Doesn't it just suck when...

[Shrami]

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Doesn't it just suck when the people you entrust to write your recommendations finish doing them at the last minute. The worst thing one could hear is, "Oh, we haven't received any reccs from you yet"...just a few days before the deadline. This always happens to me for some reason...and there's no guarantee that these letters will get there on time via mail.

I understand that these are busy professionals, but it's easy for me to dismiss this as just plain insensitivity. Urghhhh! 😱 😱

 

[bgreet]

Exactly why I already have all of my letters of recommendation, and I'm applying for 2006.....

 

[chanjurban]

You think that's bad...

One of my strongest LORs should have come from the one professor that I actually developed a relationship with. She even recommended for a job interview after I graduated. When I called to tell her I was applying, she told me - make sure to line up at least 1 more LOR than what was required. And she said she'd be happy to write a letter for me. She even told me a lot of good stuff that she felt she would be able to include in the letter.

Thank goodness I took her advice b/c she didn't come through. Never sent a letter, never gave me an explanation.

Ah well....

 

[every1blowz]

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[Psycho Doctor]

Exactly why I already have all of my letters of recommendation, and I'm applying for 2006.....

good for you! i also got mine early...but not THAT early

 

[Haybrant]

One of my teachers, who I had asked two weeks ahead of time, just screwed me over.

Yesterday, I reminded her that I'd need it today. And today, she didn't even show up to school. All this time I was sre you wanted to write me something, I even asked about it and she said she'd be happy. Why would someone say that and in the end ruin an interview for you when they simply could have said they didn not want to?

Funny thing is, this teacher is always telling us to be dependable.

2 wks isnt enough for a rec; anyway i got majorly screwed too

 

[AStudent]

I told mine that I needed it "No later" than May 30th 2004, that way when they turned them in in June I was still ok 😀

 

[Shrami]

I asked one of my profs today if he had finaly posted the letters, which are due in 3 days. He simply said "No" and my knees felt weak, I didn't say anything, I couldn't. I think it's just deliberate sabotage. I said "...but there are 3 days left". He replied, "Oh...it will get there."
This guy will not be writing any more recs for me anytime soon, my mind is made up.

 

[bbaek]

how much time should you give someone to write a letter of rec? 1 month? 2 months?

also, if you can get a letter of rec from your head research, who is a md, phd, and a letter of rec from a lead researcher in the same lab, who has only a phd, is that ok? getting two letters of rec from two different ppl in the same lab? and would that be considered extracurricular letter or science letter. i am in that lab to do research.

 

[Bap2qwrq7]

how much time should you give someone to write a letter of rec? 1 month? 2 months?

also, if you can get a letter of rec from your head research, who is a md, phd, and a letter of rec from a lead researcher in the same lab, who has only a phd, is that ok? getting two letters of rec from two different ppl in the same lab? and would that be considered extracurricular letter or science letter. i am in that lab to do research.

Hmm, I dunno, that seems like overkill. Does the lead researcher know you better then your PI? If he does, why don't you get him to write a letter and have your PI cosign on it.

And research letters account for extracurricular letters.

 

[mwhou]

Hmm, I dunno, that seems like overkill. Does the lead researcher know you better then your PI? If he does, why don't you get him to write a letter and have your PI cosign on it.

And research letters account for extracurricular letters.

Ask 2-3 months ahead of time. (and give a deadline 1-2 weeks ahead.) In their defense: Professors are busy, and many people ask for letters. Also, out need for letters seems to coincide with finals / grants and other activities.

MANY PEOPLE have had their medical school chances hurt by not asking far enough in advance! I have personally had letters take 2 months + (despite my gentle urging), and have heard many similar stories.

Losing good LORs seems like a big risk that is easilly averted. Don't let it happen to you!

 

[DrDarwin]

One late LOR, more than the August MCAT, has probably been my problem. Ironically, however, the letter has been mentioned at both of my interviews thus far. One interviewer said the letter "was worth waiting for," and a different interviewer (at a differerent school) said the same letter is "incredible." Although people advise you to have alternate referees, you basically have to have LORs from certain people. The above letter came from someone who advised me during a very meaningful and significant life and academic experience. I therefore had to have his letter. I considered not listing my adviser's name on my supplemental applications (so that schools would not wait to receive it before reviewing my file), but the schools may have then questioned how meaningful my experience actually was. In conclusion, try to get your LORs in early, but also try to refrain from worrying excessively about things you can't control. If you must have a LOR from someone who is an obvious procrastinator, pester him/her as frequently as possible about submitting the letter. That's as much as you can do.

 

[efex101]

Get the letters months in advance and then it is up to you to actually check every now and then with either the professor or the medical school that should have received the letter, to make sure that indeed it has been sent/received. This whole process can be quite painless if you are proactive versus reactive...good luck.

 

[teh-t]

the bottom line is that if it is a good/great letter than it will be worth waiting for.

If you are a good candidate then you would be a top choice off the wait list.

 

[DMBFan]

I just applied,and I was wondering what the definition of a "good rec" was. I got to read my letter bec. my prof had written me a rec the year before for some program and I thought it was "good." The letter basically listed my class rank in the (class) which had 200+ students in it. Would that be considered helpful in my admissions chances? Or is good more of a qualitative assessment?

 

[efex101]

LOR's that put your class rank are good but a really good LOR speaks about other qualities aside from what your rank was. This is why it is so important to try to get letters from professors/PI's that really know you well. Things like motivation to help othres, how did you get along with your classmates (team work), altruistic side, etc. Although it may seem impossible to get to know professors it is really not that difficult if the relationship is nurtured early on. Attending class and getting that professor to write a letter usually will not produce the best lors'..

 

[musiclink213]

i usually ask my prof's for the LOR after the class is over. that way, they still remember you. although i don't really have that problem with my science profs, since they all knew me before i even had them in class (there's not too many of us biochem/chem majors). But i give them the rec., and then i keep asking them to send it in (like one of my profs who supposedly has it written, but hasn't handed it to the office yet). but in my school, we need to have them in by the end of our junior year, since then we do the pre med committee interview, and they use those recs to help write the comittee LOR.