping our admitted transfer students in style.  Don’t give him a reason to change his wardrobe.
10. What’s better than a chance to meet and network with the students, faculty and staff who will be integral to the next few years of your life?  We’re all here to show you the meaning of One Tribe and to convince you to become a part of it.

So register for the event, set your GPS to Williamsburg and come see W&M for yourself.  We hope you decide it’s so great that you won’t want to leave.  If that’s the case, submit your enrollment deposit and officially join the Tribe!

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It!  Transfers, you’ve been clamoring for this moment and it has finally arrived.  Decisions have been released and are on their way to your in-boxes.  We cannot tell you the exact time your decision will arrive (that depends on our server and your server) but we can tell you that all emails have been sent.  All decision emails will be sent to the email address used in your Transfer Common Application.  The sender name will vary based on your email application but “The College of William & Mary” will appear somewhere in the sender name and the subject line will either be “Good News” (and yes, go ahead and open that rather than psyching yourself out about what it might mean) or “William & Mary Admission Decision.”  If you did not receive an email (and for those who received your decision emails last week you will not receive another one), you can call our office on Monday (757-221-4223) and inquire as to why you did not receive a decision.  It could be for various reasons (your application remains incomplete, your server rejected our email, etc.) so give us a bit of time to investigate.  Assuming it was a technical glitch, we will resend a copy of your decision using a different email tool after 5:00pm and we will also put a hard copy in the mail.  Just as with freshman applications, there are several types of decisions we render and they are explained below.

Good News (aka admitted): Congratulations and welcome to the Tribe!  Your credentials were stellar across the board; you come from four-year and two-year colleges, from in-state and out-of-state, from science and humanities backgrounds, essentially from all walks of life.  You have much to add to the existing classes here at W&M, and we hope you decide to join us on campus in August.  We encourage you to review all of the information provided to admitted transfers including the transfer welcome website (linked in your decision email), the admission packet that will be arriving by mail in the coming days and the information posted on the admitted transfer Facebook page.  We also cordially invite you to attend Day for Admitted Transfer Students (more information is provided in your decision email and mailed materials).  Enrollment deposits must be submitted or postmarked by May 15.  One tribe and now it’s yours.

Waitlist: Limbo-land; we know it’s not the decision you had hoped to receive but it is a decision that affirms the strength of your application and accomplishments.  As we’ve progressed with our transfer outreach and process, transfer admission has become more and more selective over the course of the past several years.  Transfer application numbers have been climbing while space in our classes has remained steady (for you econ majors out there demand is increasing while supply is stagnating).  For us that means we are making fewer admission offers and placing more students on the waitlist (approximately 100).  Whether or not we will use the transfer waitlist is anyone’s guess.  Our best advice is to respond to the waitlist online form (linked in your decision email) and to send a final transcript to our office as soon as it becomes available.  We will update all transfer students remaining on the waitlist in mid-June.

Deny: We know, believe me, we know.  You’re disappointed, frustrated, angry, outraged, sad, distraught and probably a whole host of additional emotions.  You have every right to be.  So get mad, scoff, cry, mutter expletives about W&M under your breath (or scream them out loud if no one’s around).  We’re certainly sorry that the news cannot be better.  Over the past several years, with the inception of transfer articulation agreements and more robust transfer services on campus, the number of transfer applications has steadily climbed and way outpaced the number of additional spaces in our classes allotted to transfers.  This has made our transfer process more selective with each passing semester.  Additionally, because we try to keep our transfer waitlist relatively small (knowing that the likelihood of tons of additional spaces for transfers is not high) we are left with no other choice than to deny some wonderful students.  This decision is not, let me repeat IS NOT, a reflection of your worth or potential, but is instead a reflection of the relative strength of our applicant pool.  Some students are simply more competitive than others for numerous reasons (strength of schedule, grades, conduct, evidence of recent coursework, mid-term grades, fit, preparedness, etc.).  If you decide that this is the end of the road for you and W&M, we fully respect that.  If you remain interested in W&M know that while this decision is final for the upcoming semester, it is not always a final decision for you and W&M.  Regardless, we wish you all the best as you continue your college education.

