Mailing application materials

[kr862313]

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Hi everyone,

Most of my applications/materials have a December 1st due date. I was wondering what mailing method you think would be best to use when sending them out (priority mail, express mail, etc). I've heard that a lot of people overnight everything, but this is expensive and I'm not really worried about things being late yet. What do you recommend? Thanks!!

Oh and by the way, when do you think is the latest date I could send my materials out without having to worry about them being late? Could I mail them a week or two before? Thanks for your advice.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I live in Canada but when I was applying to the US I left two weeks at the very least. It's better to be early than late. I would say a week is probably too little time, given that it's starting to be holiday season and mail traffic is up.

 

[psychwanabe]

You might choose regular mail with a signature required so that you know it got there. Personally, the ones that I had to mail just went into the mailbox with my bills. 🙄 I called a week later to confirm receipt. I am more about being prepared than doing things last minute and spending big bucks to make up the time.

December 1st is a Saturday this year. I wouldn't mail anything later than the 16th (next Friday!!) so that you have plenty of time to get it there, check on it, and correct any problems.

 

[yikes]

I agree I'm trying to get my 12/1 apps out by 11/15. i plan to send them the way i sent my college apps, normal mail and you get the post office to give you a little piece of paper to prove the day you sent it.

 

[bellecalle]

I myself am also planning to send my materials 2 weeks before the respective deadlines.. however, one concern is my letters of recommendations.. many schools want me to include all the letters in a packet along with other app materials. 2 of 3 writers have already given me all of theirs, as well as completed all the online ones i've requested, but there is still 1 recommender who hasn't given them back to me yet.. she's my PI and I know her schedule really well, so i am also almost positive that she hasn't even begun with them yet.. makes me a little more worried about getting things out on time....

 

[psychwanabe]

I myself am also planning to send my materials 2 weeks before the respective deadlines.. however, one concern is my letters of recommendations.. many schools want me to include all the letters in a packet along with other app materials. 2 of 3 writers have already given me all of theirs, as well as completed all the online ones i've requested, but there is still 1 recommender who hasn't given them back to me yet.. she's my PI and I know her schedule really well, so i am also almost positive that she hasn't even begun with them yet.. makes me a little more worried about getting things out on time....

I am hoping that you told her you needed them at least a week before your mailing date. Professors are notorious for doing things at the last minute (these skills were honed in grad school no doubt 🙄).

I would suggest that you send a kind and gentle reminder a couple of weeks before you want to mail them. Something along the lines of "I know how very busy you are and I just wanted to touch base with you and see if you need anything from me in order to complete my LORs..." and somewhere in the email/phone call/conversation clearly mention the date by which you need them.

FYI: programs are well aware of the fact that you have only so much control in getting your LORs in a timely fashion. If you need to send your application package without that one letter, do so and explain why. And even if you have to be (gently) nagging, stay on top of your writer until you have them.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I'm going through this process for internship now, and I'm using USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope. It is $4.60...2-3 day delivery, which includes tracking. I have a mail account setup at www.usps.com so I can track everything through there, print out labels, etc. I just drop off everything completed at the post office window or drop it in one of their boxes in the building. It is the cheapest way to mail everything w/ tracking that I've found. You need to pick up the envelopes from the post office (free). Overnight through the USPS is $16.25 to most places. FedEx and UPS were ridiculously expensive for those two methods.

-t

 

[paramour]

My applicants were mailed via T4C's method (USPS Priority Mail). I liked being able to check every couple o' hours to see whether or not it had arrived yet. Probably time I should have spent working on my thesis, but, ah, well! I'm so not looking forward to internship applications. :\

You *can* mail them a week before, but I personally tried to mail mine at least 2 weeks in advance and some were done 3-4 weeks prior to deadlines. I, too, had that one prof who held onto those cursed letters until 1.5 weeks AFTER the date I gave her to have them prepped by. Sadly enough, I had actually expected it, so I was still able to get them in with a few weeks to spare.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

You *can* mail them a week before, but I personally tried to mail mine at least 2 weeks in advance and some were done 3-4 weeks prior to deadlines. I, too, had that one prof who held onto those cursed letters until 1.5 weeks AFTER the date I gave her to have them prepped by. Sadly enough, I had actually expected it, so I was still able to get them in with a few weeks to spare.

DEFINITELY try and plan ahead. I am typically not good at that stuff (which is why my old assistant was worth his weight in GOLD), but I gave myself 1.5-2 months to get letters from my people. I *still* ran into problems, though I've only had to overnight 2-3 applications...the remainder are all going out with 3-12 days to spare.

-t