Help! Letter of Recommendation writers have completely disappeared!

[thisisansley]

Hi guys, I did a search but couldn't find a concrete answer to this problem - apologies if it's a repeat.

Here's the deal: I started gathering LORs a year ago (my school requires 5 to write the composite committee letter) but was waiting on some of the more advanced classes to let my professors know me a bit better. I requested one letter in February and the professor said he'd be glad to write it; another letter I requested in April, but the professor told me to turn in my request with my final exam (which I did, in May). I called up to check on the status of my letters a week or so ago and these two are nowhere to be found, so I only have 3/5 and they won't let me request my composit letter. I have tried contacting the professors through email and haven't heard anything back. I called the biology department at my school and they said, "We don't know what to tell you, keep trying email. They won't be in their offices."

So my question is this: if I submit my application (it's ready to go) on the 10th without my LORs actually being submitted, will I get my primaries on time? Or does the school wait until the letters are in to move forward? I'm freaking out about not being able to get a hold of these professors.

And on top of all of this my pre-med advisor is on vacation from June 4-17th, so I can't contact her about this.

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[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Yes. LOE IS PART OF SECONDARY APPLICACION.

 

[Epinephreus]

This is a horrible system your school has. Is there a way to get other LOR's besides these professors?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

And on top of all of this my pre-med advisor is on vacation from June 4-17th, so I can't contact her about this.

Wow. That's incredible. A pre-med adviser taking off right at the start of applications, what the hell is she thinking? I get that everyone needs a break from work every now and then, but you don't plan a vacation during a period when you're needed at work the most.

 

[Mornhavon]

.

 

[Geebeejay]

Wow what an awful system. And that's thoughtful of your premed advisor to go on vacation as soon as applications open.

Maybe ditch the committee letter and send a letter packet? If it comes up in interviews, you have a good reason.

 

[thisisansley]

This is a horrible system your school has. Is there a way to get other LOR's besides these professors?

I have already requested a letter from the woman who runs the research lab that I help out in, I'm optimistic she will have a quick turn around on her letter. However, I've never had her as a professor for a class so I don't think it counts for my committee letter/one of the three letters I would send to AMCAS otherwise. I didn't decide I wanted to become a doctor until my Sophomore year so that also limits the number of science professors I've had to date, especially those that know me better than another face in a lecture hall of 100+.

 

[thisisansley]

Wow. That's incredible. A pre-med adviser taking off right at the start of applications, what the hell is she thinking? I get that everyone needs a break from work every now and then, but you don't plan a vacation during a period when you're needed at work the most.

Oh, I could go on and on. She told me multiple times she'd have my committee letter together before she went on vacation. I only found out about the 2 missing letters because I called to check on the status of her letter (hadn't been written because I was missing the 2 letters that she never told me about). -_-

 

[thisisansley]

Maybe ditch the committee letter and send a letter packet? If it comes up in interviews, you have a good reason.

I need at least 1 more science letter to do that. So far I have a beaming letter from the director of the Honors Program at my school who taught me in Latin and another great letter from an English teacher, as well as one from an adjunct who taught me in chemistry labs for a year and a half. The other 2 were supposed to seal the deal for the sciences because they both think highly of me and are tenured/well respected on campus.

If I get one of their letters, do you think it's ok to just go with the original 3 plus whichever writes the letter first?

 

[music2doc]

Wow. That's incredible. A pre-med adviser taking off right at the start of applications, what the hell is she thinking? I get that everyone needs a break from work every now and then, but you don't plan a vacation during a period when you're needed at work the most.

Not sure if serious....


Most applicants aren't that ahead of the game, so early summer is probably the best time for her to take a vacation. Additionally, those who are ahead of the game like that are probably the least likely to need her to hold their hands.

And FINALLY (and most importantly) -- this is a JOB, not her life; it's probably not even her main job but a side appointment on top of a course load, research, etc.

 

[thisisansley]

Not sure if serious....


Most applicants aren't that ahead of the game, so early summer is probably the best time for her to take a vacation. Additionally, those who are ahead of the game like that are probably the least likely to need her to hold their hands.

And FINALLY (and most importantly) -- this is a JOB, not her life; it's probably not even her main job but a side appointment on top of a course load, research, etc.

Just to clarify, this is her only job - she works in the career center advising students on graduate schools. Also she's the one who will write my committee letter so I have to wait until she gets back to even have that ready to go for medical schools. I'm honestly very lucky the application got pushed back a week.

 

[neurodude22]

Wow. That's incredible. A pre-med adviser taking off right at the start of applications, what the hell is she thinking? I get that everyone needs a break from work every now and then, but you don't plan a vacation during a period when you're needed at work the most.

That's like Santa Claus taking a vacation from December 20 - January 3rd.

 

[music2doc]

That's like Santa Claus taking a vacation from December 20 - January 3rd.

Nah, more like taking it early from Dec 10-21. The elves would get nervous every year but then he'd show up just in time to finish the job and get everything done in time.

 

[tonberry]

You'll be perfectly ok for primaries. No one gets their secondaries out until June 28th anyways. It truly feels like a matter of who submits secondaries first because one of my friends sent his primary in july 7th, and started getting secondary requests by end of july/early august. That means he got delayed 3-4 weeks for apparently being "way behind" in the cycle.

My question to this is, how long does it take AMCAS to verify LOR's? One of my writers bailed on me too, so i'm scrounging around to find takers.

 

[candbgirl]

The committee letter really isn't the issue right now. The writer will be back in a week. Have you checked regularly since February about the one letter? That was requested at least 3 months ago. I find it odd that you are so upset about the vacationing staff person and you don't seem to have followed up on at least one letter. The May requested letter will probably show up soon Maybe that teacher took some time off too. You need to calm down and decide who could write a letter for you quickly so they are all there on 6/17.