AH!!!!!

[digits2006]

I had two schools application due on dec 15. I still have one LOR that has not been submitted to any of the 10 schools that I am applying to. Luckily, one school says they are waiting to the new year to start looking at the applications. But, I do not know about the other school. The results page is showing that some psychology depts are contacting students. I have already emailed the prof on Dec. 15 when the apps were due. This is my TOP LOR. I have done all my research, grant writing, and data college with this prof. I do not know what to do. I do not want this prof to hurt my chances. AHHHH!!

[joro]

I feel your pain...I'm still waiting on mine. I suggest giving that Professor a call next week. I believe they start looking at applications on Jan 5.

[Tall Chai Latte]

Just like one of my LORs... find backups!

[digits2006]

I can't really find backups. This LOR is the person i have done most of my research, received a grant with, wrote my manuscript with, and will presenting my research with. It would look weird to cite her in everything and not have a letter from her.

[Tam]

Joro, did your situation ever get sorted out?

[joro]

Joro, did your situation ever get sorted out?

I wish it did...I'm still emailing and calling. My calls go straight to voice mail and my emails remain unanswered...next week I may show up at his office demanding an explanation...

[RoseThrn82]

I'm sorry to hear this. If you are local I would pay a visit. I mean that is sort of rude. At that point the rec should have just asked you to write it, review it, and if they agree then sign it and let you go on about your merry way. I couldn't imagine having a rec do this to me. Perhaps you should go there with a possible rough draft of what a LOR for you could look like based on all of the work you've done under the prof. and see if that can help motivate them. I don't know, just trying to think of ways to help... I hope it all works out for you.

[joro]

I'm sorry to hear this. If you are local I would pay a visit. I mean that is sort of rude. At that point the rec should have just asked you to write it, review it, and if they agree then sign it and let you go on about your merry way. I couldn't imagine having a rec do this to me. Perhaps you should go there with a possible rough draft of what a LOR for you could look like based on all of the work you've done under the prof. and see if that can help motivate them. I don't know, just trying to think of ways to help... I hope it all works out for you.

I may do that if it comes down to that. I'm not a very good writer so I may need someone to write one for me. Any takers? I'll send you my SOP and resume.

[johndiligent]

I've had two deadlines so far (December 1 and January 5) and I have two very conscientious LOR writers who, while sending them just in time for the deadline, have still sent them.

I have another LOR writer who hasn't sent either of them yet. I thought he had sent the Dec 1 because I'd called him around Dec 15 and he very earnestly swore that he had sent it. I made the mistake of believing him. I contacted the secretary for the Dec 1 deadline today: it's never been received. It's 38 days late now.

I e-mailed him this afternoon, told him it hasn't been received and asked him to "resend" the letter. He hasn't replied. Now I'm definitely starting to think he has no intention of even sending any of my letters.

So here's my question: why do professors agree to write letters when they have no intention of ever doing them? Is it so hard to say no to student requests?

[joro]

I've had two deadlines so far (December 1 and January 5) and I have two very conscientious LOR writers who, while sending them just in time for the deadline, have still sent them.

I have another LOR writer who hasn't sent either of them yet. I thought he had sent the Dec 1 because I'd called him around Dec 15 and he very earnestly swore that he had sent it. I made the mistake of believing him. I contacted the secretary for the Dec 1 deadline today: it's never been received. It's 38 days late now.

I e-mailed him this afternoon, told him it hasn't been received and asked him to "resend" the letter. He hasn't replied. Now I'm definitely starting to think he has no intention of even sending any of my letters.

So here's my question: why do professors agree to write letters when they have no intention of ever doing them? Is it so hard to say no to student requests?

I wish I knew this answer, I guess we're not on their priority list and we just get bumped down to the point where they will only write one if they have absolutely nothing to do or bored out of their mind. The same happened last year for me, the Professor said he sent them and the department tells me they haven't received it. Even when it was supposed to be submitted directly by email. I'm not exactly sure how much emails the department receives on a daily basis, but I don't think it would get lost in their inbox.

I have currently found a replacement on my part, but I need to let my 3rd LOR know that unless he's already written it that I will not be using him as a LOR anymore.

