'You're in!' U-M President Mary Sue Coleman calls prospective students to offer congratulations
As soon as University of Michigan admissions posted on its Facebook page that a few accepted freshmen applicants received personal calls of congratulations from President Mary Sue Coleman herself, appeals from Wolverine hopefuls began to trickle in.
University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman calls accepted students congratulating them.
Photo courtesy of U-M
Roughly 42,000 people submitted undergraduate applications to U-M this year, an all-time record. In spite of the record-breaking applications, U-M is trying to shrink the size of the freshman class and plans to enroll fewer than 6,000 students.
Most students will find out whether or not they made the cut by early April.
Coleman called about 20 prospective students herself, "encouraging them to attend Michigan," according to U-M spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald. Coleman calls a select number of accepted applicants each year, he said. The students she calls already know they've been accepted, but haven't made the decision to commit to U-M.
The U-M Medical School employed a similar tactic last December when top school officials hand-delivered select acceptance letters.
"This year we actually went on the road. We went to the cities of some students who are going to be admitted and hand-delivered them their letters of admittance, which the students thought was the greatest thing ever," said medical school admissions director Robert Ruiz. 'It's about having a little bit of fun with an otherwise stressful process."
Applicants in Dallas, Boston, Washington, D.C., Ann Arbor and East Lansing received in-person acceptances.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
Arborcomment
Fri, Mar 30, 2012 : 5:12 a.m.
What an original concept... And immediately posted to Facebook... Glad to see the $100k salary for "social media" so well spent...
xmo
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 4:46 p.m.
I am surprise the Union does not do something about this! Mary Sue is taking work away from a Union Worker!
Bertha Venation
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 4:44 p.m.
"One Ringy-Dingy....... Two Ringy-Dingies....."
UMphd
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 4:43 p.m.
This is WAY cool. I will never forget Nov. 5, 1982, when Jack Concannon from the U-M Undergraduate Admissions Dept. called to inform me I had been offered enrollment at U-M. It remains one of the happiest and proudest moments of my life. MSC is president of the University. If she isn't calling new students to welcome them or encouraging them to enroll, what exactly should she be doing?
A2Boiler
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 2:43 p.m.
This is positioned as a "feel good" activity, but I would guess this is all about business. She isn't calling just anyone. I susptect that the majority of the calls are being made to 1) the "best of the best " who have other top tier options (Harvard, Stanford, Brown, etc) and 2) students of wealthy and influential families for fundraising.
Sparty
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 8:17 p.m.
Thanks for sharing your guess. My guess is that you are wrong.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 2:14 p.m.
"The U-M Medical School..... hand-delivered select acceptance letters." "Applicants in Dallas, Boston, Washington, D.C., Ann Arbor and East Lansing received in-person acceptances." On the face of it that doesn't seem fiscally responsible to me. I would hope nobody made a special trip.
Kellie Woodhouse
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 3:20 p.m.
Craig. U-M officials were already in these locations for conferences or other reasons related to the Medical School.
Bonsai
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 2:07 p.m.
way to fall for the BS PR dot-com
Dave
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 1:22 p.m.
WIth her salary....I'm wondering what those phone calls cost the university? She makes how much a minute? Yikes.
talbotsmom
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 12:41 p.m.
It's so cool that she does this!
towny
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 12:37 p.m.
About time see earned some of the millions see makes. See is the worst president U of M has ever had. She had the rules changed so see can stay on past her age so she can continue to make millions and do nothing like see always does.
lugemachine
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 2:37 p.m.
See sells sea shells...
DNB
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 1:56 p.m.
See?!
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 11:27 a.m.
"Roughly 42,000 people submitted undergraduate applications to U-M...... size of the freshman class and plans to enroll fewer than 6,000 students. " "Coleman called about 20 prospective students herself, "encouraging them to attend Michigan," With seven applicants for every spot why does she call anyone to encourage them to attend?
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 12:58 p.m.
that would make sense. never thought of that angle.
Dcam
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 11:57 a.m.
The calls to Boston and DC are more than likely to Boston Brahmin and high-placed, government officials' family member applicants. Good PR, good grant prospecting, I'd suspect.