Deadline freakouts!!! Anyone else have tardy recommenders?

[ProfLorax]

but that the committee would begin reviewing applications in a few days.

Wow! Maryland will start reviewing the apps in a few days?! The fact that my application will be in the hands of the admissions committee relatively soon... Holy crap! Shit just got real.

And good luck with the third letter!

Edited December 17, 2012 by proflorax

[ProfLorax]

I just called... they don't accept any thing AT ALL after the deadline. She's also late on UVA and Buffalo... Yeah, I'm just crying right now. A lot. 2 years of my life prepping for these applications and so many hours put into them...

hugs hugs hugs hugs hugs. I'm crossing my fingers that a solution presents itself to you soon!

[skybythelight]

I just called... they don't accept any thing AT ALL after the deadline. She's also late on UVA and Buffalo... Yeah, I'm just crying right now. A lot. 2 years of my life prepping for these applications and so many hours put into them...

I'm so sorry! Is there no one else you can talk to? This seems so unreasonable for something that's completely out of your hands...

[bfat]

It's weird, they said they woudn't accept anything late, but I sent a last desperate email to the professor, and like 10 seconds ago, I got a notification from the Rackham school that a third letter had been submitted on my behalf... Maybe just the English department won't consider it, even though the grad school has it? I'm confused, but happy that at least she was able to do it. Maybe I'll follow up with them on Friday (cause I know how much admissions offices love to get calls the day before winter break).

Thanks for the virtual hugs guys.

[Virago]

The question is, how do you gracefully remind your professor about a PASSED deadline (the 15th) without coming off as rude. I really hate doing this. I already re-sent a request/reminder e-mail but should I write another e-mail in addition. HELP

[Datatape]

Dear Dr. von Blonderbutt:

I recently checked my letters of recommendation for the University of BFE and noted that yours hadn't been uploaded. The deadline was December 15 - I don't know whether this will affect my eligibility or not, but could you please check your email to see if the notification is there? I know things are very busy at the end of the semester, but I would really appreciate it if you could get my letter uploaded at your earliest opportunity.

Thank you again very much for writing these letters for me,

Virago

[rems]

It's weird, they said they woudn't accept anything late, but I sent a last desperate email to the professor, and like 10 seconds ago, I got a notification from the Rackham school that a third letter had been submitted on my behalf... Maybe just the English department won't consider it, even though the grad school has it? I'm confused, but happy that at least she was able to do it. Maybe I'll follow up with them on Friday (cause I know how much admissions offices love to get calls the day before winter break).

Thanks for the virtual hugs guys.

That's excellent! I was reading through this just now, and having a panic attack for you!! I just kept thinking, OMG she HAS to post that they let her submit them late... Everything will be okay. Best of luck to you with this situation! I am SO sorry that happened. Many virtual hugs.

The question is, how do you gracefully remind your professor about a PASSED deadline (the 15th) without coming off as rude. I really hate doing this. I already re-sent a request/reminder e-mail but should I write another e-mail in addition. HELP

I have never had a problem with this. In fact, I emailed my profs after I submitted their names saying, "Hey, I just submitted to [blank]. Just FYI you should be receiving the letter form any time now..." That's why one of my profs stopped by my office on campus and told me to "take a pill." I even saw him in the hallway the other day, and he said, "Wait, should I be sitting at home right now awaiting rec letter alerts?" And I was like, "Very funny. I know, I'm totally annoying." Then we both laughed and I have him a gift card, so it's not rude as long as you bribe them with coffee.

[Deadinthewater]

This has been helpful. I spent a good portion of last night trying to draft a reminder email without using the word "motherfucker."

[thestage]

I had several late letters last year, no one seemed to care.

Then again, no one accepted me either, so who knows.

how fortuitous. it seems as if I am back in this boat again, as one of my schools is telling me two letters are missing. both professors in question say they never got a prompt.

...just when you think you're out....

[bfat]

Update: I just got the nicest email from my professor (she is amazing, which is why I was so surprised that she hadn't submitted for me) and she said she was super sorry and that she would personally email the DGS from each school where she had submitted late to apologize and beg forgiveness on my behalf.

Breathing. I am breathing. It will be okay...

[transcendental]

Michigan's website says this:

"Please make it clear to all recommenders that your application processing will not be complete if we do not receive your letters by the December 15 deadline. Your recommenders will not be able to submit electronic letters after this date."

I am totally boned. My professor totally fucked me over. Awesome. Nice waste of $65 and a good bit of hope.

I don't exactly remember the details of my situation as it played out last year, but one of my recommenders ended up emailing (I think, or mailing) her letter to Michigan because it was past the deadline or on the day of the deadline that she submitted. I'd recommend calling or emailing the program and your recommender again. They probably have this happen a lot and don't want to have to deal with it so they have that warning on the site, or else they just shut down access to the apps after the 15th.

(I am in no way affiliated with UMich, though, so that's my guess). Good luck!

[DaisyAdair]

Update: I just got the nicest email from my professor (she is amazing, which is why I was so surprised that she hadn't submitted for me) and she said she was super sorry and that she would personally email the DGS from each school where she had submitted late to apologize and beg forgiveness on my behalf.

Breathing. I am breathing. It will be okay...

I am glad to hear that, bfat. I hate to think that your application would be disregarded because of something you have no control over. It seems so counterintuitive. The schools want the best grad students, but then they punish the students for things that the students have absolutely no control over. Even if you tell your profs an earlier deadline for apps, it doesn't mean it will work, especially if the online notification system provides the actual due date.

[dazedandbemused]

Update: I just got the nicest email from my professor (she is amazing, which is why I was so surprised that she hadn't submitted for me) and she said she was super sorry and that she would personally email the DGS from each school where she had submitted late to apologize and beg forgiveness on my behalf.