[johndiligent]

Yeah, I imagine profs take it on with good intentions, then get slammed with work and then the LOR gets pushed further and further down the To Do list. But, seriously, I asked him ten months ago and gave him the materials in August. There had to be a minute or two sometime in the last five months. And if he was honestly too busy to do them, he should have told me that a long time ago. I'm not that scary, honestly. And that would have given me time to ask someone else.

[joro]

Yeah, I imagine profs take it on with good intentions, then get slammed with work and then the LOR gets pushed further and further down the To Do list. But, seriously, I asked him ten months ago and gave him the materials in August. There had to be a minute or two sometime in the last five months. And if he was honestly too busy to do them, he should have told me that a long time ago. I'm not that scary, honestly. And that would have given me time to ask someone else.

Our situation really does sound alike. Except you beat me by one month on giving materials. I gave him my materials in September and spoke to him in June about a re-application. On the phone he said he found it more urgent to complete my recommendations to respond to my emails, so that gave me the idea that he was really working on them. At this point, I have no idea...but I do plan on giving him a call tomorrow. I hope things work out for you and me.

[johndiligent]

I hope things work out for you and me.

Ditto.

[digits2006]

I have started to email all the programs I have applied to asking if they will still review my app with 2 letters.

[joro]

I have started to email all the programs I have applied to asking if they will still review my app with 2 letters.

I have only received one response from a school when I did that, but I was already in communication with them before.

[DeWinter]

Hello all,

First post and was a lurker. Registered because I'm particularly drawn to this thread. I'm in the same boat as Joro and digits2006. I informed my LOR (committee member) writer in October (well actually, they had offered to write one for me). Well, this LOR writer was MIA for the month of December and I was panicking like a mad person. My first round of schools were around the December 31/January 1 deadline so I had been sending the person deadline information the whole time she was MIA. She was overseas doing research (I had not been aware of this fact). Anyway, so it gets to the frustrating part- She gets back to me on the 24th stating that she hoped she had not missed any deadlines, she was finally back and to let the schools know that my LOR writer had been overseas where it was difficult to write (long story short). I was utterly utterly glad to have heard from her and I sent her my updated CV and more deadlines info. She responded stating that they look "great!" and "very organized", also that it will be easier to keep in touch with her. So December 31st slowly passes by without any notification of an uploaded recommendation from her. Turns out that she has missed 4 deadlines of schools.

For the past 10 days, I have written emails to her. No reply. I finally tell my advisor (chair) of the situation- he suggests going to Professor X but to at least let the previous LOR to give me a courtesy of a "no". I write to Professor X, asking for a last minute recommendation and her, stating that I need to find someone else if she can't do it (At this point, I am assuming that she can't do this). Well, she writes back immediately stating that she's on it (after 3 weeks of not hearing from her) and she'd turn them all in by the next day at noon. I notify Professor X to please ignore my email because I won't need the LOR. So, I am quite relieved to hear from her. Well, guess what, Saturday has slipped by and it's almost Sunday evening. No recommendation letter notifications. I am at my wits' end. I have three more schools coming up!! A top choice school is meeting for the first time this Wednesday.

Can't professors uploads online LORS on the weekend? Or is she incredibly forgetful? Is she just dodgy? It's 10 days past the deadline!!!! All this time, I have been super nice and polite to her on the emails. Need advice please! If I'm incoherent, please blame it on the stress.

ETA: If this needs to be a separate post, please let me know!

Edited January 11, 2010 by karakiz

[jacib]

Hello all,

First post and was a lurker. Registered because I'm particularly drawn to this thread. I'm in the same boat as Joro and digits2006. I informed my LOR (committee member) writer in October (well actually, they had offered to write one for me). Well, this LOR writer was MIA for the month of December and I was panicking like a mad person. My first round of schools were around the December 31/January 1 deadline so I had been sending the person deadline information the whole time she was MIA. She was overseas doing research (I had not been aware of this fact). Anyway, so it gets to the frustrating part- She gets back to me on the 24th stating that she hoped she had not missed any deadlines, she was finally back and to let the schools know that my LOR writer had been overseas where it was difficult to write (long story short). I was utterly utterly glad to have heard from her and I sent her my updated CV and more deadlines info. She responded stating that they look "great!" and "very organized", also that it will be easier to keep in touch with her. So December 31st slowly passes by without any notification of an uploaded recommendation from her. Turns out that she has missed 4 deadlines of schools.

