Should I contact admissions about late LOR?

[helmetedhamster]

Like seemingly every poster on this forum, I have one LOR writer who has promised and promised to submit an LOR, but two weeks after the deadline, it still hasn't been submitted. I'm still hoping the professor will submit an LOR, but in the meantime, is it a good idea to contact the admissions department and explain my situation? I wouldn't say anything negative about my professor, just let them know that I'm aware that the LOR is missing, but my professor is working on it.

 

Is this a good idea? Has anyone else done this, and what was the result? Also, would it make sense to call admissions, or should I contact the specific department I applied to?

 

Thanks for the input! I am going nuts knowing that my application is stilllllllll incomplete.

[Usmivka]

Many schools will start looking at your app anyway, and the final letter is just a formality that doesn't even get looked at if it comes in to late. I think the greater issue here is whether your prof's letter will speak about you in such a way that you think it could really help your chances. If so, the longer s/he delays the greater the danger that the "deciding factor" doesn't get there in time.

 

If you are concerned that your application might be rejected out of hand (2 weeks is really late), you should ask the department via phone or email directly whether the incomplete application means that you will not be considered.

 

EDIT: also, this is a double post in the same forum on the same day. You might ask the mods to delete the duplicate.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Usmivka

[helmetedhamster]

Thanks for the reply! I am new to this site, and I couldn't figure out how to delete the original post or report it to the moderators.

 

I think my application is pretty strong without the final LOR, but I am very concerned that my application will just be thrown out if it's not complete. On the other hand, it seems that it is somewhat expected that a few professors will submit the LOR late.

[helmetedhamster]

As an update, I contacted the admissions department, and they allowed me to have a replacement reference email a letter of recommendation. Still waiting to see if my original reference will submit something...

[History Time]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I applied to Colorado-Boulder and they required four LORs--the only university I found to have such a requirement. I contacted the graduate director and explained I come from a small and underfunded school and that I only have three, but strong, LORs. He informed me that meeting the fourth simply to reach a number would do neither of us any good even though I had a fourth lined up (but did not know my work that well).