Well, that was a fun waste of $6000

[adaptations]

GopherGrad -

I'm happy to hear that this situation is working out as well as it could and that most schools are being cooperative. Hopefully it will yield some good results in the coming months. Also - as a fellow dog owner, I love the pic! What a cute pup.

[balderdash]

[adorable dog and other things]

What's going on with this, dude? How'd it work out?

[GopherGrad]

Hey, balderdash,

It just resolved itself, to the extent it's going to, today.

After you guys lit a fire in my belly, I sent out a bunch of emails to former profs and instructors explaining the situation. I went a couple of days without response (and with a couple "sorry"s) and then had two people say they could help out.

One was a post-doc that taught the methods course I took this summer as a "signal", as oasis put it. He turned around the project basically in a weekend. Because I took his class on account of my interest in a Ph.D., I talked with him a lot during the class about my qualifications and about what life seeking a doctorate was like. I think his letter will aver that I'm sterling.

Another was tenured faculty that supervised a seminar paper I wrote on topics similar to what I'd like to study. She's a law professor, but her focus matches well with the programs I applied to. I'm not sure how enthused she is about my work, but I guess it can't be too bad considering she wrote this letter for me. She submitted today.

During this time I was still frantically contacting the original writer, who has maintained radio silence. I will probably have to satisfy myself that I'll never know what happened there.

In terms of my applications, I have two worries. First, it's possible that for schools with earlier deadlines, these letter will arrive in the file to late to salvage my chances. Second, to the extent that the source of the letters really matters, I'm concerned that adcomms will wonder about the post-doc (or ignore the fourth letter from the tenured prof.).

All in all, I'm pretty elated. My remaining concerns are clearly minor compared to a completely missing letter and I will be able to blame myself when I get rejected everywhere instead of blaming that professor. Also, having a letter writer fall through for me started a minor crisis of self-confidence and the response of these instructors salved that for the most part.

[Penelope Higgins]

To make you feel even better, your second worry is generally groundless. If there is a letter in your file I will look at it - I don't stop when I count to 3, or pick the 3 most prominent folks.

Hey, balderdash,

It just resolved itself, to the extent it's going to, today.

After you guys lit a fire in my belly, I sent out a bunch of emails to former profs and instructors explaining the situation. I went a couple of days without response (and with a couple "sorry"s) and then had two people say they could help out.

One was a post-doc that taught the methods course I took this summer as a "signal", as oasis put it. He turned around the project basically in a weekend. Because I took his class on account of my interest in a Ph.D., I talked with him a lot during the class about my qualifications and about what life seeking a doctorate was like. I think his letter will aver that I'm sterling.

Another was tenured faculty that supervised a seminar paper I wrote on topics similar to what I'd like to study. She's a law professor, but her focus matches well with the programs I applied to. I'm not sure how enthused she is about my work, but I guess it can't be too bad considering she wrote this letter for me. She submitted today.

During this time I was still frantically contacting the original writer, who has maintained radio silence. I will probably have to satisfy myself that I'll never know what happened there.

In terms of my applications, I have two worries. First, it's possible that for schools with earlier deadlines, these letter will arrive in the file to late to salvage my chances. Second, to the extent that the source of the letters really matters, I'm concerned that adcomms will wonder about the post-doc (or ignore the fourth letter from the tenured prof.).

All in all, I'm pretty elated. My remaining concerns are clearly minor compared to a completely missing letter and I will be able to blame myself when I get rejected everywhere instead of blaming that professor. Also, having a letter writer fall through for me started a minor crisis of self-confidence and the response of these instructors salved that for the most part.

[GopherGrad]

Excellent!

I wonder if I did apply to your school. Have you ever come across the file of a student you were pretty sure you recognized from here?

[Penelope Higgins]

I don't tend to remember details from here when I'm looking at files since there is enough in them to keep one's mind busy in the piles of paperwork and it has been a few years since I've done grad admissions, so I'd have to say no to your question. But maybe someday?

Excellent!

I wonder if I did apply to your school. Have you ever come across the file of a student you were pretty sure you recognized from here?

[oasis]

I don't tend to remember details from here when I'm looking at files since there is enough in them to keep one's mind busy in the piles of paperwork and it has been a few years since I've done grad admissions, so I'd have to say no to your question. But maybe someday?

Is it common for graduate students to be involved in grad admissions? My department doesn't operate that way.

[Penelope Higgins]

I'm a faculty member. And we also have a grad student on admissions every year.

Is it common for graduate students to be involved in grad admissions? My department doesn't operate that way.

[jazzrap]

GopherGrad,

I am sorry to read the post but glad to know that you sort of solved the problem at last.

I could not be of much help because as a sophomore I did not have previous experience regarding the arduously long process of applying to these programs. But if you wanna learn Chinese (as you mentioned in the OP which I suppose is not entirely a joke??) feel free to shoot me whatever questions you may have.

Anyways, glad to see that you solved this problem.

Edited January 25, 2011 by jazzrap

[explodingstressball]

Reading this post made me cringe. It was painful, because it very, very nearly happened to me. I had a class with a great professor with whom I did A+ work. Thought he'd write a stellar letter for me. I contacted him this summer. He agreed to write for me. I would then occasionally check in with him to see if he needed any information from me in order to write the letter, and he always answered that he was very busy and to try him again in a week.

And then, suddenly, radio silence. Nothing.

I had to scramble and literally beg a professor on bended knees to write for me in less than a week. I squeaked by on that one.