<p>For those of you who have teachers/guidance counselors submitting hard copies of recommendations and transcripts:</p>
<p>Based on great advice here at CC, last year my son enclosed a stamped, self-addressed post card in the envelopes he gave to his counselor and teachers to mail in their recommendations. On the back of each postcard he had a message like "College X has received your recommendation from Mrs. A." We bought the postcards at the post office and made up mailing labels with his return mailing address and the appropriate message. It was fast to just slap on the labels and enclose the post cards. All the colleges sent back the postcards, usually with a date stamped or written on them so he would know exactly what day his recommendations arrived. It can take schools a LONG time to update recommendations received on their websites. You will be reading all kinds of posts in a few months from kids wondering if their teachers' letters were received. It was so nice to know his application file was complete.</p>