to think that the University of Manchester have acted unprofessionally?

[leprechauncream]

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?

Btw, years ago when I applied to university, my top choice sent me out (in error) a lower offer than they intended to send. They told me they felt they had no choice but to stick by it. I would think a mistake on this scale can't be the same, but I reckon while mistakes do happen, there are good ways and bad ways to deal with them, and this was awful. Personally, I'd be complaining loudly and hoping whoever in their admin department did it got a short sharp shock.

Fabby, I had 5 unconditional places to study medicine and 1 unconditional place to study pharmacy...

Can I also point out that since fees are to rise to the £9k this intake, we (staff) have all been instructed to bend over backwards to lure/sell and court students and give them an exceptional service for their money. In fact, we have been told to concentrate on resoiurces for first years next year at the expense of the other students not paying as much. (Just quietly).

Don't let all this push your dd off course with regard to her life path.
That's what's really important here. As the more mature adult with life experience you need to be a strong anchor and not let her little boat get swept up in this storm !
I would wait until after official offers are made and if she gets Manchester then accept, go, and enjoy !
As a minor thing you could then complain (in as strong words as you like) about how un-professional this letter to your daughter was, and hopefully stop anything similar happening to another young person, at a really important stage in their lives.
Personally I'd encourage dd to forget about it as far as she can ATM, and possibly say you plan to complain but after offers have been made and accepted. Take the weight and confusion of this off her shoulders as much as you're able to.
I think it's perfectly reasonable to wait and complain later if you (still) feel like doing so. It is OK to act in your own and your child's best interests.
Fingers Xed for Manchester or another great Uni for your dd

just a word of warning....those who are looking at manchester universities.....if you choose MMU (manchester metropolitan university) you could end up 40 miles outside manchester in another town....

i know students who have been very disapppointed when they turn up in Crewe wondering where the lights of manchester have gone.....

I got an Unconditional Offer to do occupational therapy in 2008.

Unconditional offer to do accountancy at the LSE in ... no I'm not putting the date it's too scary!

Fabby talking shite...again.

I work in an admissions role for a university (not Manchester!).

What a colossal error - I completely understand how upsetting it must have been. In my experience, offer letters /emails come from a centralized office, and not the academic department itself.

I work in an academic department, and I would be absolutely furious if I found out that our 'support' services had made such a mistake and apologized in such an inappropriately informal manner.

Please don't let it colour your view of the department. In fact, I would write to them and let them know what has happened. They will probably never know otherwise.

Good luck with the open day - If she gets the chance to talk to the department's academics and staff direct, I hope it restores her faith in her first choice.

To be fair, mistakes happen, and 24 hours is quite short for a rectification. What is unacceptable is the informality.

Alert (note, not "complain to") someone who cares and who may be in a position to haul arse - the head of the department your DD is applying to. Agree with Rosenberg - the department will have had nothing to do with this email, it will have been a lowly apparatchik in a centralised department. But the department will care about the bad impression - the admissions office won't.

By way of update, DD now has her offer from Manchester and it remains her first choice. Thank you for all who posted here and for your support.

PS I have reverted to pre Xmas name of Dolcelatte in case of confusion!

Yay! Well done to your DD :) Is she thrilled?

That's wonderful! Congratulations to her :) x

Thanks jemmy and Stealth, she's delighted!

My daughter's just done really well at Manchester and absolutely loved it. I hope your daughter has the same experience, Dolcelatte.

Thank you Imperial. I'm pleased it worked out for your DD.