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Riss · 04-21-2009, 02:23 AM

Carrying this over from the shoutbox:

Actually, it wasn't Cornell who cited environmental reasons, it was Columbia. Here was the email they sent to explain the change:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Columbia

Thank you for your application to Columbia University. We are nearing the end of our application review and will soon notify candidates of our decisions.

The Columbia community is committed to environmental responsibility; in keeping with this commitment, we will provide some admissions decisions only online, not via regular mail. You may request that a copy of your decision letter be mailed to you after you receive it online; further instructions will be available when you check your decision. We plan to post all decisions on Tuesday, March 31, 2009, after 5:00pm (Eastern Time). Please click here to receive your decision.

If you applied online, to view your decision you will need both the PIN and password you created when you submitted your application. Your PIN appears at the top of this e-mail. If you have lost or forgotten your password, click here to receive your password via e-mail.

If you submitted a paper application, a PIN created for you appears at the top of this e-mail. To receive your password, please click on the "Forgot your PIN or Password?" button here. You will then be able to use this PIN and password to check your decision online...

As I said, Cornell and MIT also did this and only mailed packages to those who were accepted.

UCSD and UC Berkeley put their decisions online first; I'm not sure if they also mailed rejection letters.

Rena · 04-21-2009, 02:28 AM

I'm pretty sure the UC's still all mail rejection letters. That may have changed from a few years ago, however.

Riss · 04-21-2009, 02:31 AM

I don't know anyone who was rejected from a UC school this year, so I've got nowhere to confirm.

I think not sending letters is bogus. Harvard still sends letters—everyone else should, too.

Rena · 04-21-2009, 02:57 AM

I think there's something decidedly traditional and official about sending things in paper. I can see them transitioning because I'm sure it'll save a lot of costs to do it electronically, and applicants can get their decision faster, but I don't think it quite substitutes for having the packet sent to your house.

Riss · 04-21-2009, 03:06 AM

Yeah. I'd personally rather have the reject letter on hard copy, I think. The only thing that's really not that exciting is wait-lists, it turns out.

I certainly like getting the acceptance packets in the mail, though it's better when there's an element of surprise.

At least there seems to be no danger (at least for the moment) of them doing away with mailed acceptance packages. Still, though, it's just not as fun to get it when you already knew, and it's not as fun to get it online as it is to get the letter in the mail.

A trend I do kind of like is that some of them write that it's officially the "fat" envelope on the outside, which is kind of cute. Though that too takes away from the surprise, I guess. I didn't believe the first one until I actually read the sentence where they said they were pleased to offer me admission, despite having a large envelope and a "welcome" on the outside of the folder.

Rena · 04-21-2009, 07:15 PM

My fat envelopes didn't have "welcome" on the outside. Usually it was a big picture of their insignia. You could always tell by the size though. But this was a few years ago, so mileage may vary now.

Riss · 04-28-2009, 11:02 PM

I got like an 8.5x11 envelope for one that was relatively unmarked, and surprisingly thinnish. There was a folder inside that said "welcome" (yeah, this is the one I already described).

Another one said "This is the official fat letter" on the outside of the envelope.

One of the ones I'd already heard from online just sent a full-sized, fat envelope. Two others had something on the outside to indicate; one just said "congratulations"; the other said "There are a few moments in life you'll always remember—this is one of them. Congratulations, it's the big envelope." The last came in a priority mail mailing envelope; the stationery said something along the lines of "why you should come here."

Rena · 04-28-2009, 11:32 PM

Well aren't you super popular.

Riss · 04-29-2009, 12:06 AM

Hush you. That was a collection of anecdotal data, not bragging. > >

I didn't get in everywhere.

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