I’m starting to download the necessary admissions forms for schools I’m interested in, especially HYPS at this point. They all have pdf forms, but you cannot fill them out on the computer. So I can either print them and hand write them or painfully type on the form using a typewriter or this hard-to-use tool in Adobe that takes FOREVER. Also, I read in Hernadez’s Acing the College Application that filling them out by hand will make you seem more like an actual person and that typing might make adcoms think your father’s secretary did it for you or something. So basically my question is, should I type of hand write my apps? Past or current applications- what did you do/are you doing? Thanks!!!
<p>Do you have nice handwriting?</p>
<p>yeah my handwriting is fine; i'm mostly just wondering if it's more common to type or hand-write, and i guess how people who type do it</p>
<p>Another alternative - scan the document, save the scan, then set it as a watermark on a Word document. You can then type in Word where the blanks are.</p>
<p>I have no personal knowledge of HYPS schools, but one, I have a hard time believing none of them have an online app you can fill out on the computer and submit electronically and two, most schools do not even have their 2006 apps up yet. Are you sure you're not looking at pdf files of last year's apps?</p>
<p>So my first answer would be--do not type, do not handwrite--submit it online. You can almost always stop and save your work, print it, do spell-check, review it and make changes. You can't do that as easily typing it and you will probably make mistakes and have to do at least a couple drafts before you do one perfect. Also, most colleges prefer the online app as they have basically designed their whole application process around it it now.</p>
<p>Second, if by chance it is true that HYPS ONLY take paper applications, then the answer is unequivocally--type them, do NOT handwrite. You do not want your handwriting, an erasure, how you dot your i's, or anything like that distracting the reader from your main purpose--selling yourself. As far as the communication is concerned, "you" should be invisible in the process and your message should be the only thing that sticks in their mind. You may think your handwriting is excellent but you have no idea how differently others may perceive it, or if the guy who picked your app out of the pile didn't have his coffee that morning and decided he didn't like the slant of your cursive. Do NOT give them any subjective fuel with which they can possibly discount your application. So the chances of a handwritten app having a more positive effect than a typewritten one is pretty low, IMO.</p>
<p>Ellen. If I was adcom. You'd be in.</p>
<p>If you're still stuck, there isntohing wrong with hand writing it. You have nice handwriting, go ahead and do it. I don't understand what's up with CC kids and doing EVERYTHING the painstakingly hard way!</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. Some colleges (notably Harvard) have already released their apps online and I've started receiving others, like from Dartmouth and Yale, in the mail (so obviously those are paper ones). On the topic of online apps, I am considering this too, but as in the case of the Common App, there is so little room to write in information that I will likely send a supplemental activity list describing my EC's in more detail, and I don't know how to go about doing this if I apply online. Back to the topic of handwriting, I definitely agree that typing seems like it would be the right way to go, but as I said I've been perusing Michelle Hernandez's books Acing the College Application, which I've heard on CC is pretty good, and she seems to think that handwriting is better and makes the app more personal, so I was wondering what everyone thought of this.</p>
<p>I wouldn't hand write it unless unless your handwriting itself is one of your assets --> i.e. very beautiful.</p>
<p>The one fundamental characteristic that an app must have is that the adcoms must be able to easily READ it. Handwriting all too often works against that goal.</p>
<p>just to provide a different perspective - i met my regional adcom member in person, and she told me that one of the things she liked about my app was the fact that it was handwritten and seemed more personal</p>
<p>Yes- that's the kind of thing that i think hernandez is talking about in her book. Maybe just writing out the personal data section and stuff (like on the common app) might be good. I'll definitely type essays and stuff like that</p>
<p>Another possible option is Scansoft Paperport 10 a program that comes with all of the line of small (and some very inexpensive) desktop scanners. This program has an option called Form Filler, in which you take a form that you've scanned in and fill it out on your computer. It is very simple and easy to use: drag the scanned in form to the program and it automatically creates the fill in areas. You can also add or move the fill in areas very easily if needed. We used it for my daughter's applications, including essays. We downloaded the pdf, printed it out and then scanned it. Worked like a dream with the small 3x11 desktop scanner. (Which by the way is a very handy gizmo to have for lots of other reasons too)</p>
<p>If you have a scanner already, you can buy the program separately but if you do, the document has to be scanned at between 200 - 600 dpi.</p>
<p>i'm going to handwrite mine. (applying to H, USC, NYU, BU...)</p>
<p>i have good handwriting, so i know they can read it well anyways.</p>
<p>One thing to consider is how big is your handwriting. If you only get a set number of lines to write an essay, you may get to say less with a handwritten essay because typing is almost always smaller. If it comes down to a handwritten essay that says less or a typewritten essay that says more, I'd type it.</p>