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The school脮s admissions office has developed a new acceptance package that does away with small, white envelopes in the hopes of leaving a better first impression with AV俱乐部脮s new undergraduates. From the 脪Your Future Awaits鈥� stamp on the outside to the colourful folder full of useful information inside, everything in the package is designed to help incoming students make the transition from anxiety to excitement as quickly as possible.
Sharon Blanchard, Manager of Prospective Student Communication, stresses that this is more than just a change in the printer脮s ink. 脪It脮s not just about the package, but what脮s inside,鈥� she says. 脪It脮s the gateway to the next phase in their lives.鈥澛�
Blanchard and the admissions department worked closely with AV俱乐部脮s Communications and Marketing staff to create a product that reflected the diversity of the AV俱乐部 experience. Some of the welcome additions include a handy brochure guiding students step-by-step through completing their registration and detailed academic advising handouts and contact information for each faculty. The package also includes information on scholarships and financial aid, a brochure for international students, a flier about the Student Accessibility Services Centre and a full-colour booklet on residence life at AV俱乐部.
And then there脮s the letter. 脪When a student receives an acceptance letter from an institution, that脮s a letter they脮re going to put on their fridge, in their portfolio, on their wall,鈥� says Blanchard. 脪We wanted our writing style to reflect that.鈥� Gone is a lengthy document full of rules and requirements, replaced by a congratulatory letter that warmly welcomes students to their new home at AV俱乐部.
The package sent out to scholarship recipients has undergone similar changes. It too is now placed in a large file folder with new materials, and the 脪Congratulations!鈥� stamp on the outside brings an end to mailbox suspense.
Blanchard emphasizes that the new mailouts are just the start of much larger changes in the admissions process. 脪We脮ve turned a real corner in the way we communicate with students,鈥� she says. 脪This is just the beginning.鈥