What type of envelope and other materials do I give my LOR writers?

[jlee306]

Hello, I am giving my LOR writers the required materials on Thursday and I was wondering what type of envelopes do I give them? I am also going to be giving them stamps and postcards to put in the envelopes as well so they will be sent back to me confirming the admission committee received them. Is this correct? Am I forgetting anything? Thank you soooo much!

[BCHistory]

I just used regular, letter-sized envelopes. I would recommend weighing the envelope and all necessary materials to be sent before attaching stamps so you avoid giving your referee an envelope with insufficient postage.

[Tam]

I just gave them envelopes with the correct address on them - no return address - that were stamped. I assume they won't be putting in more than 2 or at most 3 sheets of paper, so a stamp should suffice.

[fuzzylogician]

I got departmental envelopes from our secretary and used those. Knowing my writers, I was sure they'd just print the letters on plain paper, so I thought it'd be nice to have something official.

[mudlark]

I have a theory that when we're faced with a process that seems huge and unpredictable, we respond by focusing on the tiny little details because they're the only things we can control. This makes them seem important when they're really not. Like envelope selection. I worked in a university office at the mail desk once upon a time. When I got a reference letter, I would rip it open and staple the envelope to the back so that if there was any question about where it had been mailed from, there was proof. Nobody but me, lowly mail desk me, would ever look at the envelopes.

So I would recommend ones made out of paper, that will hold other pieces of paper.

[jlee306]

Thank you to those who replied. I ended up using regular letter envelopes that were stamped and also included postcards. I didn't address the envelopes in fear that the profs would put a letter in the wrong envelope.

[Liesje]

I just gave them envelopes with the correct address on them - no return address - that were stamped. I assume they won't be putting in more than 2 or at most 3 sheets of paper, so a stamp should suffice.

careful, some schools insist on a return address.

[jlee306]

careful, some schools insist on a return address.

Hopefully my LOR writers will put the return address on there.

[Tam]

careful, some schools insist on a return address.

Right, I was hoping the LOR writers would put a return address themselves, or have the department secretary do it. Otherwise I'm sure it will be included in the letter itself somewhere.