Electronic Etiquette for College Applications
It's a recurring complaint among college admissions counselors (and employers too, for that matter) that students have a very poor sense of electronic etiquette. Too often, they say, students dash off E-mails with language that has no business in professional correspondence.
The College Knowledge team agrees. Here's just a sampling of the most egregious examples from our in box.
"Can u plz forward the essays Im attaching to Alex Kingsbury and ask him to reply with what he thinks of these. Can u also give me Mr Kingsley's email Address...."
"...this coming fall, i will be a freshman at collge that that wasn't my top school. but i'm determined to reapply and get into the school of my choice the second year around...."
"My mother doesnt think i should retake it because she doesn't want me to be stressed out, but from what I hear, most schools are not really considering the writing section which was my best section...."
"...also wht are the prospects of journalism there?...and do companies hire us if we mail our resumes...in case u have the addresses of them plz let me know..."
Remember that any E-mail that you send will not only be read by the person who will decide if you are admitted but also will stay on that person's computer network nearly forever. With that in mind, it's best to make a good first impression and one that also will not make you wince if you read it again in a few years.
Some tips:
--When using instant messenger, it is OK to use abbrevs including "btw," "lol," and "u." When sending any professional E-mail, please refrain from doing so.
--Use an appropriate E-mail account. Funnyfacegrl@teddybear.com should not be sending resumes to a stodgy dean of admissions.
--If you send attachments, be careful how you label them. Each attachment should be labeled with your last name first. For example: "kingsburyessay.doc". Otherwise, your document could be hard to find amid all the other files named "essay1.doc." Also, write in the body of the E-mail the name and format of the attachment so that the person on the other end will feel more comfortable opening it.
--Begin all E-mails with a formal "Dear Mr. X" or "To whom it may concern."
--DO NOT use the Caps Lock key to accentuate certain words in a sentence. While it has come to symbolize emphasis, it also suggests that your writing might be weak and unable to convey importance without resorting to keypad trickery. But please do capitalize "I" when appropriate.
--Do Google yourself. If for no other reason, you'll want to see what others (employers or admissions officers) will find when they do so. Then at least you can have an explanation ready for those Halloween pictures posted on your buddy's blog.
--Don't assume someone with a long name like Elizabeth would like to be addressed instead by common nicknames like Liz or Beth or "Homie."
--Do yuse the spell checker before you hit the send button.
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