FLAKY PROFS!! WHAT TO DO??

[psychdm]

Hey guys! I know this has been a popular topic here with some time passed after application deadlines...but after listening to suggestions that others have made in other forums...I still have lingering (and panicky!!) questions... 1. What if the profs won't read my email?? It's winter break and it's Christmas!! I sent them a few before but no responses!!! What shall I do?? 2. Should I call the schools to see if they are ok with it? I am kinda getting freaked out because some schools say letters MUST be met by the deadline... Happy Christmas!

[RiseofthePhoenix]

I don't know when your application deadlines are but this is something you should have contacted your recommenders about way ahead of time. In any case, you need to email or go see them I person as soon as the break is over if you still have time. You should definitely call the programs and tell them that your profs are having issues with turning them in on time. Most programs have some kind of grace period.

Best of luck.

[shadowclaw]

I didn't really have issues with my recommenders (although one really waited until the last minute for the Dec 1st deadlines), but there is one professor at my school who I occasionally need to get things signed by or talk to about (his is my curriculum coordinator), but he rarely replies to emails and is often not in his office during his posted office hours. What do I do? I send him lots of gentle reminders via e-mail that I need to see him (usually they are light-hearted and I even throw in a dash of humor at times), and I pop by his office outside of office hours to see if I can grab him for a minute. Since it's break and you can't go to their office, the best you can do for now is e-mail and then go visit when school is back in session.

 

Has your professor already agreed to write a letter for you, or is that what you are trying to contact them about? If they already agreed, then by all means, I would say flood their inbox with friendly reminders. If you are asking for a recommendation in the e-mail, then you are in a very sticky situation and being a pest will probably not help you and you might want to look elsewhere for a recommender as a backup plan (such as an employer or another professor).