We have enjoyed reviewing your stories over the past several months and we commend all of you for the work that you’ve done, the accomplishments you’ve earned and the potential you showcase.  Whether your next stop is Williamsburg or elsewhere we wish you nothing but the best.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

PS: At this time, our spam filter is in a particularly aggressive mood and it’s snatching up comments right and left.  Oftentimes, there is a delay between the time you submit your comment and when it appears on the blog.  Please be patient (no one wants to further anger an aggressive spam filter).  We are monitoring the filter as often as we can and we are able to post most comments within minutes.  If you don’t see your comment posted within 12 hours feel free to post again (the spam filter must have been particularly taken with your comment).  If your comment isn’t posting and you wish a more immediate response you can post on our Facebook or College Confidential page.

Admit It! These blogs are kind of addicting (or at least I’ll Admit It!, transfers seem to dig the overheard in transfer committee series).  So it’s time for another edition.  Here we go.

Overheard in transfer committee: “This would be her third school.” (Interject somewhat dejected/worried tone.)

Transferring multiple times to multiple schools tends to make the committee a tad wary.  It’s in your best interest and ours to ensure that you’re making the right choice and that you’ll stay at W&M should we admit you.  You should be concerned with finding a community that you can become a permanent part of, and we’re concerned with matriculating students we can retain.

There are absolutely legitimate reasons for students to transfer multiple times.  Oftentimes, students need to move closer to home due to medical issues, family emergencies, change of financial circumstances, etc.  Other times, say in the case of individuals who are active duty, their posts change and they need to enroll elsewhere upon moving.  (If you dual enrolled in high school we don’t count that as a university attended by the way.) However, there are times when we see applicants who have already attended two or three universities prior to applying to W&M and there’s no real explanation for the school hopping as we call it.  In many ways, this post ties back to our previous one; the point is that explanations are key.  Whether it’s why you wish to transfer to W&M, why you’ve attended multiple colleges, why you got some less-than-stellar grades, why you were disciplined/suspended/arrested, or any other unique circumstance, explanations provide context which is what our review process is all about.  Without those explanations, we’re left without any context.  In those cases we tend to error on the side of caution (meaning deny) rather than take a risk on a student who hasn’t been completely forthcoming.

Deliberations continue and should conclude in the coming days.  We still do not have an exact date/time when transfer decisions will be released but keep an eye out for the Decisions, Decisions: Fall 2012 Transfer Edit blog which will be coming soon to a computer screen near you.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It!  Transfers, you’ve been clamoring for the spring 2012 installment of Overheard in Transfer Committee.  Signed, sealed, delivered (or more accurately typed, uploaded, published).  Transfer committee for fall 2012 applicants started yesterday so we’re off and rolling.

Overheard in transfer committee today: “No idea why W&M.”

The Transfer Common Application’s personal statement asks each student to explain why they wish to transfer.  It provides an opportunity for you to explain why the school you currently attend is not the best fit and what kinds of qualities you’re looking for in your future college/university.  While we would love to think W&M is your one and only true college love, we know that you are likely playing the field and submitting your application to multiple schools.  With that being the case, you’re not able to specifically identify in the Transfer Common Application what it is about W&M that compels you to apply.

But we have a remedy for that; the additional optional essay found on the W&M Supplement to the Transfer Common Application.  That essay asks you to address why you wish to transfer to W&M specifically.  This helps both you and the Committee to consider whether or not W&M is a good match for you.  After all, it does neither you nor us any good to admit you if you’re only bound to transfer again (such as when a student says they want W&M for a program we do not have – we know that student hasn’t done their research and that admitting them would not be in their or our best interest).  So we sincerely appreciate that you take the time to deliberate about and articulate why W&M is the right next step for you and that you allow us to do the same.

