What's the Deal with Professors Turning in Recommendations Late or not even at all- even after you've politely notified them several times?

[M.A-Cool-J]

Perhaps a professor has more important things to attend to than your less important reference letter - which without it creates an incomplete application that not only shatters your chances of admission but throws months and months of a grueling and heavily invested application process into the gutter.

 

Perhaps he/she is smugly leaning back in their cozy upholstered office or in an exquisite sun-lit bungalow off the coast of Monaco, blowing smoke circles through a premium cigar while swirling around a glass of red wine, sardonically guffawing at and disregarding your polite reminder e-mails and phone-calls even as the deadline fast approaches (highly unlikely but when you've exhausted all possible scenarios to give them the benefit of the doubt, unflattering negative imagery becomes that much more palatable).

Perhaps he/she has forgotten that they too were a prospective grad student in some distant past life gone by, toiling through the same arduous ritual of delivering courteous reminders to past unresponsive professors to submit their recommendations on time.  Or perhaps, (hopefully not), it is some form of vengeful pay-back for all the professors who blatantly dismissed or simply forgot about their oh-sweet-precious reference letters during the summer of 1921 (or whatever it is year that they graduated) and now they wish to impose the same anxiety and unfair treatment they were subjected to onto you.  "It's a right of passage, nothing personal, and I will submit it when I'm good and ready" they gleefully smirk to themselves as they skim through your e-mails with as much empathy as a famished wolf eyeing a wounded bunny rabbit. "All professors do it to their students at least once in their career", they mumble while nodding their heads - as if this is an expected practice and universally accepted moral code of conduct amongst professors. "And you will too if you so choose to join the club someday, " they add, "and will receive the coveted exclusive manual on how to [insert favorite expletive here] up an applicant's chances of admission. "

 

But when the student has initially contacted you 4 months prior to the deadline and concurrently provided you with valuable information regarding pertinent details of the intended program, highlights of past performance in your course, copy of their personal statement showcasing their goals as well as a tailored resume outlining their past accomplishments and other professional-related duties, your continued unresponsiveness closer to the deadline becomes increasingly disturbing.  Being slower than a 3-legged tortoise jacked up on sedatives in this instance simply doesn't help anybody, including yourself.  What's more having provided all this information along with a 2-week, 1-week and even 2-day courteous reminder to have the professor still not respond and completely miss the deadline, calls into question your professionalism and even to some extent - ethical standing.  If you've given the student your word and re-assurance that you can indeed provide the reference by the stated final deadline date, then by all means you are obligated to the best of your ability to honor your word.  Things do happen and if they do, politely informing the student in a timely manner that you can no longer fulfill the request will be understood and they can pursue alternative courses of action.  However, giving the false impression a month in lieu of the approaching deadline that you will able to do so, whilst simultaneously giving the student a false sense of security can truly jeopardize their chances to find quick-fix solution.  A professor is under no obligation to assist a student with a reference.  However, if you have enthusiastically agreed to do so and I have taken the time and effort to be respectful of your individual priorities and provide you with ample resources ahead of time to fulfill the request, then I also expect to be treated in the same courteous and professional manner concerning fulfilling that request.  Is this too much to ask?  I feel the recommendation letter process is 2 way street but often times a diligent student yielding to the traffic signs, gets crushed over by a less-mindful professor not paying enough attention to the rules of the game.  

 

Am I wrong here?  Maybe someone has some more infinite wisdom on the matter.  Ultimately, what I guess I want to know is - what's the deal with professors turning in recommendations late or not even at all - even after you've politely notified them several times?

[C&C]

I'm having the same problem. I believe I'm going to have to remove the professor from my applications, and ask others in the department for help. I can't afford to miss application deadlines because of this letter.

 

I never thought this would happen, and I'm quite hurt as I had a great relationship with this professor.

[Loric]

For me, the mere mention of a face to face meeting to talk about it got the problem solved. I was and am still known as being a sort of force not to be meddled with.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Loric

[alyoshakaramazov]

I appreciate the artistry of your bitter sentiment. However, I just hope nothing gives away your identity here. If you're figured out, you pretty much just killed your chances of getting a glowing rec letter.

[Loric]

It's ok, my letters are in and already glowing.

[alyoshakaramazov]

It's ok, my letters are in and already glowing.

 

I was referring to the original poster, not you. 

[geographyrocks]

Did you ever try to call or find him/her in person?  I know that many of my professors get over 100 emails a day, and they simply end up missing a lot of the emails they get. 

[M.A-Cool-J]

It's a bit comforting to know that I'm not the only who's dealing with or has had to deal with this. 

 

-Aloysha, I made sure not to include any details that could be too revealing

 

-Geographyrocks, I've both called and e-mailed many times and the professor is not physically back in the office yet as some are still on holiday.

 

I actually have a great relationship with this professor and the individual has previously written excellent recommendations on my behalf and they are usually spot on time.  I'm uncertain as to what has transpired this time around and at this point, I'm really not sure what to do.