You sound like you've got some stories to share of your own. Don't hold back....

Hmmm...

UT last year: Acceptees and Rejectees all heard around March 10. I finally called two weeks later and couldn't get through for another week. When I did, she told me I was waitlisted. Didn't actually get an e-mail about it for another couple weeks.

UT this year: Just turned in my application in person. I was planning to just hand it off or put it in a box, but instead the new coordinator took a break from his lunch to sit down with me and make sure that they had everything.

well.. there's always Berkeley which reportedly sends one line emails with admissions and rejections.

my opinions, from circa 2006

I'll second berkeley. UIC was just as bad.

Columbia was flat out rude. Can't imagine how their staff treats studnets.

The woman at Sciarc was very nice.

Andre at the art institute was the picture of sweetness.

thumbs-up for GSD, UPenn and UWash at St Louis. These schools have amazing staff who treat applicants with respect and are never too tired to attend to queries and requests for help.

I have to second Columbia's rudeness. It was my first choice, but after they treated me like **it on the phone, I said to hell with them...

The GSD was great, as was Rice and Virgina Tech

From last fall

SCI-Arc was very courteous and helpful. Also very prompt at responding via e-mail.

I didn't have trouble with UT hearing in late february, but like someone mentioned above, there's a new coordinator handling all the grad applications

UCLA was very nonchalant when I visited. The person running their admissions office pretty much just sat and stared waiting for specific questions

USC was very helpful during my visit, the associate dean gave us a great tour of the facilities. They were a little late sending out admission notices, however.

Pratt was difficult to navigate through the automated phone system, and sent out automatic responses to e-mails...the worst office with which i dealt.

Parsons, i dealt with the least, but they were quick to respond via e-mail

Georgia Tech treated me like like dirt on their shoulders when i visited so i didn't even bother applying...didn't really care to go to atlanta anyways

@roarkschach... just curious... do you remember the name(s) of the people that you dealt with at tech?

Although I'm applying to six schools this year, the only admissions office I've dealt with extensively recently has been DAAP at the University of Cincinnati. Kim Lawson is the point person for M.Arch. admissions, and she has always been prompt and courteous in answering questions and helping arrange meetings with faculty.

Back in 2006, I was arranging campus visits to Columbia and Cornell. Columbia couldn't be bothered to give me the time of day, while Cornell practically rolled out a red carpet for me. Alas, I didn't get accepted into either program, but that treatment went a long way toward forming my impressions of the two schools.

In 2007 I ended up attending the summer architecture studio at Columbia. I can't say enough good things about my studio critic in that program (he's now the director of the M.Arch. program at City College), but dealing with the front office at GSAPP -- and various administrative entities elsewhere on campus -- made me feel like I was just a number.