How much time should I give to professors

[aoi]

Hi, my application is due tomorrow and I reminded my professors by e-mail two days ago and I called them yesterday.

They say they would do it soon and they have not done it. Is it too much if I go to their office today? I have graduated from the

school four years ago and I was not sure whether showing up is a good idea. However, I really need the letters and I am worried

that they might not do it after the due date. Please provide me some insight. Thank you.

[LJK]

I have one professor who has not sent a single recommendation in on time. He probably won't do the ones that are due tomorrow until Friday or even later. His philosophy is that hard deadlines are for students and professors are given more lee-way. And he's right even if it is incredibly frustrating. Why do you think they wouldn't do it after the due date? My experience is that generally they will write the letters if they have agreed to, they just won't necessarily do it on your time table. If they say they will do it soon, I would believe them. Now if they haven't done it and a week has passed from the deadline, then I would go knock on doors.

Edited December 14, 2010 by LJK

[aoi]

I have one professor who has not sent a single recommendation in on time. He probably won't do the ones that are due tomorrow until Friday or even later. His philosophy is that hard deadlines are for students and professors are given more lee-way. And he's right even if it is incredibly frustrating. Why do you think they wouldn't do it after the due date? My experience is that generally they will write the letters if they have agreed to, they just won't necessarily do it on your time table. If they say they will do it soon, I would believe them. Now if they haven't done it and a week has passed from the deadline, then I would go knock on doors.

Thank you so much for your response! I feel a little bit better now. I guess I will just wait as you suggested.

[Alyanumbers]

Hi, my application is due tomorrow and I reminded my professors by e-mail two days ago and I called them yesterday.

They say they would do it soon and they have not done it. Is it too much if I go to their office today? I have graduated from the

school four years ago and I was not sure whether showing up is a good idea. However, I really need the letters and I am worried

that they might not do it after the due date. Please provide me some insight. Thank you.

Is it all your recommenders or 1 or 2 out of the 3? Anyway, I would swing by/call/email just after the deadline (because deadlines are for students, not professors), and try to sound like, "Hey, I've just submitted that application! I just need to make sure it's complete by next week."

[aoi]

Is it all your recommenders or 1 or 2 out of the 3? Anyway, I would swing by/call/email just after the deadline (because deadlines are for students, not professors), and try to sound like, "Hey, I've just submitted that application! I just need to make sure it's complete by next week."

2 out of 3 letters.... yes, I will definitely get in touch with them soon again. Thank you.

By the way, so even if it is specified that the letters must be submitted by the due date, it does not normally apply to professors? That is relieving to know.

[LJK]

By the way, so even if it is specified that the letters must be submitted by the due date, it does not normally apply to professors? That is relieving to know.

Schools would prefer them to be in, but they generally realize that recommendations are beyond your control. A little late is usually fine, but if it seems like any are going to be very late (more that a week would be my time limit), send an email to the department secretary of the department you are applying to and explain the situation.

Edited December 14, 2010 by LJK

[UnlikelyGrad]

My experience with LoRs (not just for grad admissions but also for fellowships and the like) is that if things are due Friday at midnight, 2 of the 3 will submit at 11:30 pm on Friday, while the "early one" may actually do it before 5 pm.

Actually, my "early guy" submitted his the day before this year...I nearly died of shock.

[aoi]

After making phone calls(yesterday and today) and sending e-mails ( a week and three day reminders), two professors finally submitted LORs.

Thank you all for comforting and providing me great tips.

I also got in touch with Harvard graduate admissions office and it is ok to submit application without LORs, though they told me that

it is not guaranteed that the late letters will be reviewed. In other words, get the letters as soon as possible after the deadline.

[gradstudent84]

You know, I'm glad you made this thread because I was thinking about the exact same thing for my situation now. I gave my LOR materials to my letter writers months in advance and two of the professors already submitted their letters, electronically, to most of the programs with deadlines as far as February. I am very grateful that they finished so quickly, and one of them even started on the one with a March deadline. He also gave me all of his paper recommendations on the day of the final, which was shocking, actually.

But I am a little worried about the third writer, who was the first I asked and she is also the department chair at my school. She has yet to submit a single electronic letter of rec, but the deadline is on January 5. She has time, but I sent a reminder email a week ago, and considering sending another one a week before the deadline.

I hate how these things are beyond my control...

Edited December 15, 2010 by gradstudent84

[Alyanumbers]

You know, I'm glad you made this thread because I was thinking about the exact same thing for my situation now. I gave my LOR materials to my letter writers months in advance and two of the professors already submitted their letters, electronically, to most of the programs with deadlines as far as February. I am very grateful that they finished so quickly, and one of them even started on the one with a March deadline. He also gave me all of his paper recommendations on the day of the final, which was shocking, actually.

But I am a little worried about the third writer, who was the first I asked and she is also the department chair at my school. She has yet to submit a single electronic letter of rec, but the deadline is on January 5. She has time, but I sent a reminder email a week ago, and considering sending another one a week before the deadline.

I hate how these things are beyond my control...

A week before the deadline is a good time to call or send a (personal, not the automated reminder) email.