Style/format/etiquette question & mailing documents

[JamesR]

Hello,

I have a few easy questions.

1: In my SOP, do I title it "Statement of Purpose" in the center of the header, and then my name, DOB right justified above it? Is there anything else I need to put in the actual essay as far as titles, etc?

2: When it comes to mailing physical copies of documents (portfolio, transcripts, etc), should they be organized in any particular way? What sort of exterior envelope should I use (bubble mailer, white envelope, yellow, etc)? Does it matter? I know these may be trivial things but I just want to make sure it doesn't look sloppy or unprofessional.

Is it bad etiquette to send it in an express mail envelope? I need to get my documents to a school by Thursday, so I may have no choice.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

Thank you

[JamesR]

Does anyone know the answer to these questions?

[-hermes-]

1) That's what I'm doing.

2) I don't know the answer to this, and I don't think it really matters as long as the school hasn't given specific instructions, but I love that someone other than me is being nit-picky and paranoid to the point of worrying over envelope colours, haha

[maeisenb]

Do whatever works best for you and doesn't look terrible. If you've ever worked somewhere lower on the totem pole and had to open mail, then I'm you probably spent very little time staring at the package and probably just opened it, threw out the packaging part, and placed it in the appropriate pile. If they receive 100+ applications, they don't have time to look at packaging and, who's to say that the person who opens all of them reads them anyway.

[JamesR]

Thanks, those are good points.

I know it's definitely nit-picky, but I am applying to architecture programs so I gotta get my lettering just right, haha.

[rainy_day]

I would recommend including a cover letter, with your name and the program you are applying to, as well as a list of all enclosed documents. That should help prevent things from getting lost.

[runonsentence]

As long as it looks professional and makes sense, they'll have no reason to notice it (and therefore, by extension, care). Trust me, the committees are going to be tearing through more applications than they'd like—this isn't something they're going to think much about, so don't spend much time agonizing over it.

[orangeMan]

I don't know where you are applying but for Michigan you need to include your DoB in the postal address to Rackham and, SoP title, your full-name, program you applied have to be in the header. They don't ask DoB, I don't think they wan to see DoB in the SoP. It could lead to the age discrimination.