Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the University of Manchester have acted unprofessionally?

68 replies

leprechauncream · 14/01/2012 07:07

My DD is applying to university this year. Manchester was her top choice. We had been to an Open Day and she really loved the course, the university and the city. She was extremely keen to go there.

On Wednesday this week DD received an e-mail from Manchester University saying 'We are extremely pleased to extend an offer for a place...you will receive written confirmation of the terms of our offer from UCAS'. The e-mail went on to invite her to an Open Day and suggested several dates.

My DD was delighted, as were we all - champagne was opened, she posted this exciting news on Facebook and went out with her best friend to celebrate.

Fast forward 26 hours later and DD receives another e-mail from Manchester University. This states that a large number of letters had been sent out 'regarding an invitation to Open Day' as a result of a computer error, that no decision had in fact been made, and that they were sorry for any 'confusion'. The e-mail starts off 'Hi' and concludes with 'Cheers'.

My DD was distraught at reading this e-mail - she feels disappointed, let down and humiliated, and cannot understand how the second e-mail can have been worded so casually and inappropriately. This was a serious mistake which took over 24 hours to rectify. Most prospective students find the whole application process hugely stressful and I find it astonishing that the admissions staff of such a reputable university can have behaved so unprofessionally.

Yes, DD may yet get an offer from Manchester but even if she does, the gloss has been removed from it. She has offers from several other universities and is now wondering whether or not she wants to go to Manchester at all.

AIBU to consider that Manchester University have behaved completely unprofessionally here?

OP posts:
KenDoddsDadsDog · 14/01/2012 07:14

YANBU, especially with the 'Hi' and 'Cheers'. Mistakes do happen but when it's something like that it must be so upsetting.
Hope it doesn't put your DD off Manchester. My DSis went there and it was fantastic.

MissAnnersley · 14/01/2012 07:19

I agree, considering how incredibly important and stressful university admissions are it was a big mistake.

If the second email had been worded differently the university could have taken some of the 'sting' out of their error.

The use of 'hi' and 'cheers' in such an important communication is pathetic but unfortunately not unusual.

YANBU in my opinion, but I also realize that I am considered to be a dinosaur by many. Things do move on, our language changes and evolves but this is not an excuse for a basic lack of courtesy or, in this case, professionalism.

What a horrible thing to happen to your DD.

TroublesomeEx · 14/01/2012 07:22

It is upsetting. I would be annoyed at the informality of the apology too Hmm.

However, mistakes happen. Step outside of the situation for a moment and consider whether your DD really wants to make an emotional snap decision that will affect the rest of her life on the basis of an administrative error.

The people who lead and run the course who have made it so fabulous will not be the people who sent out the email.

They did misjudge the tone of the apology, but it is your daughter's pride that is making her question her choice (and understandably so) rather than any perceived lack of professionalism. She might be at risk of cutting off her nose to spite her face if she rejects Manchester now.

It is such a stressful time Sad.

KittyFane · 14/01/2012 07:30

This is awful. YANBU and should send a formal complaint.
The 'hi' and 'cheers' are inappropriate to say the least.

JellyMould · 14/01/2012 07:36

I would complain. That's awful (and I work in a university).

Original poster
leprechauncream · 14/01/2012 07:45

I want to complain BUT

  1. I don't want to jeopardise her application, as I am worried that they might decide she is a 'trouble maker' if a complaint is made.
  2. I don't want to be seen as an interfering pushy parent. DD is an adult now and it would probably be for her to complain, which she is reluctant to do, although she is very upset by all this.

It's very hard being the mother of 'grown up' children, as you still want to protect them and fight their battles, but you have to learn to let go - sometimes, like now, that is extremely difficult to do.

OP posts:
SandStorm · 14/01/2012 07:46

Actually, with that degree of informality you might like to check that it did actually come from the university and not someone with a grudge against either the university or someone playing what they think is a joke on your daughter.

If nothing else, it will alert the uni to the email and the image it's presenting to the public.

AlpinePony · 14/01/2012 07:51

I had something not dissimilar happen to me nearly 20 years ago. I got a letter from Cardiff confirming my application (mature student), course start etc., etc. I rolled up in august to sort out accommodation and meet & greet (all off my own back). The department in question said they'd never heard of me and that the letter was nothing to do with them. :(

I got out the UCAS book and within a week had a firm, face-to-face offer from another university where I was very happy.

I have never forgiven cardiff or their sloppy admin, had I not gone on that day to 'look around' I wonder what the hell would've happened.

Dolcelatte · 14/01/2012 10:30

No, I don't think YABU. I would be livid if it happened to one of my DC.

kdiddy · 14/01/2012 10:53

It's not a good impression and I understand she must be really disappointed and let down by it. But it has nothing to do with the reasons she wants to go there - the course is the same, it's still a fantastic city, and a great university. I would encourage her not to let it influence her choice on where to go, and I wouldn't complain on her behalf - if she feels she wants to complain, I would leave it to her to do for herself.

