As a result of the impact of Hurricane Sandy, UR extended its early decision deadline from the original date of Nov. 1 to Nov. 12 to accomodate students in affected areas. With thousands still without power across the Eastern Seaboard at the time of the decision, UR and numerous other colleges and universities in the region decided to extend their deadlines.
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jonathan Burdick stated that the Office of Admissions extended the deadline in all 14 states that were in Sandy’s path — anywhere from Virginia to Rhode Island. Students were informed of this decision both on the Office of Admissions’ website and its Facebook page.
Burdick stated that he was not worried about any potential implications for the Office of Admissions as a result of pushing back the deadline.
“Applications to UR are up, but completed early decision applications are lower because so many people were affected by the storm,” he said.
Burdick also said that the Office of Admissions will have a little bit of extra work, “but it definitely is doable and we are up for the challenge.”
The Office of Admissions is currently focusing on reading applications from students who were not affected by the storm and will review the affected students afterward, according to Burdick.
He also said that a private message was sent out to 800 students who live along the coast, specifically in areas such as Long Island and along the shores of Connecticut — places hit hardest by the storm. These students were told that they can call the Office of Admissions and have the deadline pushed back for as long as is needed.
“We recognize the difficulty with people not having power, and we want to be able to accommodate everyone,” Burdick explained, adding that students who are uncertain about what applies to them should call the Office of Admissions.
The priority review deadline, akin to early action, is normally Dec. 1, but was postponed to Dec. 10.
“We want to make sure everyone has time to finish their applications and not have to worry about the stress of the storm,” he said.
Teitelman is a member of the class of 2016.