For the past 10 days, I have written emails to her. No reply. I finally tell my advisor (chair) of the situation- he suggests going to Professor X but to at least let the previous LOR to give me a courtesy of a "no". I write to Professor X, asking for a last minute recommendation and her, stating that I need to find someone else if she can't do it (At this point, I am assuming that she can't do this). Well, she writes back immediately stating that she's on it (after 3 weeks of not hearing from her) and she'd turn them all in by the next day at noon. I notify Professor X to please ignore my email because I won't need the LOR. So, I am quite relieved to hear from her. Well, guess what, Saturday has slipped by and it's almost Sunday evening. No recommendation letter notifications. I am at my wits' end. I have three more schools coming up!! A top choice school is meeting for the first time this Wednesday.

Can't professors uploads online LORS on the weekend? Or is she incredibly forgetful? Is she just dodgy? It's 10 days past the deadline!!!! All this time, I have been super nice and polite to her on the emails. Need advice please! If I'm incoherent, please blame it on the stress.

ETA: If this needs to be a separate post, please let me know!

Many of my letters are handed in after the deadlines... one set by almost three weeks from the Dec 15 deadline, significantly more for the one school that had a Dec 1 deadline. Also, it often takes a few days f9r scy99os to update their systems sometimes, especially (I'd guess) schools that don't use an outside system, like Embark or Apply Yourself. At least one of my school (Berkeley) definitely didn't say LOR were complete until it reopened after vacation. It uploaded two of my LoRs on the same day, even though I know they were sent in two weeks apart. So it might not be that professors can't upload them on the weekends so much as schools don't update your application over the weekend. Did any of your apps use "Apply Yourself" (the one with the silly pin code)? I found those seemed to update pretty immediately, though I don't know if they do it with the same speed over the weekend. Professors definitely can add things any time, day or night. With Embark at least, the professor signs in using her email and it lists all the students with unfulfilled requests for that email address.

I would also email her again (what else can you do?), and see what's up. If you can get a phone number, use it? Maybe send her a thank you note on Monday evening... where you point out that many none of the schools show that they've received her letter and you worry there might be a problem you can help with. If your programs can accept more than 3 letters, see if you can get both professors to write your recs. At least one will, right? This is what I did because I was really worried about two of my recommenders, but they all ended up submitting. Eventually.

Secondly, kullanıcı adınız bir tesadüf olabilir, ama türk müsünüz acaba?

[digits2006]

I actually had one school today tell me that they might not look at my application with only two letters. It was like a shot in the heart. They said they if they get a lot of applications this semester they wont have time to look over my application. It really sucks that my professor has technically got me REJECTED from a school.

[downtownchick]

I would completely forget about the flakes and ask somebody else to write one right now if it were me, even if that's a summer-job employer, a high school teacher or a tutor. Whatever you can get. Have that backup person email the recommendation to the school immediately so the school will look at your application. It's not perfect, but at least the school will look at your application that way. Why not!

[johndiligent]

I would completely forget about the flakes and ask somebody else to write one right now if it were me, even if that's a summer-job employer, a high school teacher or a tutor.

Schools in my discipline would certainly not accept a LOR from a summer-job employer, high school teacher or a tutor. I agree with the spirit of your advice (find someone else) but not the specifics (for 99% of applicants, it really should be someone in the academy).

I'm in a sort of tricky situation because the unsubmitted LOR is the most pivotal for my application. He not only directed my thesis, but also directed my teaching internship with the department and is the only recommender I've asked to address a personal issue for me. Without his letter, my application is very screwed.

[987899987789]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a similar situation. One of my recommenders specifically told me (on multiple occasions) that he would have everything completed by my Dec. 15th deadlines. The time comes around - no submission - and I can't get in touch with him since he's apparently left the country and won't be back until the end of this month (I just found this out today, after weeks of frantic e-mailling and phone calling). I'm thinking of e-mailing the programs and letting them know of my situation but am not really sure what to say for them to consider my application. Having someone else write the letter is probably out of the question at this point, given that that will also take some time and many programs won't allow a reference to be changed after the application has been submitted.

I've spent over $1300 applying this time around and will be quite upset if I'm rejected all across the board because of the lack of this one recommendation. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to say to the programs?

