Referee didn't submit reference??? What do I do???

[as2472]

After multiple e-mails, calls, and a verbal confirmation that she had sent in my reference, I just saw on an application portal that one of my referees actually did not send it in. I've e-mailed both her and the school to ask if it is still possible for it to be considered, but is there really any hope of that happening at this point? It is my top choice and even though she has a reputation for being down to the wire, I never expected her to put me in this situation. Honestly just so hurt and worried right now. 

Is there anything more I can do besides e-mailing and calling on Monday? Also any experiences of late references being considered? 

Thanks in advance! 

Edited February 5, 2017 by as2472

[gc_user]

Are you applying to several schools and has she submitted references to other ones? If so, it is likely that this one slipped her radar. I would suggest that you use the application portal to send her a reminder and then follow up with a calm email asking that she please submit. It is possible you still have a shot. If I were you I would not jeopardize my relationship with my referee by freaking out, especially if she submitted to other schools and somehow just missed this one.

[as2472]

7 minutes ago, gc_user said:

Are you applying to several schools and has she submitted references to other ones? If so, it is likely that this one slipped her radar. I would suggest that you use the application portal to send her a reminder and then follow up with a calm email asking that she please submit. It is possible you still have a shot. If I were you I would not jeopardize my relationship with my referee by freaking out, especially if she submitted to other schools and somehow just missed this one.

She did for others (albeit late for two, but not this late), so I think that is what happened. I e-mailed her as diplomatically as I could muster (I even suppressed the urge to sign off with "regards" instead of "best," i.e. the pinnacle of British passive aggressiveness) and sent the thing, so I suppose that's all I can do now? If she does submit it tomorrow--and I will show up at her office if she doesn't by the end of the day here, midday in the US, so I can almost guarantee she will--is there a shot it will still be read? 

 

 

[gc_user]

7 minutes ago, as2472 said:

She did for others (albeit late for two, but not this late), so I think that is what happened. I e-mailed her as diplomatically as I could muster (I even suppressed the urge to sign off with "regards" instead of "best," i.e. the pinnacle of British passive aggressiveness) and sent the thing, so I suppose that's all I can do now? If she does submit it tomorrow--and I will show up at her office if she doesn't by the end of the day here, midday in the US, so I can almost guarantee she will--is there a shot it will still be read? 

 

 

There's no way to know if it will be read. Nonetheless you should be sure to also send a reminder through the portal so the web link to submit is at the top of her inbox and she doesn't have to go searching for it. It's okay, these things happen and it's best to remain calm and do what you can to control it while not fixating on what you can't.

[Volition]

I've been signing all my emails off with 'regards'.... I did not know it has passive aggressive connotations... Though I would say 'kindest regards' so perhaps that helps. 

But while I am here: Don't fret. Reference letters always seem to have a later deadline than the actual application for most programs; however, I have seen one program who required the reference letters by the application deadlines. I think you should be fine, and your program should allow you submit the reference letter at this point in time. 

Edited February 5, 2017 by Volition

[as2472]

13 hours ago, Volition said:

I've been signing all my emails off with 'regards'.... I did not know it has passive aggressive connotations... Though I would say 'kindest regards' so perhaps that helps. 

But while I am here: Don't fret. Reference letters always seem to have a later deadline than the actual application for most programs; however, I have seen one program who required the reference letters by the application deadlines. I think you should be fine, and your program should allow you submit the reference letter at this point in time. 

Thank you for the reassurance! I think in the states "Regards" is totally acceptable, but the UK has an intricate hierarchy of e-mail sign offs (e.g. best or best wishes is friendly but professional, kind regards is neutral leaning towards friendly, regards is either very formal or annoyed). It was one of the hardest things to learn when I moved here as I always used to use "kind regards"! 

[TheWalkingGrad]

 

On 2/5/2017 at 0:55 PM, as2472 said:

After multiple e-mails, calls, and a verbal confirmation that she had sent in my reference, I just saw on an application portal that one of my referees actually did not send it in. I've e-mailed both her and the school to ask if it is still possible for it to be considered, but is there really any hope of that happening at this point? It is my top choice and even though she has a reputation for being down to the wire, I never expected her to put me in this situation. Honestly just so hurt and worried right now. 

Is there anything more I can do besides e-mailing and calling on Monday? Also any experiences of late references being considered? 

Thanks in advance! 

So how did it turn out?

I had this problem last cycle, I grew so desperate after my reference missed a couple of important deadlines that I might have been a bit rude. He finally did submit the letters, but I have no idea of what he wrote after all that bugging. Suffice to say, last cycle didn't work out so well for me.

Good luck, I hated being in this position. 

[TakeruK]

How late are we talking about? Hopefully it's been resolved now, but to make you feel better, know that unless it is so late that it was sent in after the initial review begins, you should be fine. Most programs do not review immediately after the deadline but usually a week or two later. I had some late letters during my grad school applications because an LOR writer's close family member passed away. It was not a problem.

Also, because it's just one letter, they can still begin initial review of your file even without this letter. Your letter writer's tardiness will not reflect on you because it's out of your control! The truth is that if they are really interested in you, they won't really care about whether the application is complete or not until it's time to make a final decision. One of my friends had an unknown missing letter and basically got a message from the program a few weeks later saying, "we're interested in you but you're missing a letter!" Once they sent that letter in, they got an acceptance right away. Good schools are not going to let silly little bureaucratic things like this make them lose a good student.

Finally, I'm applying for postdocs now. The two applications where there were some issues with letters arriving on time (one was lost in the system for over a week, another missed by a day due to LOR writer travel), but I got interviews for both of these positions. So worry and frustration are certainly warranted feelings, but don't act in a way that harms your relationship with these professors. And if you contact the school you're applying to, be sure to not indicate any sort of negativity towards your letter writers.

These things are all part of the norm in academia (you'll get last minute/late responses to all sorts of things in the future) and how you treat your colleagues and advisors now are going to be an indicator (to the school) of how you will treat your colleagues if you're in the field. Be sure your actions reflect your best self.