When that supplement essay is blank it doesn’t mean your transfer application is dead on arrival but it’s a piece of the puzzle we would like to evaluate but can’t.  So when we stumbled upon an application that didn’t address the supplemental essay we took note hence the “no idea why W&M” (meaning the person who reviewed the application had no idea why the applicant wanted to finish their degree at W&M).  It made us question how serious the applicant was and how thoughtfully they had entered into the transfer process.  Again, this is one part of many and the presence or absence of this essay alone never makes or breaks an application, but every little bit helps.

Until next time transfers.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

We Admit It!  We get pretty pumped about Day for Admitted Students.  The final preparations are at hand and the event is a go for this Saturday, April 14.  It’s basically a giant party in the Class of 2016’s honor.  The entire campus will be on hand (faculty, academic departments, administrative offices, alumni, current students, President Reveley, student performance groups, etc.) to welcome our newly admitted students and their families to the Tribe.  If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to attend, here are the top 10 reasons you should make your way to the ‘burg this weekend.

1. You can meet the Griffin.  He’s been repping the Class of 2016 in style.  The Griffin would be sad if you missed out, and no one likes a sad Griffin.
2. The Admission Ambassadors have been working hard for months to ensure you have a great day.  They won’t let you down.
3. Cool W&M swag.  Who doesn’t like free swag?  If you all don’t come, we’ll definitely take what’s left over.
4. Hip-hop dance showcase and an a capella performance all before 9:30am!
5. The campus statues come alive the night before (Friday, April 13)!  No this isn’t a superstitious, scary thing; it’s the newest AVAdventure in honor of Thomas Jefferson’s birthday.  This is a completely unique, entirely W&M way to celebrate one of our most honored alumni.
6. It’s I AM W&M Week on campus.  Join us in the celebration of individuality and community.  One Tribe.  One Family.
7. Because we said so (hey this works for your parents right?).
8. Your first attempt at singing the Alma Mater.  Better start early.  We love that song around here; it’s kind of our theme song!
9. The spring football game is also happening that afternoon.  Three cheers for the Tribe.
             Let’s give a shout for our colors bold –
            We’ll get a Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!
            And raise the green and gold!
10. Over 900 of your possible future classmates are already registered so what the heck are you waiting for?  Register online today (instructions provided in your mailed admission packet).

Come down Saturday and see what all the hype is about.  One Tribe.  Make it yours.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It!  Transfers, you’re over hearing about freshman admission (admittedly the hard core focus of all of our recent blog posts).  Well with their decisions out, it’s time to focus some attention on our transfer applicants.  Last week, mid-semester grades were due to our office for those applying for fall admission, and we know they’re a bit of a hassle to compile and submit.  So why do we ask you to jump through those hoops?

The answer is simple; mid-semester grades are helpful as we make decisions, especially on tough cases.  In our transfer applicant process, college transcripts are paramount.  Courses taken, credit loads, grades, grade trends and academic hiccups all weigh heavily on our decision-making process.  When reviewing freshman applications, we have three years of high school academic history to review (3.5 years once mid-year grades become available).  With transfer applicants, sometimes we have only one completed semester of college-level course work to consider.  Mid-semester grades at least provide additional academic history.

Additionally, just like in high school, classes tend to get more rigorous with the passing of time.  Generally, your current courses are more challenging than the courses that preceded them.  Being able to review your performance in these courses helps us better assess how well prepared you are for William & Mary academics.  There’s a learning curve in any new environment, W&M is no exception.  New freshmen and transfer students alike experience it.  We just want to ensure that you’re prepared to be a successful student here.

Mid-semester grades aren’t the be all and end all of your application but they’re definitely something that can work for or against you.  We promise we wouldn’t ask you to submit something if we didn’t find it useful in evaluating your application.  If you haven’t yet submitted your mid-semester grades we will still accept them by fax (757-221-1242), and no that’s not a delayed April Fool’s joke.  Note we do not confirm receipt of mid-semester grades.  We simply receive them and add them to your application materials.

