Anonymous wrote:E-mail. Time is of essence. You want the admissions people to know--right away--that you love, love, love their school and would be thrilled if your child were a student there. Plus if you e-mail it, then the admission person can possibly forward it to the other admissions people/staff/teachers more readily.

Email it, but also include as an attachment. As per a former admissions official, they print out TYs and FC letters and include in file review. Emails are not consistently printed.

Anonymous wrote:I guess applying for FA to more than one school means you cannot send a first choice letter

Sure you can, but if you are putting in a first choice letter you are saying you will take that school FA or not.

E-mail. Time is of essence. You want the admissions people to know--right away--that you love, love, love their school and would be thrilled if your child were a student there. Plus if you e-mail it, then the admission person can possibly forward it to the other admissions people/staff/teachers more readily.

Anonymous wrote:What is a first choice letter?

Telling the school it is your child's first choice, and that if accepted, the child will come. Not binding, but from anecdotal accounts schools do put a little weight on it (it could be a tie-breaker). They do remember if somebody sends a first-choice letter and doesn't come, though, and they don't like it. Could reflect badly on you (e.g. if you have other children apply) and also on the school your child is coming from if this is entry at a higher game.

What is a first choice letter?

Anonymous wrote:If you can't say unequivocally, don't do it.

Agree with this completely. I don't think it matters one bit whether you do it by handwritten note or e-mail.

I guess applying for FA to more than one school means you cannot send a first choice letter

PP here - I agree you shouldn't write a "first choice" letter if you can't say for sure that you'd enroll if admitted. If you break your word, it will leave a bad taste should you ever decide to reapply or if another of your children applies. Also, the more people that do this, the less weight a "first choice" letter carries.

Don't think it really matters handwritten vs. typed. Something written might be better than simply saying it in person or over the phone, as it would likely get placed on your file (and perhaps seen by all reviewing the file) - depending on how the particular office operates.

I did handwritten. Not sure if that made a difference, but DC was admitted.

We typed a letter we submitted to the school, hand delivery.

Email.

NP: What if you can say unequivocally that your child will attend if accepted? Hand written letter? Email? Mention it during the interview?

If you can't say unequivocally, don't do it.

Would you simply say you are my first choice or you are my first choice all things being equal. What happens if 2nd choice ponies up more FA etc.

Thanks