Anyone STILL waiting on a letter of rec?

[SlopinMunkyDude]

I just found out my professor has been out of town for some time. I visited him on June 15 and requested that he send a letter of rec. He said he'd probably just do it right when I left the office.

Well, I e-mailed him two weeks ago, and no reply. So I called the biology department, and it turns out he's not going to be in his office until August 16.

Arggghhhh. .

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[ambrosia]

YES, letters of rec suck. I had a physics professor who was supposed to write me one but now he is out of town for the next few weeks and he forgot to do it before he left. So, rather than waiting till then, I talked to a biochem prof I had last year earlier today, and he said he'd write me one and have it in by the end of this week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one works out....

 

[MEG@COOL]

I read it. You know how to read, you ignorant child?

 

[CarleneM]

yeah the secretary (er, i mean administrative assistant) of one of my letter writers unexpectedly quit her job last week while the letter writer was away in london. he had already written the letter weeks ago but apparently this person was not too on the ball. I contacted her every few days asking if it had been sent but she kep apologizing and making excuses. and then she quit. they hired someone new on monday and my letter went out today...so now they are all mailed. hurrah!

 

[deuist]

I just found out my professor has been out of town for some time. I visited him on June 15 and requested that he send a letter of rec. He said he'd probably just do it right when I left the office.

Well, I e-mailed him two weeks ago, and no reply. So I called the biology department, and it turns out he's not going to be in his office until August 16.

Arggghhhh. .

I gave my recommeders the forms, personal statement, resume, etc... on April 25. One of them is still not finished. He has lost the forms twice.

 

[NubianPrincess]

I am going through it too. It sucks.

 

[hamhamfan]

I am going through it too. It sucks.

Nice avatar

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I went through this, I just got my last letter this monday. Every minute is torture when something's holding up your application, but don't worry, it'll come. Lesson here is next time I need 3 letters, I'll ask for 5.

 

[illiniTJ]

I've hit that stage for sure - I approached all of my professors the first of may and said it should be done by july 1 giving them ample time, maybe too much time to get it done. I didn't mind them not all being in on July 1 since I was just submitting AMCAS. Then Aug 1 came around and Northwestern was asking for my letters to be sent in on this Thursday.... that hit hard. So I've got all but one ready to go, but I have to wait until the last letter gets to the committee tomorrow then off they go in the most expensive overnight first class mail I can buy to get there on Thursday. Good thing I live in central illinois..... oh and when I approached the professors about this last week, it took them about 30 mins tops to do the whole thing and mail it in. ?

Oh well..... happy that process is over.

Anyone else feel that is their weak part of the app since you have very little control on what goes on a confidential letter?????

 

[DrThom]

Add me to the list...my professor has been in Maui all summer and won't even be available to see me until next week....

 

[DrThom]

Anyone else feel that is their weak part of the app since you have very little control on what goes on a confidential letter?????

HAHA...check out my dilemma...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=1733593#post1733593

 

[illiniTJ]

HAHA...check out my dilemma...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=1733593#post1733593

Okay, in response to that awful situation up at MCW (i'm applying there too!) I just emailed a teacher about a non-science letter of rec b/c i realized that mine will be borderline. Hopefully I can get an Emergency Letter of Rec to send out before its too late. Hell, it only took my other teachers 30 mins once they opened my file.... Bastards. Happy Med School Hunting!

 

[DrThom]

Okay, in response to that awful situation up at MCW (i'm applying there too!) I just emailed a teacher about a non-science letter of rec b/c i realized that mine will be borderline. Hopefully I can get an Emergency Letter of Rec to send out before its too late. Hell, it only took my other teachers 30 mins once they opened my file.... Bastards. Happy Med School Hunting!

Yeah. I wish you luck with that.

What sucks is, the letter has been posted as received by other schools (UIC, UMich) so I don't know if:

A) That means the letter is acceptable and MCW are just being nazis about it

or

B) MCW was the only one to actually read the letter, see that it wasn't good enough and was couteous enough to email me to fix the problem (although I missed "courtesy" feeling I am sure the put in that email when they talked about what the committee sees as acceptable and how an applicant SHOULD be presented)

*sigh* this was a hoop I really didn't want to jump through...