Thanks...!

[joro]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a similar situation. One of my recommenders specifically told me (on multiple occasions) that he would have everything completed by my Dec. 15th deadlines. The time comes around - no submission - and I can't get in touch with him since he's apparently left the country and won't be back until the end of this month (I just found this out today, after weeks of frantic e-mailling and phone calling). I'm thinking of e-mailing the programs and letting them know of my situation but am not really sure what to say for them to consider my application. Having someone else write the letter is probably out of the question at this point, given that that will also take some time and many programs won't allow a reference to be changed after the application has been submitted.

I've spent over $1300 applying this time around and will be quite upset if I'm rejected all across the board because of the lack of this one recommendation. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to say to the programs?

Thanks...!

You can try explaining it to them, but I do think they would ask you to find another LOR before they review your application or give you full consideration.

[georgica2]

Unfortunately, this is a situation that too many of us have been in. One of my rec writers was in constant communication, always responded to emails quickly, and submitted all of my rec letters in a timely fashion. He even sent me an email confirming that he'd submitted the recs, listing all of the schools. Until I went to submit my application the day before the deadline and saw a glaring NOT RECEIVED next to his name. Turns out he'd started the application, submitted all the other ones, and simply forgotten about it, assuming he'd already done it. And, by the time I pointed out that he hadn't, he was away doing research and didn't end up submitting the letter until after the winter break, almost a month late. Not sure whether to be more upset with the professor for missing the deadline, or with myself for neglecting to check whether it had in fact been submitted. Honestly, I was too stressed to call the school and ask about it -- I'm not sure I could handle it if they told me that they wouldn't review my application because of a late letter, so I'm choosing to believe that it's fine.

Sorry to hear that your writer has totally disappeared. That's totally irresponsible. Though it probably won't help for this application, I'd suggest possibly talking to the head of the department -- a prof is much less likely to ignore an email/call/etc. from a supervisor than a former student. (Indeed, when I didn't hear back from another rec writer initially, I casually mentioned it to my former advisor, a prof in the same department...lo and behold, I got a response hours later.)

[digits2006]

One of my LOR specifically stated in his LOR that Dr. XXX will be writing a letter and to reading hers to see how much experience I have in the lab. It will make him look dumb if I got another LOR. This prof that I am waiting on was my research advisor for over a year now. She knows so much about me. I feel like her letter will make me competitive for the programs. But, right now, she is ruining my chances of getting into any programs. Some schools said it wont be a problem. But, I think it really will be a problem.. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the deadline is friday!

[fuzzylogician]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a similar situation. One of my recommenders specifically told me (on multiple occasions) that he would have everything completed by my Dec. 15th deadlines. The time comes around - no submission - and I can't get in touch with him since he's apparently left the country and won't be back until the end of this month (I just found this out today, after weeks of frantic e-mailling and phone calling). I'm thinking of e-mailing the programs and letting them know of my situation but am not really sure what to say for them to consider my application. Having someone else write the letter is probably out of the question at this point, given that that will also take some time and many programs won't allow a reference to be changed after the application has been submitted.

I've spent over $1300 applying this time around and will be quite upset if I'm rejected all across the board because of the lack of this one recommendation. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to say to the programs?

Thanks...!

One of my LOR specifically stated in his LOR that Dr. XXX will be writing a letter and to reading hers to see how much experience I have in the lab. It will make him look dumb if I got another LOR. This prof that I am waiting on was my research advisor for over a year now. She knows so much about me. I feel like her letter will make me competitive for the programs. But, right now, she is ruining my chances of getting into any programs. Some schools said it wont be a problem. But, I think it really will be a problem.. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the deadline is friday!

To both of you guys: could you get a fourth professor to write you a letter? Don't even ask the schools for permission if you're worried that one of your original 3 won't submit theirs. Add them electronically if you can; if not, you can either contact the DGS and ask if your writer can email the letter directly to them (usually departments are very helpful and will allow you to do that); or simply have your writers write a paper letter and mail it to the department. Either way, don't just give up because of one unreliable LOR!

@digits: Don't worry about making your other writer look dumb. Leave the original writer as one of your 3 writers, and schools will know that she was supposed to write you a letter. That way it's clear who the "dumb" one is.