Does admissions staff ghost anyone else?

[USMC Crayons]

I think it's unfortunate that USNA Admissions doesn't show up when they indicate they will. Tend to agree with the others that it's a staffing issue. USNA has moved more toward civilian folks in Admissions, and there are some real benefits to that approach. However, civil servants are paid for X hours of work per day. Most can't work OT without permission and getting paid for it. As for the military members of the Admission staff, there is a lot of turnover . Thus, my sense is that some of these calls are falling through the cracks. It shouldn't happen and is obviously discouraging to candidates with questions that cannot be answered by anyone else.

Keep persevering.

The OP's issue aside, as a general rule, there is more desire and expectation today for "hand-holding" than there was in the days before the Internet. When I was applying to grad school, I received an acceptance letter from my top school in early March. After that, I didn't hear from anyone at the school AT ALL for months. No call. No letter. No information on showing up (when, where), housing, etc. I actually pulled out the acceptance letter again just to make sure I hadn't misread it (not kidding). I finally received a "welcome" packet in late July for a mid-August start date. And I showed up and all was fine. That's just the way it was. It's different now -- I get it.

I don't disagree that there is a certain tendency towards "hand-holding" these days, but to be fair I believe the SA admissions process to require a little more "hands-on" approach. I can tell you that with my DS's other school applications he didn't speak to one person either verbally or via email during the entire process. Apply, upload require docs, etc...then wait for decision. I think we can all agree that there are significantly more moving parts and dynamics involved in applying to a SA than anything you will encounter with applying for admission to a civilian institution.

 

[justdoit19]

I know a few TAD’s in admissions. Not sure what they do, but do know that their time is limited. And presently, ending. So if they were charged with answering emails, they eventually have an ‘end date’ and move on.

Not sure what happens to their email account?? But they physically leave and move on.

 

[usnabgo08]

I don't disagree that there is a certain tendency towards "hand-holding" these days, but to be fair I believe the SA admissions process to require a little more "hands-on" approach. I can tell you that with my DS's other school applications he didn't speak to one person either verbally or via email during the entire process. Apply, upload require docs, etc...then wait for decision. I think we can all agree that there are significantly more moving parts and dynamics involved in applying to a SA than anything you will encounter with applying for admission to a civilian institution.

The only reason I could see of a more “hands on” approach or more interaction in today’s time vice when the paper/scantron application existed is because of the complexity/issues with the candidate portal. Otherwise, I think if we teach and empower candidates to own the application (recent post I made), but be available for help (parents, BGO, admissions) I don’t think there needs to be hand holding.

I think this is a good lesson in communications. My question is did someone pick up the phone 1-2 days before proposed zoom call to confirm date/time since it seemed there was no confirmation email (acknowledge back)? When we drive ships, orders always require a repeat back…if you don’t get a repeat back, the order is restated until a repeat back is positively provided.

On a related note (to others reading), I would not rely on only one method of communication…emails are great, but if it isn’t answered in reasonable time then pick up the phone, chat widget…but do something else!

Just trying to offer other ways/recommendations to resolve the problem that isn’t always in one’s (your) control. I think we certainly all agree that there should be follow up to communications, but given the undermanned staff, turnover, people on leave, shift between admission cycles…things get dropped.

 

[nuensis]

I think this is a good lesson in communications. My question is did someone pick up the phone 1-2 days before proposed zoom call to confirm date/time since it seemed there was no confirmation email (acknowledge back)? When we drive ships, orders always require a repeat back…if you don’t get a repeat back, the order is restated until a repeat back is positively provided.

On a related note (to others reading), I would not rely on only one method of communication…emails are great, but if it isn’t answered in reasonable time then pick up the phone, chat widget…but do something else!

This. Emails get lost. It happens, and it happens often. I guarantee it will continue to happen.

Just follow up. It might take 2-4 emails and a few phone calls. Patience and persistence is required.

