Lot of People with Missing Recommendations

[Viking]

There are a lot of topics by students who are missing one letter for reasons beyond their control. Anyone know what schools do if that third professor never actually submits? Do they review the app as normal? Immediately trash it? Put it on hold and review it at the end?

[Strangefox]

There are a lot of topics by students who are missing one letter for reasons beyond their control. Anyone know what schools do if that third professor never actually submits? Do they review the app as normal? Immediately trash it? Put it on hold and review it at the end?

Depends on a school, I guess. It it's very competitive and they never get one of reference letters they will trash the app, I guess. But they can also contact an applicant and inform them that their app is incomplete.

If you are not sure if all letters reached your schools, just contact schools and ask them. If you know that one of your profs has not submitted their letter yet, contact your schools and notify them about the situation, then email/call your recommender and ask very politely to submit the letter asap.

[kaykaykay]

I guess the eventual deadline is when they start to review the files, and when the grad division or something forwards the file to the dept. . I had an application where one professor never submitted his recommendation. I got rejected, no wonder there. No one bothered to notify me , I could have seen it on the app.checker. That is said I would not panic because they do accept late reccomendations as I had a prof who just mass sent his ones late dec (my deadlines ranged fro early dec till mid jan.) and I there was no problem with any of those schools.

[joro]

They could do either of the following:

-Reject you

-Email you asking you to get that LOR in or to find a replacement before they review your application

-Accept you

-Email you asking you to get that LOR in or to find a replacement before they can offer you admission.

These are some things that happened to me last year.

[gradstudent84]

If a school were to reject me because a recommender did not submit letters on time, that would really piss me off. I mean...with all the effort I'm putting into making this procedure go as smooth as possible, he/she forgets to submit a letter and I get rejected? Gah.

What is a good way to insist that letters be submitted, in a firm but non-annoying way? I've already said, "Do you have any questions about the letters or anything? Are you missing any information?" and in a reminder email, I've written, "Just a friendly reminder that early January deadlines are X, Y and Z...please let me know if you have any remaining questions."

I think sending another week-reminder email is a good idea, but I'm running out of things to say...I decided if the school hasn't received the letter by early next week, I will call my professor.

Oh by the way...the application deadline falls on a Saturday...so does that mean that applications should be due the following business day (Monday)?

[newms]

Oh by the way...the application deadline falls on a Saturday...so does that mean that applications should be due the following business day (Monday)?

I'd stick to the stated deadline of the Saturday.

[apsuwa]

I think the best thing that can ever happen has happened to me: I asked a former professor if he could write some lors bac in early december, and he said of course, with pleasure, just send the forms, I did and waited until christmas to rencontact, and here I am, 6 days to deadlines, can't get respond to my emails, cant find anyone in the faculty becasue its already winter-break, i have even sent him a message through facebook! I cannot ask any professor to write me a LOR in 6 days, its too much to ask. Hope he somehow responds.

[Strangefox]

I think the best thing that can ever happen has happened to me: I asked a former professor if he could write some lors bac in early december, and he said of course, with pleasure, just send the forms, I did and waited until christmas to rencontact, and here I am, 6 days to deadlines, can't get respond to my emails, cant find anyone in the faculty becasue its already winter-break, i have even sent him a message through facebook! I cannot ask any professor to write me a LOR in 6 days, its too much to ask. Hope he somehow responds.

Oh, that's an unpleasant situation

I hope everything will be fine!

[Liminalist]

@apsuwa: I have a similar situation... I asked a former professor for a LOR back in early October. She had actually agreed to be a recommender for me in 2009 and told me to keep up with reminding her about it in weekly emails. I followed her instructions, occasionally making my way to the university (I graduated Dec. '09) to personally deliver additional information/forms (in order to maintain personal contact). The first deadline was Dec. 7. It came and went, as did Dec. 12, Dec. 31, January 2 and 4. As of this date no recommendations have been sent. I just sent her an email stating that, if she would like, I could write a recommendation for her which she could then alter as she saw fit. I know that the committees will begin meeting within the next 1-2 weeks. I don't know what more I can do. I'm a bit disappointed with the situation. My other recommenders had their letters in by early December.

