Need advice

[precious1]

Hello!

How is your application process going?

I finally got emails from the two recommenders who had not been in contact with me for over 2 weeks. One said that she is in Germany and would not be back till middle of Jan saying the only thing she had is the access to the internet. (Everything else is at her office in the States) The other one said she would not be able to submit it till second week of Jan without giving specific reasons told me to remind her. Two universities need their letters by Jan1st and on needs to be mailed and the other one needs to be submitted through online. Here is my question. Should I talk to the Department about the situation while searching for someone else who could write one for me?

I sent an email to a couple of other professors hoping I will be able to submit my LORs by the deadlines, but have not heard from them yet and who knows if they ever.

Also, I am getting annoyed by one school because they never have gotten back to me even once regarding what materials are missing and what they have received. I submitted the application over 5 weeks ago and requested my other materials such as my GRE score, transcripts and etc right away. I waited about 2 weeks, but because I never heard from them, I called them 4 times so far (once a week from first week of December, second, third and today)

What they said to me was they have not had a chance to look at them the first, second and third time I called them. I called them today in the morning and what happened is that the person who works for the process won't be back till the first week of Jan.

The deadline is Jan 1st.

Has anyone faced with such circumstance? What am I supposed to do?

VERY FRUSTRATING!

[adaptations]

I wouldn't worry about whether the school has received your materials. If it turns out they are missing anything, they will most likely contact you when the time comes (clearly they aren't focused on it right now). As for the LORs, I would pursue both approaches of contacting the department to see about an extension and seeing if there are other professors who can write you an LOR. Some schools may not care too much if the LORs are two weeks late, but that typically depends on when they review the files. Asking other professors to write LORs on your behalf will be a challenge since they are due in 9 days and it is the holidays. Unless you know a professor really well, I would suspect they would decline to write you a letter the week of Christmas.

[precious1]

I wouldn't worry about whether the school has received your materials. If it turns out they are missing anything, they will most likely contact you when the time comes (clearly they aren't focused on it right now). As for the LORs, I would pursue both approaches of contacting the department to see about an extension and seeing if there are other professors who can write you an LOR. Some schools may not care too much if the LORs are two weeks late, but that typically depends on when they review the files. Asking other professors to write LORs on your behalf will be a challenge since they are due in 9 days and it is the holidays. Unless you know a professor really well, I would suspect they would decline to write you a letter the week of Christmas.

Thank you, adaptations!

[precious1]

Hi!

I can’t believe how desperate I have become due to the process.

I have another question.

One of them sent me an attached file (her letter of recommendation) saying I could send it out, but it is written in a regular paper. In addition, the school has a separate form and it is their own which should be submitted along with her letter.

I just sent an email asking if they could give an extension, but at the same time I wonder if I could ask whether it would be OK to send the attached letter because of the circumstance.

Does it sound awful to ask as an alternative?

I was in her graduate class not realizing she was in a TA position rather than a professor until recently

I do not have much choice at this point, but I wonder if it would hurt my application.

She currently works for a particular state Department of Education (I should not say what state) as a Director of Accountability Systems and Reporting.

Does she hold some kind of authority as a recommender?

I have been out of school for a while and having a hard time finding recommenders.

Thank you in advance!

Edited December 21, 2010 by precious1

[history_PhD]

Hi!

I can’t believe how desperate I have become due to the process.

I have another question.

One of them sent me an attached file (her letter of recommendation) saying I could send it out, but it is written in a regular paper. In addition, the school has a separate form and it is their own which should be submitted along with her letter.

I just sent an email asking if they could give an extension, but at the same time I wonder if I could ask whether it would be OK to send the attached letter because of the circumstance.

Does it sound awful to ask as an alternative?

I was in her graduate class not realizing she was in a TA position rather than a professor until recently

I do not have much choice at this point, but I wonder if it would hurt my application.

She currently works for a particular state Department of Education (I should not say what state) as a Director of Accountability Systems and Reporting.

Does she hold some kind of authority as a recommender?

I have been out of school for a while and having a hard time finding recommenders.

Thank you in advance!

The email with the letter attached should not come from your email address, I would think. Also, from my experience, professors upload the letters to the online application website. They probably are not supposed to email the letters to the schools.

It should not matter if the letter is not on a letterhead. It's nice if it is, but it is not necessary, I think.