Frustrations in Admissions

Frustrations in Admissions
Chapter 2 – “I can not make it to my appointment because….”

At ITT Tech we had started a running list of the most annoying excuses as to why prospective students could not make it in for their scheduled college visit.

The end-all be-all of excuses is “I had a family emergency.” Well as my good friend Nicole likes to say “no you didn’t.” But of course I can’t say that to the student so the next best thing is “oh, I am so sorry, what happened?” Silence – busted, you didn’t expect me to probe further!? You were thinking that you gave me the ultimate, most cleverly devised encrypted excuse. You expected me to throw up my hands in embarrassment that I even called you to find out why you no-showed me for the third time this week, and that I should bow down in apology, never to bother you with another phone call. Usually all the students come up with is “it’s personal” so I am left to invent possible scenarios of family emergencies that could have arisen and rendered the person unable to come invest one hour in their future. Family car squashed by dinosaur, so didn’t have transportation – naw, I would have seen that on the news. Discovered family tree has links to Hitler and so had to stay home and debate attending school with ethnic minorities – too simple an explanation. Most likely daughter stubbed toe, perfect excuse not to go in for my college visit, or Family Feud was on TV and was too exciting to consider leaving the couch.

Kira had a student who scheduled an appointment and when he proceeded to no-show she followed up with him efficiently. Upon finally reaching him he had a tragic story to tell. Remember the little boy on the news who was shot and killed downtown by a stray bullet? That was this student’s own brother! Kira, being the kind hearted person she is, expressed much concern, as did we all when we heard the sad tale. However, as Kira will also tell you, she “was born at night but it wasn’t last night,” so she proceeded to do some investigative work. Turns out the poor boy didn’t have any siblings. Lying about a dead relative, people do this every day, but a dead kid who has a real family who is actually grieving his death? That is a new low. Of course we had to call him out on it so he hung up on Kira when she tried to lecture him. The first of many lectures, classroom or otherwise, that he avoided by skipping out on his college education.

Rain, snow, wind, hunger, fights, pain, cousin’s friend had a baby, I have heard them all. Many times out of frustration with their own inability to make it in to the school they will demand that they be admitted to college without making a visit first. Really? How do you expect to succeed in college if you can’t even get off your butt to come find the place first? One guy did not have bus fare and didn’t want to walk (three blocks) in the cold so he spent 10 minutes arguing that I should come to his house to tell him about the programs. First of all, we don’t do that, second of all I do not look forward to being locked in your basement for 3 days.
I try to give these people the benefit of the doubt. I do realize that they are likely frustrated with their own inability to change their lives, and so they truly do believe that they will show up for that appointment that I scheduled with them. When they don’t move forward with it, whether the real reason is fear, laziness, apprehension, it is simply easier to make up an excuse. I just wish they would be more creative. Your dad turned into the Hulk, stole your car and rammed it into a fire hydrant which flooded the street and consequently every pair of shoes you own was washed away, rendering you unable to walk here? Now that is a good excuse