YOU lost my transcript, said you never got it, and based my future on your mishap ..... and now YOU are denying me admission?

[lab ratta-tat-tat]

So I posted a couple a days ago I was rejected form my dream school, sad? Yes, but I got over it once I was offered a wonderful salary position.

I finally got my rejection letter and in hopes to strengthen my application I emailed the committee to get feedback about weak points of my application. Upon numerous emails back and forth, a large issue was my GPA, which they told me "Below a 3.0 is automatic disqualification for applicants".

Ok... ? but I didn't get below a 3.0....... They told me the information they received was a 2.XX which was definitely not MY GPA. I got good grades in college, I didn't have a life as an undergrad because I wanted to go to graduate school. I frantically emailed them unofficial copies of my transcripts told them I still had the tracking number of the transcript, Its delivery date (December (early, early December mind you)) and I have a copy of the signature of the person who signed for it.

After several hours they responded "This is not the transcript we had at the time we met, a lot of competitive applicants applied this year, thank you for your interest in our program".

Thats it???? YOU told me you denied me admission because of my grades..... Which were NOT my grades.... I gave you copies of my transcripts in December, emailed you more, and you tell me "thank you for your interest"? REALLY????

Honestly- this is THE SECOND TIME almost this exact situation has happened with this school. UGHHH........

Sorry for the negativity but this just pissed me off.

[Strangefox]

After several hours they responded "This is not the transcript we had at the time we met, a lot of competitive applicants applied this year, thank you for your interest in our program".

That is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These people are just mean and irresponsible! They failed to match your transcripts to your application and all they have to say now is this??? They have not even apologized!!!!!!!!

I am so sorry it happened to you...

So they have offered you a job? Are you going to take this offer?? Do you really want to work with such people?

[roarie]

I just wanted to add that pretty much the same thing has happened to me with one of my top-choice schools, and I only found out this morning.

I've emailed them to ask if I could turn my transcript now to be considered for at least the wait-list. Depending on how much distress I feel over this (I've also been accepted elsewhere at an equally fantastic institution), I may have to beg my advisers to perhaps write on my behalf.

I'm sorry, and best of luck however things may turn out.

[Langoustine]

Whoa that is rough!!! And completely not your fault and out of your hands!!! Wow, that gall that they could not even admit fault and say sorry for the mix up!!! Simply awful I'm sorry this happened to you

Must be a really disorganized grad office...

[hejduk]

Whoa that is rough!!! And completely not your fault and out of your hands!!! Wow, that gall that they could not even admit fault and say sorry for the mix up!!! Simply awful I'm sorry this happened to you

Must be a really disorganized grad office...

I'm sincerely sorry that this has happened to you. I would be completely pissed too!

On the flip-side, do you really want to attend a school that handles a situation in this way? Maybe I read into situations too much, but sh!t, that is just improper how they treated you.

[XOwlfan]

Oh my GOSH!!!! That is just awful. Whoever coordinated the applications needs to be held responsible for it in some way. Redonkulous. I would contact the director of graduate studies for the department and let him/her know. In our department, the grad director would never know if the department coordinator made a mistake unless someone told him. When I applied to my current program, the coordinator accidentally put my file in the "MA" pile, but I was applying for a PhD. They called to tell me I was "Accepted." And later had to call back and say "oops" and that they had never considered me for the phd because of the mistake. It worked out in the end, but I couldn't believe how careless the process was and how one person could have so much influence regarding a process that affects so many people. (zero checks and balances)

[SuperPiePie]

It seems a lot can go wrong with the process that you can't control:

Transcripts getting there on time.

Rec Letters.

Adcom mixing things up.

Regardless, you are better off than that guy that got accepted into Texas, moved there, and then was rejected because the adcom made a mistake...

[lab ratta-tat-tat]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

To be honest, No... I do not want to be a part of a program that has treated me like that during the admissions process alone. If they treat applicants this way during the admission process, imagine how they treat them while they are in the program. I have several friends in the program currently who told me they do treat their students like crap even while they are in the program. This program is not a Harvard, any of the UC's, or an MIT. This school is a middle-tier school, trying to gain respectable students and year after year, I have watched them botch the application process, they interview the people who look great on paper, those people then reject, and they are stuck with either no one.... or people who applied to them as a safety school.

I must admit, it was my top choice. It is a good school, not a great school and honestly I was settling, so shame on me. I live in the area, and work for the school (and one of the adcom members.... go figure) and thought it would be great since I have my foot in the door, to apply and complete the program.

I did contact the graduate coordinator, they are the ones who said "we didn't have that transcript, thank you for your interest in our program" and "we had very competitive applicants this year".

I am still considering working for my POI who offered me an incredible job. They are affiliated with the program loosely, very loosely, and I would have no interaction with the program, so I must weigh my options.

[Sheepi]

I wonder what program this is.. I want to avoid it. Hints?!?!

[dmf]

Oh my gosh... almost the exact same thing happened with my GRE scores at my first choice program! SO FRUSTRATING. And the email I got was equally short and unappologetic..."Thanks for your interest in our program. Your application was considered incomplete and was not reviewed." As if they had no idea they were crushing my soul with the news.

After showing them papers from ETS showing I had confirmation that the scores were sent, they said they would throw my application in for consideration IF they got to another round of interview invites. Not even being considered after all the work that my recommenders and I put into completing this application was really upsetting. Worst thing is that that I know they only get 50-100 apps a year, not the 1000s that bigger programs have to slug through AND they had my self-reported scores.

Like others have mentioned though, I'm trying to convince myself that a department that would treat applicants like this probably is pretty shitty to its students too so maybe this saved me years of misery in a unsupportive program...

[space-cat]

If I were you, I'd probably call the Graduate School directly and try to at least get my application fee refunded. I've heard of this happening in similar circumstances, and it certainly seems appropriate here since they failed to actually review your application. It's the principle of the thing, and the GS should have some record of this department failing to do a proper admissions review. If it happened to you, who knows how many other applicants got screwed?

As far as the job offer goes, I say take it! You've been so excited about it in your other posts, and it'd be a shame to turn down a great opportunity over something your POI had no part in. Actually, your POI is probably just as ticked off about the situation as you are...

[Reinventing]

I wonder if it's possible your school sent the wrong transcript.

If not, and you are ready to burn your bridges with this school, I like this idea:

If I were you, I'd probably call the Graduate School directly and try to at least get my application fee refunded. I've heard of this happening in similar circumstances, and it certainly seems appropriate here since they failed to actually review your application. It's the principle of the thing, and the GS should have some record of this department failing to do a proper admissions review. If it happened to you, who knows how many other applicants got screwed?

You met your end of the bargain. I don't see why their mistake should cost you.