Mailing application documents - woes

[sarah112]

Hello,
I worked really hard to submit my Dec. 1 applications as early as possible. Everything was going pretty well, except I was uncomfortably late on one. I sent one packet on November 22, and received confirmation that it was delivered by the 25th (USPS Priority). I checked in with the school, and found out that they did not receive it. Has this happened to anyone else? Is there anything I can do?

I am mailing my Dec. 15th applications tomorrow, and am now pretty worried about the whole process. How do you mail your supporting documents (USPS, FedEx, UPS; overnight, 2-3 day)?

Also, I sent all my transcripts USPS priority (for schools that only require transcripts mailed) about three weeks ago, and received USPS confirmation of delivery from all 6. However, my application accounts do not reflect receipt of transcripts - so far, they appear to be missing. I am going to contact the schools, but before adding to their stress, I was curious if anyone else had similar experiences. How long it typically takes schools to record receipt of mailed items?

It just seems weird to me that no one has received anything I mailed. I copied and pasted the addresses from the websites, and double-checked the documents a million times. Please share your experiences!

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[cara susanna]

My package was unable to be delivered because no one was there, so they left a notice. If the package isn't picked up within 5 days, they're mailing it back to me. This is a Dec 1 deadline.

Hur-friggin-ray.

 

[nl2008]

you also need to remember its Thanksgiving Weekend, many schools were closed from wednesday on.... the packages may all be sitting in a pile waiting to be opened, but they may not have gotten to it yet and the status of your application may not be updated till later in the week , don't worry yet!

 

[Jon4PsyD]

Hey guys--
Well I had this same issue happened. I called the school and got in touch with the head of the program and was told "Oh we dont even look at the applications until December 15th anyway, and that's finals week and then it's Christmas so...we dont even give them much of a look at that point, so just have it by the 15th and you're fine."

Do MOST schools do this or was this a bizarre philosophy? If it's not the latter....why have Dec. deadlines??

Jon

 

[WannaBeDrMe]

Well, I shipped my things overnight b/c I'm a horrible human and procrastinate until the very last second. (example -- my hard, hard, awesome work is all due for review by 5 pm tomorrow and I'm still frantically working... yet taking time to visit this board)

I've had the mail lose things before but never to a school. I'm sorry I can't help there.

I've heard that about deadlines for December schools too... that they don't want the stuff getting lost in the rush of holiday mail so they try to have it all in place to review following the break or the committees take packets with them to review over their breaks.

I actually just talked to someone who told me he wanted my application in his hand by Friday... what the crap? Not possible unless I don't sleep all week... but I suppose that I should feel awesome about him caring enough to tell me to send it.

 

[bludreamz]

Well, I shipped my things overnight b/c I'm a horrible human and procrastinate until the very last second. (example -- my hard, hard, awesome work is all due for review by 5 pm tomorrow and I'm still frantically working... yet taking time to visit this board)

I've had the mail lose things before but never to a school. I'm sorry I can't help there.

I've heard that about deadlines for December schools too... that they don't want the stuff getting lost in the rush of holiday mail so they try to have it all in place to review following the break or the committees take packets with them to review over their breaks.

I actually just talked to someone who told me he wanted my application in his hand by Friday... what the crap? Not possible unless I don't sleep all week... but I suppose that I should feel awesome about him caring enough to tell me to send it.

Wow. I wished someone wanted my application that bad

 

[DannySplat]

I had a December 1st deadline and mailed my application on November 25th. It got there on the 26th and the person at the school emailed me to say my application was complete!

You would think that I would learn from that extremely anxiety-driven experience. While I have acknowledged that procrastination will be the death of me, I am yet to send my December 15th packages.

At least I'm not the only one rushing! Thanks for the support guys.

Oh. Has anyone reached the point of reading your personal statements so many times that you can now recite them to anyone who would listen to you?

Peace.

 

[Marissa4usa]

I just went to the ups website to make sure all my apps got delivered in time. I sent them out last saturday and paid for 3 day select. Since it was the weekend the ship date was monday...however...so I go to see if everything went well and to my horror discovered that none of my apps were delivered today. After a few phone calls I found out that the ups store where I dropped everything didn't even send my letter to the ups headquarter until Wednesday!!!!!!!! Now I will most likely not have to pay for shipping at all but I am terrified that the schools with a december 1st deadline won't accept my applications. What do you suggest I do? I will defintely call all school tomorrow and also provide them with the proof that it was ups' fault that delivery got delayed.
Is there anything else I can do!!! Please advise!!! I just wanna cry!!

 

[nl2008]

schools usually won't fault you for the mail being late. I wouldn't worry just make sure your stuff gets there ASAP!

 

[JSNYC]

I wouldn't worry. I submitted my application to UVA online a week before the Dec. 1 deadline. I had ETS send out my GRE scores and had my transcripts sent out early in November, yet on my application it states that they still haven't received it. I called the admissions office today to inquire and the woman said not to worry, they sometimes take forever to confirm all of this online and that I should try calling back in a "couple of weeks" if it hasn't shown up by then.

I doubt any of the schools really care if the letters are postmarked in November.

 

[cara susanna]

Oh, really? Wish I'd known that before resending two transcripts

 

[lucyguard]

so the post office just returned one of my rec letters and it has been completely damaged. Looks like it was run over by a car on a rainy day. The letter came with a letter of apology from USPS. Im so pissed and totally freaking out because the deadline is TOMORROW!!!!! I also overnighted a package which should have been delivered yesterday and so far NOTHING!!! What's going on with our postal service?

 

[jubujoy]

I had similar problems, and similar feedback from the schools when I called them in a panic -- the deadlines seem more like "guidelines." One school even said that as long as they received my stuff within the next two weeks (!), I'd be okay.

Re: the rec letter that was chewed up and run over, you've probably done this already, but if it were me, I would keep a photocopy of the envelope and USPS apology note, and send the originals together to the school, also call the school to explain the situation and ask if they'd like the recommender to send a duplicate letter directly to the school.