Decisions will be released on Friday

Please let me put all of these rumors to rest.

From the horse's mouth:

Decisions will be released online, that's through your SIS account on Friday(5/1) afternoon by 5pm. That is all I can give you about timing. We simply won't be ready until then.
We don't send email. Letters will be mailed after the decisions come out.
Unlike last year, if you are a rollover, you will be able to see your decision online.

I'm not sure if this feels better, but at least it gives you more of an idea about timing. Eat, sleep and study for those exams readers!

Note: If you have a question about transferring in the future(not Fall 2009), you might want to hold off for a week or two. Your comment will likely get swallowed in decision commentary and I simply can't reply to everyone.

Decisions are NOT coming out this week

Remember we are trying to contend with a new system of reading and releasing decisions. We are not required to release before May 1. Last year was a fluke.
I'm sorry, but they won't be out this week folks.

Request for Financial Aid Materials

There is no correlation between financial aid requests and your admissions decisions. Student Financial Services is trying to get a head-start on their applicants because there is such a quick turnaround.

**Note: Financial Aid Award Letters no longer come in the mail. They will be released through the Student Information System**

Green Checks

As you can see, I've been a bit busy reading applications and helping with Days on the Lawn.
Sorry for being missing in action.

A green check does not mean that there has been a decision made on your application. Not having a green check does not mean that a decision has not been made. We had this problem with the first-years back in the winter. It is merely a function of Peoplesoft. That is the place where you will eventually check your decision, but they are not complete let alone ready to be released at this time. No amount of anxiety or worrying or pleading on the blog will change the current date of release on May 1. Remember that we are using a new online system this year. This affects our reading style, timing and processes. Just because it was April 25 last year, it doesn't mean it will be that date this year.

I will get to your comments next week. I just wanted to put your minds at ease this weekend with this post.

Decision Notification

As of right now, the decision date is May 1st, just as it says on our website. I will write to you as soon as I know if it will be earlier. It is only April 6. I won't know anything more for a few weeks.

Thanks for your patience! Remember to keep up the hard work where you are now :)

Course Descriptions Revisited

This morning, a mass email went out to remind those applying from non-VCCS schools to send us course descriptions. Please see the post on January 19. There are some slight differences.
1) If you haven't already sent them to us, we're asking that you email them. 2) We are not requesting this of VCCS students because these courses are standard across the state.

If you've already sent these descriptions, please do not send the information again. It was a mass email.

Standardized Testing

Many of you might find that Standardized Testing(SAT,ACT,TOEFL,IELTS) appears on your to-do list. For many of you, this will stay on your to-do list until decision day. Your application will be read without it. Testing is not necessary for all of you and you might know who you are. For the time being, this element only leaves your to-do list if you sent it directly from the College Board. It is automatic. If your SATs appear on high school transcripts, it is not automatic. We are working to key this information in(yes, it has to be done by a human), but we will read the applications even it is not keyed in. If we require testing of you, we will email you. I realize it's counterintuitive, but the system is not perfect.

As always, we thank you for your patience. I think the first-year decisions have created anxiety on our transfer end here. Just remember to take a step back and breathe. Then, calmly go back to your daily routine :)

Missing Transcripts?

*1:30pm update*

As you all know, today is a very busy day in our office due to first-year decisions coming out, so I'll get to your comments as soon as I can. More importantly, I wanted to post about missing transcripts.

If you have been visiting your to-do list and your transcripts still appear, we'd like you to now take action to send them again. Unfortunately, these sometimes get lost in the mail.

I will say that if you are a rollover, please disregard this note FOR ALL TRANSCRIPTS. I know I keep saying this, but we will link materials for these spring applicants next week. This will then disappear for you.

Okay, for the rest of you. If transcripts are missing, please fax OR email them to us. After this, you MUST re-send an original version through the mail.

1) To fax a copy, you can use either (434) 924-7674 or (434) 924-3587. Put your fax to the attention of FRAN.
To email a copy, please email fb3u@virginia.edu
2) Then mail the original to UVA Office of Admission, P.O. Box 400160, Charlottesville, VA
22904

Stay tuned for a post on "missing" standardized testing.

Festival of the Book

In an attempt to try and divert your attention, I wanted to clue you all into a fabulous cultural event that's going on in Charlottesville this weekend. That's Virginia's Festival of the Book. Writers and readers come together from all over for readings, seminars, classes and the like. In years past, there's really an electricity around town when these bookworms come to town. Some events started today, but everything really heats up tomorrow and Friday.
Take a break from re-checking your SIS page and check out their website: www.vabook.org

Processing of Transcripts

You all have been very diligent in getting familiar with your to-do lists. Most of your are miffed that even though you sent your transcript(s) weeks ago, the component is not listed as received.
I wanted to let you know that we are nearing the end of processing materials for our 22,000 first-year applicants. Transfers' materials are put on hold(this happens every year), until we complete the first-year intake process. By early next week, you should see your transcripts appearing.

ROLLOVERS: If you are a student who applied in the Spring, and you're applying again, you'll find that your transcripts and supplement are not checked off. You are in the same boat. We have to manually match up your supplement and high school transcript from the old application. There is no need to re-send your hs transcript and testing. Remember it is up to you to send us a new transcript if you were in school during the Fall of 2008.

I hope this clears it up.

Just keep in mind, if you have submitted the Basic application and paid your application fee, we will contact you via email(keep an eye on this and your spam) if something is missing when we go to review your file.

