So long, little white envelopes!

As the class of 2006 prepares to graduate, the newest members of the Dalhousie community are looking in their mailbox and finding a fresh look at their future home.

The schoolÕs admissions office has developed a new acceptance package that does away with small, white envelopes in the hopes of leaving a better first impression with DalhousieÕs new undergraduates. From the ÒYour Future Awaits” stamp on the outside to the colourful folder full of useful information inside, everything in the package is designed to help incoming students make the transition from anxiety to excitement as quickly as possible.

Sharon Blanchard, Manager of Prospective Student Communication, stresses that this is more than just a change in the printerÕs ink. ÒItÕs not just about the package, but whatÕs inside,” she says. ÒItÕs the gateway to the next phase in their lives.” 

Blanchard and the admissions department worked closely with DalhousieÕs Communications and Marketing staff to create a product that reflected the diversity of the Dalhousie experience. Some of the welcome additions include a handy brochure guiding students step-by-step through completing their registration and detailed academic advising handouts and contact information for each faculty. The package also includes information on scholarships and financial aid, a brochure for international students, a flier about the Student Accessibility Services Centre and a full-colour booklet on residence life at Dalhousie.

And then thereÕs the letter. ÒWhen a student receives an acceptance letter from an institution, thatÕs a letter theyÕre going to put on their fridge, in their portfolio, on their wall,” says Blanchard. ÒWe wanted our writing style to reflect that.” Gone is a lengthy document full of rules and requirements, replaced by a congratulatory letter that warmly welcomes students to their new home at Dalhousie.

The package sent out to scholarship recipients has undergone similar changes. It too is now placed in a large file folder with new materials, and the ÒCongratulations!” stamp on the outside brings an end to mailbox suspense.

Blanchard emphasizes that the new mailouts are just the start of much larger changes in the admissions process. ÒWeÕve turned a real corner in the way we communicate with students,” she says. ÒThis is just the beginning.”