 

[dr.z]

I've hit that stage for sure - I approached all of my professors the first of may and said it should be done by july 1 giving them ample time, maybe too much time to get it done. I didn't mind them not all being in on July 1 since I was just submitting AMCAS. Then Aug 1 came around and Northwestern was asking for my letters to be sent in on this Thursday.... that hit hard. So I've got all but one ready to go, but I have to wait until the last letter gets to the committee tomorrow then off they go in the most expensive overnight first class mail I can buy to get there on Thursday. Good thing I live in central illinois..... oh and when I approached the professors about this last week, it took them about 30 mins tops to do the whole thing and mail it in. ?

Oh well..... happy that process is over.

Anyone else feel that is their weak part of the app since you have very little control on what goes on a confidential letter?????

Northwestern will give you extensions on the letters. You will need to e-mail the admissions office at the e-mail address they provided your secondary info with. I asked them for extension since I knew that my letter was going to be a little late. They extended it till 9/1 which were originally due 8/6. I think my letters should be there by now.

 

[Haybrant]

Northwestern will give you extensions on the letters. You will need to e-mail the admissions office at the e-mail address they provided your secondary info with. I asked them for extension since I knew that my letter was going to be a little late. They extended it till 9/1 which were originally due 8/6. I think my letters should be there by now.

wait, i dont understand; Northwestern has a deadline for letters of recommendation to be in by? I havent submitted my secondary yet; would such a deadline apply if we havent submitted their secondary? Thanks!

 

[dr.z]

wait, i dont understand; Northwestern has a deadline for letters of recommendation to be in by? I havent submitted my secondary yet; would such a deadline apply if we havent submitted their secondary? Thanks!

If they sent you a notice to fill out their secondary application, they should have told you about the deadlines. Deadline to turn in the secondary is 1 week from the receipt of e-mail. The letters are due 2 weeks from the reciept of e-mail which can be extended if you e-mail them.

 

[Haybrant]

If they sent you a notice to fill out their secondary application, they should have told you about the deadlines. Deadline to turn in the secondary is 1 week from the receipt of e-mail. The letters are due 2 weeks from the reciept of e-mail which can be extended if you e-mail them.

does northwestern screen? and are other schools as strict? Other schools say they suggest but I didnt take that as a deadline.

 

[dr.z]

Northwestern does not screen anymore. I really don't know how strict the other schools are, but I am certain they tell you when they send you the secondary. Look carefully at their web and/or information they send you with the secondary (If they set a date, I'm sure its due when it says it is due). It is your best interest to complete them as soon as possible to complete your file so it can be reviewd in a timely manner.

 

[LRmed2003]

So here are my situations..

my one prof is also the founder/CEO of a non-profit and it just so happens that now is the time that they have to get all these grants in and figure out their budgets,etc. sooo, she has no idea when she'll be able to 'get to it' (my letter, that is)

next, my physics professor no longer works at my undergrad. institution and is moving on professionally. he still said he'd write the letter, but i don't know if it will be on letter head or anything..damn damn damn...

let us pray..

~LR

 

[Ames980]

my school does the premed committee - so we had to have all of our individual LORs in by like april-ish.... my file has been complete there since MAY. still no committee letter written. i feel like i would have been better off to do the letters individually.

 

[uclabruin2003]

still waiting for one more letter of rec...i havent been contacted since requesting it though...i need it soon too!!!! yikes!!!!

 

[luettggl]

The health sciences committee at my school won't even meet to start writing our letters until the middle of September. Talk about setting us back...

 

[lorelei]

I'm still waiting on two. My college had a premed advisor (no committee) so I have a letter from her (she also taught me bio), and from a math prof. I'm waiting on a bio prof and a German one. I gave out the stuff in early May, I think, otherwise it was April. And I send emails, and they say they're working on it, and then I call the career center (where my file is) and they say no, they haven't gotten them yet. So lately I've been sending the premed advisor letter, since she says her rec can substitute for a committee rec, rather than the whole packet. I try not to worry about it too much, but I'm still kind of freaked out.