Tune back in later this month for the ever-so-popular Overheard in Transfer Committee blogs.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It!  The wait has been agonizing.  We’re here to tell you it’s almost over.  Decisions for W&M Regular Decision applicants will be released today, Monday, March 26.  Decisions are emailed to the email address you provided in the Common Application.  Students who applied to the St Andrews William & Mary Joint Degree Programme will receive two decisions: one for W&M and for the joint degree programme.  For the most part, these decisions will be combined into one email.  If you get an email tonight that does not mention the joint degree programme you will receive notification about your admission to the joint degree programme later this week.

Note that there is no specific time for a release.  Our software is not such that we can push a button and have everyone receive their decision simultaneously.  We have to upload every individual applicant’s decision email and then send it to the appropriate email address.  This takes a lot of careful, precise work and several hours.  But, decision emails are on their way to your in-boxes as we type.

If for any reason you do not have an email in your in-box by tomorrow morning, feel free to call our office (757-221-4223) and let us know.  Each evening, we will make a second attempt to send your decision email using a different email method (but we will still send it to the same email address because that is the only email we can confidently say belongs to you, and we want to ensure that we are sending your decision to you the applicant and not to someone else).  We will also mail a hard copy of your decision to your mailing address (we do not mail hard copies to waitlisted or denied students; only admitted students receive an email and a mailed admission offer).

The sender of the email will vary based on your email carrier but “College of William & Mary” will be a part of it.  The subject will either be Good Things or William & Mary Admission Decision.  To those who are admitted, this means Good Things indeed.  The Class of 2016 promises to be astounding, and we are thrilled to welcome you to the alma mater of a nation.  To those of you waitlisted or denied, we know this wasn’t how you hoped your W&M story would end, but we know you are incredibly smart and accomplished individuals.  We have no doubt that another institution will recognize your efforts and that institution will be the better for you.

Thank you for spending the past several months with us, allowing us into your lives.  We’ve immensely enjoyed selecting the Class of 2016 and learning about the accomplishments of the high school class of 2012.  Best of luck to all of you as you face the decisions, decisions ahead of you in April.

So enough typing, we’ve got some emails to send!

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission

Admit It!  You re-read the Good Things subject line and the cleverly-worded email a few times.  And then you let yourself get a little giddy.  And then you realized what it all means, you’re in!  If you are still questioning what it means, don’t.  It means what you think it means.  Congratulations and welcome to the Tribe!  The thick envelope is on its way so sit back, relax and enjoy.  The Class of 2016 promises to be one of the best in the College’s storied history and we hope you decide to become a part of it.

Reading your applications has been an honor.  Your collective intelligence, talents, accomplishments and personalities amazed and inspired us.  You were selected from the most diverse and competitive applicant pool in W&M’s history.  We have had a blast getting to know you; we now invite you to get to know us.  Explore the admitted student website linked in your decision email.  There you will learn more about the opportunities that await you at W&M and be heartily welcomed by various students, faculty and staff.  You can also join the Class of 2016’s Facebook page and view our collection of Griffin Gossip videos made especially for newly admitted students.  Read blogs, overhaul your wardrobe with the appropriate amount of green and gold from the W&M Bookstore, review all the news that’s fit to print from what we hope is your future alma mater and learn about what’s to come.  We are One Tribe, One Family, and now it’s yours.

We also invite you to visit campus for our Day for Admitted Students on Saturday, April 14.  The entire campus community will be on hand to greet you, to answer your questions and to show you why we call this campus our home.  We also offer myWM Monday programs on April 9, April 16 and April 23 in case you cannot make it to campus on the 14^th.  All of these programs are outlined in detail on the admitted student website.

Again, congratulations.  You’ve earned this exciting admission and we think you’re a wonderful match for W&M.  We invite you to explore our campus to your heart’s desire, and we hope that when May 1 comes around, you see W&M as your home for the next four years.  Until then, welcome, congratulations, Go Tribe!

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission