bobbijo2 (2022-2023)

Lots of stuff.

It is PENN.

Georgetown: WITHDRAWN - Georgetown letter came in a #10 cream envelope on 11/4/05 (dated 11/1/05) with handwritten note at the bottom. My online status didn't say "decision" until sometime in December. (I did go "complete" on the online status check but don't remember when - I estimated the date) 1/30/06 -- Received a packet touting the international law program and a booklet with information about each of the law center's faculty members. 2/2/06: Received invitation to apply for the Dean's Scholarship (up to full tuition for all three years). 2/6/06: Received email reiterating invitation to apply for the Dean's Scholarship from Andy Cornblatt. Also on 2/6/06 received Administrative Procedures Packet with information about tuition deposit, dean's certification form, academic calendar, immunization form (?!), etc. I will have to take a closer look at this later. 2/24/06: Mailed my withdrawal form. I used the form provided in the adminstrative procedures packet. How sad. :S 2/28/06: Received a large admissions binder and keychain in the mail. It must have crossed in the mail with my withdrawal letter. Also received an email from the Dean letting me know I didn't get a Dean's Scholarship (which was expected because I didn't apply, knowing I would be withdrawing). Later got an email apologizing that I received a rejection email when I didn't apply.

OSU: WITHDRAWN - Website showed "decision" on 12/2/05 and I got a call from an admissions officer later that day. Separate letters (#10 envelopes) arrived at both my home and my permanent address on 12/8/05. Scholarship letter received 12/27/05. 3/14/06: Invitation by email to apply for women's scholarship. 3/27/06: Package with a "resource book" in it with all sorts of in-depth information about the school. 3/28/06: Participated in online chat and gained some helpful tidbits of info (like how to check your financial aid status early). 3/29/06: Financial aid information came today in the mail. I got no need based aid, which isn't surprising. 4/15/06: Effectively withdrew when I didn't mail in the deposit by today's deadline. 5/9/06: They sent me a letter telling me that I have effectively withdrawn and if they made a mistake to let them know.

University of Pennsylvania: ATTENDING -- Received a phone call 12/20/05. Official acceptance letter to follow this week and admissions package will come at the beginning of January. Merit scholarships to be awarded shortly after March 1st. Yes, I wrote the "Why Penn" essay. Acceptance letter, brochure and "Philadelphia" magazine received 12/27/05. 1/23/06: received blue portfolio with law school handbook, coursebook, financial aid information, housing guide, and other related materials. This has been very helpful. 2/3/06: received additional financial aid info (for graduate school, not specific to law school) to "put in my portfolio". So I did. 2/9/06: Received email invitation to apply for a Wilson Scholarship. 2/11/06: Received faculty booklet by mail. 2/13/06: Received invitation to apply for a Wilson Scholarship by mail. Will have to get started on that essay later this week. 2/16/06: Received email from UPenn students about "why Penn." 2/23/06: Sent in my Wilson Scholarship essay by mail. 3/1/06: It must have been good, because I just got awarded the Wilson Scholarship! It's $20,000/yr for all three years. The prompt I chose was to talk about a student organization that I would initiate there. Was notified by email. 3/4/06: Received formal notification of Wilson Scholarship by mail. Deadline to accept scholarship is April 15th, meaning there is a light at the end of the tunnel... 3/9/06: Received email confirming my attendance at the admitted students weekend in a couple of weeks. 3/24-25/06: Went to admitted students' weekend and was, unfortunately, not very impressed. I liked the public service portions of the program but was a little irritated with the immaturity of many of the admitted students. I felt old, and I haven't been out of school for that long. 4/3/06: Called and left a message to check and make sure my financial aid information got submitted OK and to ask when I might hear back (since I am on a short timeline here). Still haven't received a response. 4/14/06: Faxed and mail my scholarship acceptance. I will mail my deposit next week as soon as I confirm the scholarship paperwork went through OK. 4/17/06: Called the Adm/FA office to confirm my paperwork went through so I can send in my deposit and withdraw from my other schools. No one called me back. 4/18/06: Emailed the FA office and got a confirmation that my scholarship is mine - within three minutes. Also, they returned my call from yesterday, so they get double points from me. If you are going to contact them, definitely try email as it seems to be the best route. 4/24/06: Got email that deposit check was received and I am good to go. Orientation starts August 31st apparently. Update as of beginning of August: School requests extensive immunization documentation, two passport photos (for ID card and Facebook), another transcript directly from school, dean certification form, and proof of health insurance (or enrollment in their program) before classes start. I have taken care of all of this except the health insurance. Optional orientation starts the Sunday night before required orientation. Classes will start the Monday after Labor Day.

