<p>I have heard that it's always better to do snail mail when applying to colleges; however I was browsing on some of my choice college websites and most of them recommended online applications. So uh, I guess, would it be smarter to apply online or by mail?</p>
<p>I applied by mail to most of my colleges, except for the ones I crammed in at last minute. </p>
<p>I had no problem.</p>
<p>I felt more secure applying by mail.</p>
<p>Call about two weeks after you mail it to ensure it has arrived, and you are done. Then follow up with periodic online application checks, just as you would if you applied online. </p>
<p>Had absolutely no problem whatsoever. And it was easier to apply by mail because at one of my schools I was getting the application fee waived before I visited the campus in order to meet the deadline, and was able to include a post-it note mentioning this so they wouldn't forget.</p>
<p>It was great and I definitely would do it again!</p>
<p>I'm guessing they just want it online because it is faster to check all parts of the application are there. And they probably don't like opening envelopes.</p>
<p>But I recieved the highest scholarship available to a non national-merit-anything student at the school to which I applied by mail, so I imagine any angst-caused-by-opening-letters was not too long lasting. ;)</p>
<p>Online is easier but with snail you can do little tricks so the admissions officer will remember you. I printed one of my essays for UVA with a paper that is like sort soft fabric paper? Thats the best way I would describe it. Anyways something like that would make you more unique so the officer can remember you..</p>
<p>Hmm I would recommend applying online. In the past I have found that some admissions offices have easily misplaced applications/materials/supplements from applicants who sent things by mail. You may want to check each school for this, but some schools waver application fees when you apply online (convenient, and you save a tree).</p>
<p>Lethargy has a good point, but be aware that whatever gimmicks may have worked back then may be frowned upon now (blame the increased application numbers and desperate students applying to 20 different places).</p>
<p>that is true too. if your credentials are worthy, you will be accepted, whether online or mail.</p>
<p>If you are applying by mail make duplicates of everything in case they lose it (like catsushi said), and apply at least a month early...unless you want to have to overnight a lost application paper.</p>
<p>Many graduate schools have moved to only offering online applications, unless there's some sort of extenuating circumstance and you need to do it by mail. In that case you actually have to request a .pdf version of the application from the program you're applying to. Most have also moved up to online recommendations; I can only think of two I had to send out physical letters. Caltech didn't even require an official transcript, they only wanted a copy of the unofficial one (though they did request an official one along with the letter giving my intent to attend).</p>
<p>You get no advantage one way or the other... but is generally much easier for both parties (school and applicant) if you apply online. You're also much less likely to have issues with lost or misplaced materials (it's all on the server so if they lose a paper copy they can just print off another).</p>
<p>I heard that some schools take your mail application and scan it onto the computer. I think I saw it on UChicago's blog back when I applied. If that is the case you gain 0 by doing your application through mail.</p>
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I printed one of my essays for UVA with a paper that is like sort soft fabric paper?
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<p>You sure you didn't send your essay on toilet paper?</p>
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I felt more secure applying by mail.
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<p>In contrast, I felt far safer applying via internet. I always envision terrible things happening to my snail mail parcel whenever I have to mail something; I harbor an innate distaste for archaic methods.</p>
<p>Haha the only reason I feel safer applying by mail is that I can more easily make sure my application is spelled right. I hate those little online boxes that are too small to see everything at once and then sure enough you spelled something wrong and looked like an idiot.</p>
<p>And the Georgetown and St. Edward's University online applications were extremely annoying and poorly made. The former you cannot save and edit later, and the later is part of a horrible website and has limited character space in all the boxes.</p>