LOR online or paper?

[yichen426]

Question 1:
I asked my professors about this question. They said they can do both online recs and paper recs.
But which one is better? Or should I ask my profs like, "It's up to you. I am okay with either one. Do the way that you feel comfortable."? ( Obviously I will say it more politely than this...)


Question 2:
For online system. I am totally confused. So after I fill in all the information(name, title, email, address, etc.), what I should do? Should I give my profs my app ID and let them enter the system? Or should I just tell them an email address of the admittion committee and let them send the rec via email?

[Gerter]

The application form asks you to enter info about the recommender, including an e-mail address. The professor then gets sent an e-mail with a link which he clicks on to submit the letter of reference.

In most circumstances it's easier to do it on-line. Profs can just copy-paste the letter into the form and click send.

[walt526]

In my limited experience, most younger faculty (<45 years old) prefer online; older ones prefer doing everything in paper. Do whatever you can to accommodate the wishes of the letter of reference author. If given a choice, I'd go with online simply because it would seem to reduce the chances of something getting lost (it's easier to misplace a piece of paper than for a letter of reference entered into a computer to simply disappear--although obviously that can and does happen).

[Gecko]

For online, its also easier for you to track in case either of your writers forget..

[JosephKeith72]

In response to Question 2, most admissions systems will send the professor an e-mail with a link/password to access the on-line recommendation process (where they can enter their rankings of the applicant and also upload the recommendation letter).