This is not a fair and equal, two-way street kind of deal. If you don't follow up, I guarantee USNA won't care, as long as they can fill a class.

Works the same way in the fleet. If you don't call the detailer, the detailer won't call you. And then you get orders three months out to wherever they got. If you have to play phone tag 3-4 times to get him on the phone, you do it.

 

[justdoit19]

For two examples (for the sake of brevity, I will leave the last one out), this is a breakdown of how the interaction with admissions went:

1. Candidate emails admissions with question or issue.
2. Contact from admissions responds generally within a reasonable turn time.
3. Contact from admissions indicates they are available for a zoom call at XX date, typically about 3-4 business days out.
4. Candidate responds that this fits perfectly within schedule and accepts.
5. Admissions never responds confirming time/date or to any follow ups regarding said date. No zoom call occurs.

On the second go around, another staffer picked up the ball after a couple of weeks, and the exact same thing happened again.

In both scenarios, a question had to be addressed by admissions, it was not something that a BGO had the info, nor is it addressed on the USNA website.

Curious: when you say “admissions”, is your person emailing a general admissions email? Or their assigned admissions rep?

Something seems off….

 

[USMC Crayons]

Curious: when you say “admissions”, is your person emailing a general admissions email? Or their assigned admissions rep?

Something seems off….

It's a rep.

 

[justdoit19]

It's a rep.

Further, it’s his assigned admissions rep POC From his current application portal (you referenced contacting one, and then ‘another picked it up’)? IOW, his assigned current admissions POC from his portal is ghosting him?

Or, is he emailing a broader department?

Again, something isn’t making sense to me.

 

[A1Janitor]

I guess I don’t understand. The applicant requested information, and admissions set up a zoom meeting to discuss.

I can’t think of any questions that my son had for admissions for the application, let alone where a zoom meeting was necessary.

I don’t know what admission’s side of this is (human error, etc.).

The most important thing is to get the answers to the questions. Have you found those answers yet?

 

[MidCakePa]

The SA application process is indeed complex -- a lot of moving parts that involve not just the SA but also the MOC. At the same time, it's not that complex. Neither DD nor DS felt the need to email admissions, much less schedule a Zoom call. We're not a so-called military family -- at least we weren't back then -- and didn't have any recent SA alum to walk us through the process. Yet the kids muddled through, as I presume 97% of candidates manage to do.

As a college professor, I often get emails from students asking about some policy or procedure. I intentionally wait 24 hours before responding. The students invariably email back shortly saying, "Never mind, found it." Or they don't email back at all, and I know they found their answer anyway. It was just a matter of digging into the resources I'd provided them.

The point being, unless you have an extraordinary issue, the answer to your question is somewhere on the website. For those lurking and looking to apply down the road, spend meaningful time poking around the SA website. Click on every link, tab and pull-down menu so that you know what's there. The admissions pages are well organized and highly detailed.

If your question is simply, "Did you receive _____?" or "Is my CFA score passing?" then please exercise patience. It takes time for human beings to work through all that stuff.

And if you're wondering why the SAs don't use updated technology for admissions, keep in mind that the military focuses its tech updates where they matter most: war-fighting capability. And rightly so. I'd rather our front-line troops have the latest tech, instead of the good people in admissions.

 

[USMC Crayons]

I guess I don’t understand. The applicant requested information, and admissions set up a zoom meeting to discuss.

I can’t think of any questions that my son had for admissions for the application, let alone where a zoom meeting was necessary.

I don’t know what admission’s side of this is (human error, etc.).

The most important thing is to get the answers to the questions. Have you found those answers yet?

We have a unique situation with HS transcripts and did not participate in a typical high school experience. The question was regarding how we document that to Annapolis' liking/standards, especially when also adding in college transcripts. So this wasn't just a generalized question that could be answered via the website or a BGO. I am glad that you and MidCake have the perfect kids, but not everyone fits into the pretty little box.