Deadline is Tomorrow

As you all know, the transfer deadline is tomorrow March 1. The gateway will close at 11:59pm to be precise. But, don't wait until the last minute(literally)! Should there be a hitch in the submission process, you'll feel less stressed and you'll be able to fix whatever is necessary with time to spare. Good luck!

IDs, green triangles and transcripts, oh my!

Please wait 24-48 hours for Common App Basic and Supplement triangles or squares to turn green on your common application.

Please wait 24-48 hours for your ID(for financial aid purposes) to come through your email. Five days gives us ample time, but usually it happens within a day or two.
Remember to CHECK SPAMBOXES(!) during this entire period. Email is our favorite way to communicate with you and if your firewall is set really high, our emails may go into your spambox.

Please allow 2-4 weeks for transcripts to be opened, processed and linked to your application. These will take some time to show up on your to-do list. As long as you postmark them by March 1(the post office is closed on Sunday), you're safe.

Reminder: Transfer Chat is this afternoon

The admissions office will host the chat from 3:30-5:30pm ET today.

Click here to join the room:
http://virginiachat.gotoextinguisher.com

Did you apply for Spring 2009?

Did you apply for Spring 2009 and find that you were not offered admission? If you fall in this category, as your letter suggested, you have until March 1 to tell us you would like to be considered for our Fall review. Here are the important things you should know.

If you haven't done so already, you must write to us to tell us you want to be reviewed.

-You can write a letter to us, but in order to insure speedy delivery, you may email us at undergradadmission@virginia.edu. PLEASE put "Transfer Applicant Rollover" in your subject line.
- You must send us your updated transcript. This includes Fall grades if you were in school in the Fall. The postmark deadline is March 1. The address again is UVA Office of Admission, P.O. Box 400160, Charlottesville, VA 22904
-You must also send a list of your current classes. If this is listed on your transcript, there's no need to send this separately.
-You do not need to pay again.

Transfer Online Chat!

Do you have more questions about the transfer process? Want those questions answered in real-time? Wonder what it's like once you transfer? Well, you're in luck.
The Admissions office will host an online chat next Tuesday afternoon.
From 3:30 -5:30, deans and counselors in the Office of Admission will be available to take your questions. We'll also have a couple of students who transferred to UVA in the room to help us out. We hope you can stop in, even for a minute or two.

Stayed tuned for details on logging in...

Deadline - March 1!

Readers,

It is unlikely that you need reminding, but I thought I'd post that the deadline for the Fall transfer application is fast approaching. March 1 is the deadline for the admissions application to be submitted and the deadline to complete your financial aid forms. If you are interested in turning in an arts supplement (http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/arts.html), that deadline is also March 1.

Materials(transcripts, course descriptions) should be postmarked in by March 1.

Notification will go out May 1 via letter and on your self-service screen.

Transfer Information Session!

You may have spotted this on the website. For those in the vicinity, we will have our spring transfer information session on Tuesday, February 10th. The session will provide general information and guidance with the admissions process. You do not have to RSVP.

It will be in the Newcomb Hall Theatre here on grounds. The session will take place at 1pm. Then, tour guides will arrive to take you on a tour of the grounds at 2pm. This should last about an hour and a half.

For driving directions and finding out where to park, please check out
www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/directions.html

Dean Jack Blackburn

Just wanted to let you all know that Tuesday evening, we lost are beloved Dean of Admission John "Jack" Blackburn. Dean Blackburn was an incredibly generous and devoted member of the UVA community and the admissions world itself. In case you didn't know about him, here is a great article on his life's work. Please read:
http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=7536

Very Important: Course Descriptions Needed

Unfortunately, the application does not have a place to describe your college courses, past and present. Last Fall, we decided to put instructions on the website to make accomodations for this issue. You'll find them here: www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/apply.html Scroll down to School Forms and Recommendations. We ask that you send in this information via mail or fax(434-924-7674).


For each course you've taken or courses you are currently taking


You should list:
1) Semester/Year of the course
2)The Course Number
3) The Course Name
4) Short Description of the course



For example:
1) Fall 2008
2) PLAP 101
3) Introduction to American Politics
4) Surveys the fundamentals of American government and politics, systematically covering the major institutions of our system (the presidency, the Congress, the courts) as well as the system's essential processes.

You can consult your school's online course catalog to get these descriptions. Providing this information will aid us in understanding your transcript. Start early, as this can be time-consuming if you have a lot of courses. Remember to include your Spring 2009 courses if you are currently in school.

Recommendations Revisited

I've posted it on this several times, but as with any blog, pertinent information tends to get buried. Let's recap this subject.

1) Know that recommendations or "instructor evaluations" as they are called on the Common App, are RECOMMENDED and not required. Therefore, we do not recommend a number. Historically, transfer applicants send in 0-2 recommendations. You will not be penalized if you send 0. You will not be penalized if you send 3. However, please bear in mind that we are reading hundreds of applications and will not read every recommendation if you decide to send us an exorbitant amount with your application.

2) There are a variety of ways to send these recommendations. They can be 1) mailed to the address on our website. They may be 2) faxed to (434)924-7674 OR 3) they may be emailed through traditional email to uvarecommendations@virginia.edu. Your name must be in the subject line and we'd like your Date of Birth in the body of the email.

** We do not have the capability to receive the instructor evaluation through the CommonApp portal. Please send them via one of the three ways I've listed above.


Do I need to submit a Secondary School Report Form and College Official's Report?
NO
We at UVA do not, nor have we ever used these types of forms in our transfer review process. The Common Application is made for hundreds of Universities and Colleges and some use these forms, some do not. That's why it's important to check the schools' websites for specific instructions.