Harvard: WITHDRAWN -- I heard back from Harvard that my application was incomplete right before Thanksgiving due to the fact that my UG school didn't ever send out my dean certification form. I had to go back through that process before my application went complete. The postcard that I had included with the dean certification form came back 12/7/05, and I heard from Harvard that my application was complete on 12/16/05. Email from Harvard 12/20 about phone interview. Interview on 12/21. It lasted about 10-15 minutes. It appears I am in Harvard purgatory for the time being. 2/21/06: No longer in purgatory. I am on "hold." Wait, that still really seems like purgatory... 3/13/06: I sent in my Harvard update letter. I forgot to mention that I was working on a deadline. Oh well. 3/31/06: Emailed Harvard admissions office to let them know that I was facing a scholarship deadline. They responded in fifteen minutes and told me that there was basically nothing they could do about it and that it was possible they could let me know before April 15th but most likely my application wouldn't be decided upon until late April/early May. I did let them know in my email that I had received an interview call in December and that I got my hold letter in February. Honestly, I think the response I got was a "stock" response (my boss made that pun up, haha). 4/14/06: Called to see if there had been any decision on my application. The lady told me that no decisions had been made on hold applications. She didn't even look up my file, which is irritating, especially since I *know* that decisions have been made on *some* hold files due to this website. How frustrating. 4/18/06: After confirming my scholarship went through at Penn, I tried to withdraw from Harvard by email but they wouldn't accept it unless it was in writing. So, I mailed them a letter. They say they will confirm in writing that my application has been withdrawn. 5/9/06: They confirmed that I was withdrawn by mail.

Yale: REJECTED -- Yale did not go complete until 2/10/06. I emailed them in mid-January to check and make sure it was complete before they gave me an answer. It took a few weeks for them to get back to me. They say that it shouldn't hurt my chances at a decision, but to be honest, I'm not all that convinced. Hopefully it will all work out okay. 3/4/06: Sent email to Yale notifying them that I am working under an April 15th deadline due to the Wilson Scholarship at Penn. No response. 3/7/06: Got an email noting that my decision was still pending and inviting me to an admissions chat on 3/9/06. I will probably go. 3/9/06: Couldn't access the chat from my work computer but at least I tried. 4/14/06: No one had answered my email from March noting that I had a scholarship deadline. No one answered my several phone calls to the office today (may have been out for Good Friday?). No one returned the voice mail I left. So, no decision before my Penn scholarship deadline. How frustrating. 4/17/06: Dinged by mail in a small cream envelope. Saves me from sending in my withdrawal and interestingly enough, doesn't hurt at all.

University of Michigan: WITHDRAWN - UMich sent an email 1/17/06 saying my application had already been reviewed at least once but no decision had been made yet. They were asking for more information, if I had any. I'm taking this as a deferral for now. Update: 1/18/06 faxed letter to admissions office with an update of what I've been doing lately. For whatever it's worth, I wrote one of the optional essays but not the "Why Michigan" essay. 2/27/06: Emailed my withdrawal to UMich today for family reasons and received a response by email a few hours later acknowledging my withdrawal. 3/3/06: Got an email asking if I wanted to go on the waitlist. (Um, no, actually, I already withdrew, thanks!) I think this school was seriously basing my condition on receiving a "Why Michigan" essay. Unfortunately, , I just couldn't muster up a whole page of one to turn in. I guess it was fate.