advisor advice

[bumpski20]

Ok here’s some background info. My predental advisor is very unreliable. She has given me wrong info on numerous accounts. She already lost one letter of recommendation from one of my professors but I was able to get my professor to mail her another. I applied to the gateway program and had all of my forms in within the first 3 weeks the application went out but she did not send my letter of recommendation (for gateway) until 3 days before. Applications were due on a Friday and they received my letter from her that Thursday!!

So on may 15th I went to my school and sent my transcripts. I also handed my advisor the committee letter form. I asked her politely if she could send it in asap because I would be esubmitting my app within the next few days (I submitted it May 20th). She asked me what I got on my DAT and I told her my old score (which I told her many times) and then said I was taking it again June 30th. Her response was that she can’t write it until after she knows the scores. This got me really mad because dental schools will have my scores anyway!! And isn’t the purpose of letters of recommendations to evaluate students based on something other then test scores and grades??

If she is putting together my committee letter does she actually have to write one of them?? can I ask her to just put the letters together and send it with out her writing one herself?? If not, should I ask her to start writing it before my DAT scores?? I don’t want to be rude and pushy but I already have everything else in (besides my DAT score which I planned on being the absolute last submission of my app). I DO NOT want a repeat of gateway apps. Is it a big deal if my LORs aren’t received until August or September??

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[Albuterol]

typical ru hpo bs.

 

[jigabodo]

Since you haven't e-submitted, re-do your LOR list and just disregard her letter. Instead of getting a committe letter why don't you just send individual letters from your professors?

 

[bumpski20]

I did esubmitt on may 20th.

what does hpo mean?

 

[doc toothache]

Ok here's some background info. My predental advisor is very unreliable. She has given me wrong info on numerous accounts. She already lost one letter of recommendation from one of my professors but I was able to get my professor to mail her another. I applied to the gateway program and had all of my forms in within the first 3 weeks the application went out but she did not send my letter of recommendation (for gateway) until 3 days before. Applications were due on a Friday and they received my letter from her that Thursday!!

So on may 15th I went to my school and sent my transcripts. I also handed my advisor the committee letter form. I asked her politely if she could send it in asap because I would be esubmitting my app within the next few days (I submitted it May 20th). She asked me what I got on my DAT and I told her my old score (which I told her many times) and then said I was taking it again June 30th. Her response was that she can't write it until after she knows the scores. This got me really mad because dental schools will have my scores anyway!! And isn't the purpose of letters of recommendations to evaluate students based on something other then test scores and grades??

If she is putting together my committee letter does she actually have to write one of them?? can I ask her to just put the letters together and send it with out her writing one herself?? If not, should I ask her to start writing it before my DAT scores?? I don't want to be rude and pushy but I already have everything else in (besides my DAT score which I planned on being the absolute last submission of my app). I DO NOT want a repeat of gateway apps. Is it a big deal if my LORs aren't received until August or September??

There doesn't appear to be anything nice you can say about this person and yet you expect her to be at your command. Adding insult to injury you even want to tell her how to do her job as adviser. You seem to forget that she makes the final decision on how the letter of recommendation is going to be handled. If you do not like the situation you may have to ask your profs to send them directly, although they might be wondering what sort of letter they can give you in view of reservations about your DAT scores.

 

[bumpski20]

There doesn't appear to be anything nice you can say about this person and yet you expect her to be at your command. Adding insult to injury you even want to tell her how to do her job as adviser. You seem to forget that she makes the final decision on how the letter of recommendation is going to be handled. If you do not like the situation you may have to ask your profs to send them directly, although they might be wondering what sort of letter they can give you in view of reservations about your DAT scores.

I do have nice things to say about her but they really don’t pertain to this post. The purpose of that background info was to show that even though she said she will send the letter in after I take the DAT, it could be a good 3 months before it goes out. I don’t see how I am telling her to do her job as an adviser; I clearly stated in the title I need advise on how to handle this situation. I don’t expect her to be at my "command" but all of my letters have been in her office for at least 3 months…I think it’s reasonable to ask for my letters to be submitted early since I got everything else in early. I am one of the only predental students in my school so I am very unfamiliar with this whole process. Since she HAS been wrong before I thought it may be possible that she was wrong with the whole needing my DAT score before she writes the letter. She knows I got a 4.0 last semester and I will be tutoring genetics and cellnmolec this fall. She also knows I have published research, won the Junior Olympics and am interning at a dental practice. I thought maybe this information would be sufficient.

Doc toothache, I hear you give people really good advise. What would you do in this situation? Nothing? Because that’s what I was originally planning on doing until I read posts about getting everything it by June.

