Mailing Address

[LongGraduatedStudent]

This thread is for people who have applied to graduate school while they were completing their last year of undergrad.

I am wondering should I put in my permanent address as my mailing address, or should I use my college apartment as my mailing address.

My fear is if they send anything in the mail during winter break, I won't get access to it for a long time, but if they mail something home when I am in Berkeley my parents can forward it to me or scan the documents and email me them.

Would it be wiser to just set my permanent address as my mailing address?

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

Hmm, I hadn't considered winter break... I've been giving my school address as my mailing address, and my parent's as my permanent.

How far apart are your school and home addresses? If it's more than a few hours, just use your home address. My school and home are fairly close, so I could easily drive back to school a few times over winter break to check my mail.

Edited October 13, 2010 by schoolpsych_hopeful

[LongGraduatedStudent]

I am from a suburb in Los Angeles County. I am 400 miles from home. I am thinking now I will use my permanent address.

[newms]

I think most schools use email to communicate though and they wouldn't send you a (snail) mail possibly until you have been accepted, and even then the notification will likely be online. Is there a particular school that you're concerned about that says they will send you a snail mail? Also, I'm not sure what materials they could be sending during the winter break, if they want an interview with you around January, then they will likely email or call. That said, it probably would be better for you to use your permanent address, since you will have quick access at all times to your snail mail since your parents could always send it to you.

Edited October 13, 2010 by newms

[UnlikelyGrad]

All of my acceptances came by email first, and a paper acceptance letter didn't arrive until weeks later (if at all--some schools are all-electronic now). So in the end, it really doesn't matter. BTW, odds of being accepted over winter break are VERY slim, since most adcomms also take that time off.

[LongGraduatedStudent]

Some of the places I am applying to say they make decision in Late-Jan Early-Feb.

Berkeley Winter Breaks' extend to about the 20th of Jan.

[newms]

Some of the places I am applying to say they make decision in Late-Jan Early-Feb.

Berkeley Winter Breaks' extend to about the 20th of Jan.

Well its probably best to use your permanent address but remember that even if they sent you an acceptance at this time, it wouldn't be something that would need a response immediately, you would have until April 15 to respond to a funded offer. The only communication I can think of that you would be likely to get at this time that would require immediate attention would be a request for an interview, and that would likely come by email or phone. I can't imagine them sending a request for an interview by snail mail.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

I received all decisions by email and snail mail came later. Also, most places will give you a decision in Jan at the earliest. I did hear in early December from a school with rolling admissions, but that would've been their last adcom meeting until the new year.

Either way, I think you'd be safe to give your campus address. If you really want and don't mind though, just have your parents call whenever you get mail if you need to know immediate (which I don't blame you for! )

[LongGraduatedStudent]

I call my parents everyday (if I didn't my mom would get mad), so if anything gets mailed home I would figure that out pretty quickly

[rising_star]

Honestly, if it's an acceptance, you're most likely to get it by email before you get it by mail. I'd use your college address.

[LongGraduatedStudent]

I think i've decided on using my permanent address.

Also, for whatever reason the mailperson (or one of the mailpersons) who deliver the mail to my apt often decide to leave large envelopes out in the open instead of putting them in my box (instead of bending them and putting them in). I don't want that to potentially happen to any university mail