Many College Admissions Offices Turn to the Internet for Notification

Many colleges, frustrated with the pace of postal mail even before Sept. 11 and the anthrax crisis, are adding or switching to electronic notification of admissions decisions. Yale University will soon start informing applicants of their acceptance on a secure Web site that can be accessed using a password. The faster applicants receive notification, the earlier they can visit the campus to make use of student programs that are offered shortly after the letters are sent out, said Richard Shaw Jr., dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid. Electronic posting is particularly helpful for students who live overseas, noted Tufts University dean of admissions David D. Cutino. He added that some parts of the world have slower postal service than the United States, and in some parts service is nonexistent because of strikes. Dartmouth College sends its notifications by e-mail even though there are security risks; dean of admissions Karl M. Furstenberg said that "the threat is not significant enough not to [notify applicants by e-mail]."
(Educause Edupage, November 2, 2001 - Chronicle of Higher Education Online, 2 November 2001)

Original Chronicle article

Information posted by: Steven Larson, 11/4/2001 11:06:14 PM.