DEC 1 - how early for references?

[futureotter]

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Hi everyone,

If i'm trying to make a deadline for December 1st, when is the latest possible date that a reference can submit their form? Should it be November 1? Does it take weeks to process them like transcripts?

Thanks!

 

[hautecouture]

I would ask your references as soon as possible to be your LOR writers. General rule of thumb is giving LOR writers two months to write/submit the references. In your case, I would let them know which schools you're applying to and the deadlines for each school. Ask them nicely to submit the LORs' at their earliest convenience. As long as you get the LOR in by the deadline, I think you are fine! Good luck 🙂

 

[rcludo]

Yeah, if it's an online process for submitting their letters, it should be pretty much instantaneous from the time they click submit. I usually told my LOR writers that it was due 5-10 days before it actually was, but that was in case something bad happened last-minute with them, not thinking about processing time or anything. And I did ask them to be my references a couple months before the due dates. I think you should be fine saying end of November! Good luck!

 

[futureotter]

Sorry I should have specified, I meant for the OTCAS! I know that they said it can take up to 4-6 weeks to process extra materials, and I was wondering if that counted for references as well. Thank you!

 

[futureotter]

Sorry I should have specified, but I meant for OTCAS. Do you know if it is simultaneous for OTCAS?

 

[rcludo]

Yes, OTCAS emailed me when a reference submitted their letter and right away I was able to sign on and look at that section and it showed that reference as complete. I'd leave a few days in case of any weird bugs, but it was instantaneous for me. I think the extra materials that they're referring to for the 4-6 weeks are things mailed to them (transcripts and whatever else I'm not thinking of). Just make sure you leave time for the verification process if you haven't done that yet (but letters can be submitted after verification so those are unrelated).