In my experience a lot of administrative roles may be done by students themselves - now I know there shouldn't be any excuse for a student not knowing an appropriate way to word an email such as this, but it does sound to me rather like someone pulling it together without really thinking it through, or having much experience with this sort of thing. Email does tend to lull people into informality more than a written letter.

Scholes34 · 14/01/2012 11:03

Complain, and don't worry about what impression you might leave. Errors do happen, but for something so important, the use of language is far too casual.

I work in a University. There are loads of pushy, demanding parents who get cross with the system now and again and make their feelings clear, but we wouldn't hold anything against a student, or consider them a trouble maker. If anything, once we have them with us, we're delighted to get them away from these domineering adults.

On an issue like this, I feel a parent has a point to make - their child is still a school pupil, but once the student is in residence, we would expect them to be adult enough to fight their own battles.

FabbyChic · 14/01/2012 11:04

She will get a conditional offer, they never make firm offers. It will depend on her grades when she takes her A Levels.

RevoltingPeasant · 14/01/2012 11:07

Fabby untrue, I had an unconditional offer when I was a UG. They do happen.

I am a lecturer and think Scholes is right - the people who actually make the decision on admissions (admissions tutors, academics in the relevant dept) will have nothing to do with this email or with the people who sent it. I think she should ring up and say she wants written confirmation of what the situation is and that she is very disappointed with how things have been handled.

Then when she goes, she ought to become a student rep and work with lecturers to try to improve the student experience. That's the kind of student we need more of....

FabbyChic · 14/01/2012 11:11

Could depend on the degree, silly degrees always get unconditional

Both my kids took Maths so they had to get specific grades to make the cut.

RevoltingPeasant · 14/01/2012 11:12

Fabby I was at Oxford and I knew a guy who had been made an unconditional offer in maths. My UO was for English from St Andrews but I didn't take it up.

cornastasiaski · 14/01/2012 11:14

fabby that's very rude

EdithWeston · 14/01/2012 11:23

I think it might be worth your DD considering if she should send an email requesting clarification to an eaddress she knows is genuine; she could perhaps ask at what point they now expect genuine offers will be made.

Like SandStorm, I thought there was the possibility of a wind up. It would be terrible if she altered her future on an event which turned out to be a Facebook friend's bad idea of a joke.

stoatie · 14/01/2012 11:23

It is upsetting and I agree about the wording, however I partially agree with FabbyChic. I recently completed my degree for a course that is always over subscribed so no-one gets offers without interview etc therefore would have not believed first email (in my case!).

Likewise my daughter is currently applying for performing arts and knows that no offers are made without an audition. She recently received a "congrats offer " email just after her application (differnt uni), but knew that sadly it was a mistake - she also got a further email 24 hours later apologising for the mistake (not quite as informally worded) and then had subsequent audition (sadly unsuccessful!)

So I am wondering if the course your daughter applied to usually offers places without interview/open day etc and even then I think the time for champers and FB would have been after it was confirmed on UCAS track

AlpinePony · 14/01/2012 11:28

fabby my unconditional was for Genetics, is that a flimsy option?

Pedallleur · 14/01/2012 11:29

You could write to the Head of School cc Registrar/Vice-Chancellor explaining your disappointment. These are the people at the top end and may not be aware of the admin. error. My partner works at Man.Uni (what Dept. was it?) and it's a large, fairly unwieldy organization (a lot of Uni's are). I work at another Uni and we make similar errors. Academics can also be flakey in their approach to students so it's not a surprise to hear this. Don't let it put you off the Uni, they are all v.similar and the fact that the fees are going to be £8-9k won't change things initially

RevoltingPeasant · 14/01/2012 11:30

Obviously, Alpine Wink

Dozer · 14/01/2012 11:35

Agree with folk girl and fabby.

guinealady · 14/01/2012 11:39

Are all offers made via email now or would you still expect to get a written letter? If there was any doubt over that, then waiting for the formal letter would be the final confirmation...the informality of the 2nd email does make it all sound highly dubious.

Mind you, don't expect universities to take any more care over letters...when I was applying for an MA course I had to send my BA degree certificate to the university as proof that I had gained my degree - this was in the days before scanning documents as PDFs and email.

I sent the certificate, with some misgivings, in a hard backed cardboard envelope, and received it back in an ordinary brown paper envelope all wrinkled and crumpled. I gave them a serious piece of my mind, I can tell you!

stoatie · 14/01/2012 11:43

Offers could be via email or letter but confirmation will be via UCAS (online)

TroublesomeEx · 14/01/2012 14:17

I also had an unconditional offer many years ago to do music.

But then I was a pretty shit hot musician...

Swipe left for the next trending thread