Breathing. I am breathing. It will be okay...

Wow, that's great. I had my heart in my throat when I read your original post. That almost happened to me, but my recommender finally got it in around 11:30.

[thestage]

how fortuitous. it seems as if I am back in this boat again, as one of my schools is telling me two letters are missing. both professors in question say they never got a prompt.

...just when you think you're out....

yay, turns out my situation is now a clusterfuck. there is no way for me to resend prompts and the department in question has been less than helpful.

[chaucerettescs]

One of my recommenders is submitting letters in no particular order at sporadic times. (I'm assuming she has brilliant logic behind what looks go me like using a random number generator to pick which letters to submit.) She's had a few several (eta: 10) days late and all that really did was make me twitchy. (I only sent her one reminder email when I hadn't heard from her in about a month but I know her to have an unconventional approach to rules -- she doesn't like them -- and trust that she always comes through anyway. What other people need to do to get those letters in may differ.) Anyway, this became all about me real fast but I hope my anecdote gives you some comfort. And pretty much every school gets that the only person you can control is you and that a late recommendation is not all your control. A lot of professors who have written a million letters know this and let the looser deadlines suit them without realizing to let us know that they have a plan and it's not entirely out of control.

I am 99% positive I know which professor this is and if it is indeed her, I'm sure this is precisely the case, haha.

I went ahead and splurged on Interfolio (since almost all of my apps accepted it) and it was definitely worth it. Having control over my recs helped me breathe a lot easier.

I am so sorry, bfat, that Michigan is being so rigid about the rec. What I find so frustrating about this is that one of recommenders told me (re: why I should e-mail profs I'm interested in where I'm applying, introducing myself) is that, realistically, it's unlikely that most committees will even touch the pile of apps until late January, as there are hirings to take care of first.

[practical cat]

I am 99% positive I know which professor this is and if it is indeed her, I'm sure this is precisely the case, haha.

This freaks me out so bad. But I am 100% sure you know and she has been so kind.

[chaucerettescs]

This freaks me out so bad. But I am 100% sure you know and she has been so kind.

She is wonderful and I have utter faith in her. I don't believe she would ever let you down.

Edited December 18, 2012 by chaucerettescs

[mostlytoasty]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Don't give up hope yet. I'm a little screwed, too. They still don't have my MA transcript (BTW why do some schools INSIST on originals???) and I was first told they could use self-submitted scans (this was way before the deadline). Then the person I was in touch with said: oh you're an international student, we definitely need your originals NOW. Yeah, thanks.

 

I just checked my status and my hard copy MA transcript is missing tooooooooo. And now they're closed til January. Sigh. I hope that they just haven't gotten around to uploading and updating everything.

[skybythelight]

One of my recommenders still hasn't submitted for Maryland. The deadline was the 8th. Thankfully, the woman I've been in touch with at the department has been incredibly kind and has resent the link to him AND just told me that I could have a different professor send a letter to her as an attachment and she will try to upload it for me. SO frustrating. He hasn't responded to any of my e-mails. UGH. I don't know what else to do, so I e-mailed another prof who wrote for me last year in hopes that he'll still have that letter saved somewhere.

[somer8077]

One of my recommenders still hasn't submitted for Maryland. The deadline was the 8th. Thankfully, the woman I've been in touch with at the department has been incredibly kind and has resent the link to him AND just told me that I could have a different professor send a letter to her as an attachment and she will try to upload it for me. SO frustrating. He hasn't responded to any of my e-mails. UGH. I don't know what else to do, so I e-mailed another prof who wrote for me last year in hopes that he'll still have that letter saved somewhere.

 

Oh my goodness, can't imagine how frustrated you must be! And it's so nice of the department to understand that it's not your fault and the issue isn't in your powers.

 

I actually came to this thread to share my worries too--  

 

I have a professor who needs to submit a couple recs by Jan 2nd. For the past deadlines, I always reminded him a week before the deadlines, and he'd upload the doc a day before the closing. So, this time, too, I sent him a reminder on the 24th, thinking that it'd be the usual pattern, only to realize that this is the holiday seasons. I just simply forgot, esp. with a job where I work both Christmas day and New Years. I feel so stupid that I didn't even think about the possibility that he may not even open her email until well past the deadline. So now, I'm sitting with missing recs, just crossing my fingers that somehow he will remember.

 

Both schools seem pretty firm on "no recs after deadline considered" deal. I wonder if the Dept will have some mercy if I call them up on the 2nd, OR if I should try emailing a different professor at this point to reuse the rec from last year.   [ screams ]

Edited December 26, 2012 by somer8077

[somer8077]

I mean, how firm are the departments on late recommendations..?  Will they really throw a late rec in the trash?!?! The prof graduated from the place, too! Ugh.

[bfat]

As I have learned, some places are pretty damned strict. I would suggest sending a personal reminder email tomorrow or Friday, as these days aren't technically holidays, and there's enough of a buffer around xmas and new year's.

 

 

p.s. How lame is it to have a deadline on January 2nd? I mean really...

[laura_b]

I had one that was late. A former professor of mine agreed to write the letter in August. He replied to my reminder about a month later, saying he would get right on it and thanks for reminding him. Then I didn't hear from him for awhile. He didn't respond to my emails and calls, so I finally looked him up on Facebook and found out that he had died two days after his last conversation with me. I felt so horrible for bugging him about my letter! My boss ended up writing me a great letter at the last minute.

[Deadinthewater]

he had died two days after his last conversation with me.

[DaisyAdair]

p.s. How lame is it to have a deadline on January 2nd? I mean really...

Agreed. And with so many LOR writers in academia, most are not working right now and some are not checking email. They are enjoying breaks with their families. What a terrible deadline.

Edited December 26, 2012 by DaisyAdair