 

[doc toothache]

I do have nice things to say about her but they really don’t pertain to this post. The purpose of that background info was to show that even though she said she will send the letter in after I take the DAT, it could be a good 3 months before it goes out. I don’t see how I am telling her to do her job as an adviser; I clearly stated in the title I need advise on how to handle this situation. I don’t expect her to be at my "command" but all of my letters have been in her office for at least 3 months…I think it’s reasonable to ask for my letters to be submitted early since I got everything else in early. I am one of the only predental students in my school so I am very unfamiliar with this whole process. Since she HAS been wrong before I thought it may be possible that she was wrong with the whole needing my DAT score before she writes the letter. She knows I got a 4.0 last semester and I will be tutoring genetics and cellnmolec this fall. She also knows I have published research, won the Junior Olympics and am interning at a dental practice. I thought maybe this information would be sufficient.

Doc toothache, I hear you give people really good advise. What would you do in this situation? Nothing? Because that’s what I was originally planning on doing until I read posts about getting everything it by June.

The problem is not that she is incompetent, as you say, the problem is that you fail to understand that she holds the key to your future and you have no choice but to play along. Incidentally, ds is all about working within the system. Unless you feel confident about what you are doing, trying to bypass her, may backfire on you. Contrary to popular opinion on SDN applying early is not going to get you bonus points and is not a substitute for good gpa/dat scores. Take your time and resolve the issues with her in a congenial manner, which comes under the heading "doing something". There is absolutely no need for the background on "I said, she said."

 

[Quattro DMD]

I didn't have a committee at my school....I just had someone in the advising office send my 4 separate LOR's to AADSAS. That baffles me that your advisor needs to know your DAT score. However if you need this advisors help you better play ball.

 

[dru180]

doc toothache...i agree with most of your posts like bumpski, but not this one. I think bumpski clearly has a legitimate issue with with to confront the advisor! if bumpski just sits idly by, which is what you seem to be suggesting, then he isn't working the system....he is letting the system work him.

Bumpski, I say confront your advisor. Be respectful, be professional, and be clear. Try to compromise with her and see if there is a way that the two of you can work together and get your letter written without your NEW DAT score (perhaps by bringing up all your up-to-date accomplishments (it sounds like you have a sufficient amount)). Perhaps all you need is a bit of communication between the two of you. But, if you don't feel comfortable with the outcome, then by all means go around her. She wont make or break your application (just one out of 4-5 letters). If she does write the letter for you, poke your head in every week and see how everything is going until everything is sent out and no longer in her hands and make sure everything gets sent out in a timely manner. Applying really early may not get you bonus points, but applying really late can sure as heck screw you.

Taking control of our future is what has made us successful. Be proactive and do what you feel is right! No one knows the situation you are in better then you do.

btw...if you are female...edit "he" for 'she'

 

[bumpski20]

The problem is not that she is incompetent, as you say, the problem is that you fail to understand that she holds the key to your future and you have no choice but to play along. Incidentally, ds is all about working within the system. Unless you feel confident about what you are doing, trying to bypass her, may backfire on you. Contrary to popular opinion on SDN applying early is not going to get you bonus points and is not a substitute for good gpa/dat scores. Take your time and resolve the issues with her in a congenial manner, which comes under the heading "doing something". There is absolutely no need for the background on "I said, she said."

Ok, maybe I did not need the background info...I just wanted to show that she does not have the best track record. I am a little offended that you say the problem is i "fail to understand" that she holds the key to my future. I completely understand that, which is why I am asking for advice here before I do anything; and i am in no way trying to "bypass her". I think you misunderstand what I am asking. If many people responded to this saying their LORs are submitted but they havent taken the DAT, I would consider emailing her something along the lines of: "I know you said you had to wait until after the DAT until i write my letter, but i was just curious if you have ever written a letter for a student before they have taken their standardized test, because I am a little worried that my application wont be early in the cycle." and see where it goes from there. on the other hand, if many people said their LORs havent been submitted until mid augest and they still got early interviews, I will most likely leave the situation alone.

 

[bumpski20]

Thanks for the advice dru180! I am female btw =). Im gonna wait a few more days and talk to a few more people but I think I am going to wind up sending her a polite email adressing my concerns.

 

[s1refrosty]

if im not mistaken... your application will still be sent out from AADSAS without the LORs being in. Of course the Dschools wont be able to review them until they are in, but this should allow a window where LORs being sent in a little late won't have any affect at all.

 

[doc toothache]

Diplomacy may not avoid confrontation, but confrontation is likely to lead to battle. Choose battles wisely.