Now a days people put emphasis on college educations, without one you will find your self lost in this new fast pace world. In knowing this I wanted to push my education further and proceed to college. My college of choice was Old Dominion University, I mean what college could have been better? It was close to my family, my job, and the campus was amazing. So this “wonderful” story starts out…

On October 27 2009, I took a tour of ODU with my friend and didn’t expect what I saw. I never thought I would end up liking the college atmosphere, but ODU caught me by storm, love at first sight if you will. In talking with the admissions director, Charity Brown, I explained my situation of being out of high school for a year and my academic track record. She said I would “fly threw” admissions with my qualifications. A day later I applied online. Here is were our story starts to not look so perfect…

I was told that the online site to check your application status had a 1-2 week delay in entering application and things sent in with it. No problem I am all fine for that. Two weeks go by, nothing what so ever. Two becomes three and three becomes four… Finally my application was accepted and registered. Weird thing was, I sent my transcript, SAT scores (college board), reference letter the week I applied in October. I called my high school and the receptionist immediately go upset and said “We got another one calling about ODU” and told me “Its sitting on someones desk I am telling you.” I called and called and called ODU during their hours I would never get an answer, just the machine. OK, OK, OK, maybe I was jumping the gun and just getting a little eager to start college. Slow and steady wins the race right?

So now we are rolling into December with missing elements from my application. I was going to visit my mom and step dad to tell them the good news that their child that said he would NEVER go to college changed his mind. I figure If ODU didn’t get things straightened I would just walk in the missing things with my application. Low and behold January comes around and nothing, so like I said I walked in the missing pieces of my application. NOTE: I handed everything in at the same time. My High School transcript apparently was “received” January 25, 2010 and my reference letter was received February 3, 2010. Hmmm… I wonder if this is just me or are things a little sketchy at the admissions office. Even better yet! The high school transcript was included in a sealed and notarized envelope with my SAT scores as well. SAT score no where to be found. I call ODU Admissions and ask what happen to my SAT scores?(NOTE: Once again getting the answering machine during office hours numerous days) I was told that they were more then likely not sent in (impossible) and after looking up that I walked in a copy she said they might be misplaced and Charity Brown herself gave me permission to fax a copy to the office, which is normally is not accepted. I asked specifically, “What do I do?” She told me all I have to do is fax it and they will give me a decision by the end of the day. I faxed it as soon as I hung up the phone. Days go by nothing… by this time my friend was already accepted. Maybe I used the wrong fax number? Being paranoid I called up again and asked if they might have had my SAT scores and didn’t enter them. Nope, but it gets better. I was told by the receptionist that if I “did” happen to send my SAT scores threw fax that they would be invalid anyways. I explained to her what Charity Brown had told me to do and she got her on the phone. Mrs. Brown asked if I happen to put her name on the fax? No… I wasn’t told to. “Well, you have to do that or it will end up being lost” I could have bet my life that she didn’t say that… I know she didn’t. I swallowed my pride and said I would fax her a copy with her name on it ASAP. Did so right after we hung up… Days again go by and once again I find myself on the phone with admissions. Where almost like in ground hogs day, I was told the same exact thing by the same exact receptionist. Apparently my SAT scores got lost in the abyss magical fax land on the way there. Frustrated, I asked if I could walk in my scores. Again normally this wasn’t aloud, but Mrs. Brown made an acceptation.

I hate driving, but my education was more important then this 15 minute drive. As I was signing the waver to verify that I was dropping off my SAT scores, I asked how long should this take? The receptionist told me that since it was mid afternoon that they would be entered the next morning. Almost like a Christmas when Santa was real, when leo online came back online I checked my application status. Nothing. Every hour on the hour nothing. A week goes by and by this time I have ODU saved in my phone so I don’t have to look up the number online again, and again, and again. Today March 1, 2010, they broke my last nerve. I call and the receptionist is apparently on the phone with someone else and doesn’t greet me, but explains to the other person on her cell phone I would assume that she would call them back. Excellent greeting to a potential student who wants to spend thousands of dollars to get an education at your college right? Not to my surprise, no SAT scores. I try explaining my situation, I send numerous scores threw college board (1), high school transcript (2), fax (2), and walk-in (1). All of them lost. “Well, maybe it will take another week for the ones walked in.” (After I was told next day right?) I asked to speak to Mrs. Brown, who wasn’t in, so I asked when she would be next available. “Sometime this week.” Sometime this week? What day and time? “I’d guess around Wednesday.” You would guess … around wednesday … give or take? (I said that in my head) What time? “8:30 or so?” Now here I am upset writing this rant, blog, complaint, whatever you would like to call it, but I call it a NIGHTMARE.

What kind of standard is Old Dominion University trying to set for their students? I am getting knocked around as if I was the ball in the pinball machine and admissions office was going for the high score. I never in my life have ever been treated like this and these people expect me to spend thousands to attend their school? Let alone be my guidance councilor? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t that the people that you look to when you have problems, or do they just reject, mistreat, and belittle the intelligence of the kids these days? If that is the new standard I might want to rewrite this letter to Old Dominion University: The Perfect Education Facility in the World. How high do they want me to jump to get an education, and I am positive that I am not the only person who is getting this treatment. When you have a problem at a store and talk to the manager don’t you get some type of special treatment/gift for what has happen to you? What do I get? Cheaper tuition? No chance. My money back from college board and my high school for sending the scores and them losing them? Probably not. Apology towards a potential student? Apology are you serious? These people can’t even answer the phone right let alone know when they are support to apologize for an inconveniences they caused. In short, If I end up being denied to this college due to and incomplete application missing the deadline. I will do anything in my power and dedicate myself to taking potential students away from their college. I will send this letter to every single news station, radio station, high school, and person i know. And even if it never makes media coverage, the person that reads this letter will defiantly tell another person about my experience, who will tell another person, and another. Get my drift? They may have renovated the whole campus, but they need to renovate the admissions staff is this is how people are going to act.