[Trin]

I have been despairing that my most important app is due today and two recommenders haven't submitted yet. Today about 6 hours before the deadline, the school sent out an email extending the app deadline til Feb 1. Of course, it's too late, in at least one way: I evidentally irritated one of the professors by reminding her about it too many times. *sigh*

[gradstudent84]

I have been despairing that my most important app is due today and two recommenders haven't submitted yet. Today about 6 hours before the deadline, the school sent out an email extending the app deadline til Feb 1. Of course, it's too late, in at least one way: I evidentally irritated one of the professors by reminding her about it too many times. *sigh*

Ohhh..ouch Trin..im' sorry did your professor send you an email or something?

[uldo]

I had one problem with a prof. who agreed in the first place (months before the deadlines) to send out some letters on my behalf. He didn't respond to any of my reminders but managed to send at least one letter. When I kept asking right before the other programs deadlines, he responded with an angry mail. He said I shouldn't terrorize him with with my reminders and that he's busy. So I had to replace him last minute.

This particular prof. has still two days to send his last two letters. He made everything before christmas, but forgot two recommendations. Now, I keep reminding him daily as its already way behind the official deadline and the admissions officers told that the review starts this friday. No respond, no action. I guess those two apps are for the bin...

[gradstudent84]

I had one problem with a prof. who agreed in the first place (months before the deadlines) to send out some letters on my behalf. He didn't respond to any of my reminders but managed to send at least one letter. When I kept asking right before the other programs deadlines, he responded with an angry mail. He said I shouldn't terrorize him with with my reminders and that he's busy. So I had to replace him last minute.

This particular prof. has still two days to send his last two letters. He made everything before christmas, but forgot two recommendations. Now, I keep reminding him daily as its already way behind the official deadline and the admissions officers told that the review starts this friday. No respond, no action. I guess those two apps are for the bin...

He used the word terrorize? Professors should understand that letters are extremely important and that the student's future is on the line here.

[uldo]

He used the word terrorize? Professors should understand that letters are extremely important and that the student's future is on the line here.

Yes he did. He also said that he agreed to write recommendations for two or three programs, and not for "two dozens". So he actually exaggerated the FIVE programs where I put his name on up to 24, and blamed me for that! He wrote that each recommendation takes half an hour (which is not true), and that he is not payed by the university to waste his time on my applications...indeed a horrible experience. Now I am a bit traumatized to contact professors on my behalfs

And the subsitute prof. stll hasn't uploaded his last two letters...aarrghh!

[SyntheticOrganiker]

I also had a problem with one of my recommenders, thank god I had another one that had already written letters to other places and was able to upload his letter on the due date. I understand that professors are busy, but really, if they agree to write a letter (and it is just 1 letter, it's not like they often take the time to personalize it for every department) and they don't send it in on time, assuming you gave them ample time, it's just trashy. While I would love to send the prof who didn't send the letter a nasty email, I will refrain, but I will continue to glare at him every time I see him.

[Count de Monet]

Yes he did. He also said that he agreed to write recommendations for two or three programs, and not for "two dozens". So he actually exaggerated the FIVE programs where I put his name on up to 24, and blamed me for that! He wrote that each recommendation takes half an hour (which is not true), and that he is not payed by the university to waste his time on my applications...indeed a horrible experience. Now I am a bit traumatized to contact professors on my behalfs

And the subsitute prof. stll hasn't uploaded his last two letters...aarrghh!

Your professor is a flipping moron. He IS paid by the university to do that stuff. It's part of your job as a professor to write letters of recommendation. As one of my professors put it, "we (meaning professors) have a social contract with students for life. If you need a recommendation from us and we can write an effective letter, it is our duty to do it for you."

[emmm]

uldo - so sorry to hear about your awful experience. You're better off NOT having this prof as your recommender, I think. In fact, sounds like you'd be wise to completely avoid him as much as possible -- what a miserable person! My profs have all been wonderful, and have asked me for (and thanked me for) reminder emails. You definitely got a bad egg.

Edited January 13, 2011 by emmm

[ZeChocMoose]

This is probably not comforting, but I sat on the adcomm as a master's student for my program. If I remember correctly, the app deadline was mid-December and we reviewed mid-January. Applications that were not complete (missing LORs, transcripts, GREs, etc.) by the time we started meeting were not reviewed.

I assume a lot of this varies by program to program and how many applications they receive. If the program receives a lot of applications, they can afford to not review incomplete applications as there are too many great candidates with completed applications.

[uldo]

thank you guys for all the support! I was getting close to think it was somehow my fault...but actually...not. This prof is a jerk, but the major problem is that he is not the only one in academia. On the contrary my other recommenders were absolutely kind and on time (except that one guy with his last two letters, which are still missing)

Good luck to all of you!

