<p>I was an ED applicant to Princeton, and I must say the snail mail thing was SO frustrating, particularly with many of my friends not only having a set date to go online and check, but a set time, too! </p>
<p>Even more frustrating: an automated message was put up in the admissions office within the last week stating that ED decisions would be mailed out this Friday, 12/15. We all accepted that as true, but then a couple of CCers said that the financial aid office had told them that the decisions had actually been mailed out on Thursday. I (and others) called the admissions office on Friday to ask if that rumor was true, and they said that it wasn't and that they would be sending the decisions out that afternoon. However, New Jersey CCers received letters that afternoon! I'm in CT and I received my acceptance letter on Saturday, so clearly admissions flat-out lied to us and sent out the decisions on Thursday. This really bothered me; why would they feel the need to lie to us?</p>
<p>Anyway (and probably because my outcome was good), I kind of liked the traditional "waiting anxiously by the window for the mailman to come" and then "big envelope/small envelope" thing. It was amazing to be able to run around my yard, screaming and waving the envelope in the air. I couldn't have done that if I got the decision online! I know it's a small thing, but it was kind of cool.</p>
<p>However, I do agree that Princeton should come into the 21st century, particularly for the benefit of those who are farther away and so may have less time to complete RD apps if they need to.</p>