[caffeinated librarian]

thank you guys for all the support! I was getting close to think it was somehow my fault...but actually...not. This prof is a jerk, but the major problem is that he is not the only one in academia. On the contrary my other recommenders were absolutely kind and on time (except that one guy with his last two letters, which are still missing)

Good luck to all of you!

I just wanted to add to what others have said and state that it is absolutely not your fault. This guy is an ass and has no business in academia. He should be invested in you as a student because it's his job and it's the right thing to do. If you end up making a name for yourself in your field, that is a boost for his reputation. What. An. Ass.

[neuropsych76]

I can totally relate to this thread because I was quite worried about my application materials arriving on time and compulsively checked to make sure they were.

I can provide an optimistic anecdote on this too. One of my LORs was almost 3 weeks late past the deadline (probably my best one too) and I still received an interview invite to this school. It was sent but somehow was lost in the mail and my letter writer had to resend it. So, the late letter didn't hurt me in this case. So there is hope!!

Edited January 15, 2011 by neuropsych76

[Haustier]

It depends on which LoR is missing. For instance, if two of the letters are from tenured professors and the remaining one is from a post-doc then it might not be such a huge deal. If the LoR that is missing is from your PI then that could be a huge problem. From my experience at least, the university will probably contact you to request an additional letter if you have been short listed based on your other material. If you don't get short listed then they will probably out-right reject the application though.

[NewNewb]

More likely they wont review your application at all and just pocket your application fee. Usually the admission committee only see complete profiles. Incomplete ones dont get forwarded to the committee so they wont see how good your other criteria are anyway.

Edited January 23, 2011 by NewNewb

[Herbie]

Regardless of the school, make sure you're in contact with the Graduate Department before they're in contact with you. This saves a lot of time.

That said, I was in a baffling situation when applying to UNC. They have their *own* application portal and system, MyUNC/Carolina Connect contrary to Hobson's. I had paid the fee two weeks prior to the deadline, only to discover they've never received my LORs. I contact them, and they said they were never sent. Contacted professors, they said they sent them.

Apparently upgrades or something is making LORs disappear or never show up on servers. Professors e-mailed them in, one mailed it in . . . and today is . . . . the 27th? I was contacted a week ago - they said they never received one last one: "We are considering you for nomination to GS for a UM Assistanship . . but your application is incomplete" (Wha~? Aren't most who hit the 15th deadline considered? I dunno, whatever, maybe I'm still in the running) + 10 more panic points. *This* professor is constantly on the move between here and Egypt, so I began to panic. Anyway. She mailed it in from an e-mail I forwarded her despite this being her third time e-mailing it.

I figure I blew $77. ):

But they got it. Now there is silence on the battlefield, and I can hear rattling in the foxhole.

Handle the situation before the application is sent to respective departments.

Edited January 27, 2011 by chuianne

[maximalist]

Regardless of the school, make sure you're in contact with the Graduate Department before they're in contact with you. This saves a lot of time.

That said, I was in a baffling situation when applying to UNC. They have their *own* application portal and system, MyUNC/Carolina Connect contrary to Hobson's. I had paid the fee two weeks prior to the deadline, only to discover they've never received my LORs. I contact them, and they said they were never sent. Contacted professors, they said they sent them.

Apparently upgrades or something is making LORs disappear or never show up on servers. Professors e-mailed them in, one mailed it in . . . and today is . . . . the 27th? I was contacted a week ago - they said they never received one last one: "We are considering you for nomination to GS for a UM Assistanship . . but your application is incomplete" (Wha~? Aren't most who hit the 15th deadline considered? I dunno, whatever, maybe I'm still in the running) + 10 more panic points. *This* professor is constantly on the move between here and Egypt, so I began to panic. Anyway. She mailed it in from an e-mail I forwarded her despite this being her third time e-mailing it.

I figure I blew $77. ):

But they got it. Now there is silence on the battlefield, and I can hear rattling in the foxhole.

Handle the situation before the application is sent to respective departments.

Well, I'm glad it wasn't just me who had issues with UNC and LORs. Two of my professors ran into glitches while attempting to upload their letters (just a few days before the deadline), so one was kind enough to deal with calling UNC's general application tech support to get an alternate email address to send them to. Both did that, so I sat back and breathed a sigh of relief. Except, surprise! When I emailed the department to check the status of the LORs (because the online status hadn't updated after a week or so), I received a reply that they'd received neither. The Communication Studies coordinator is freaking awesome though, and she just had them email the letters to her email address.