LOR Hell

[nochaser]

Read at your own risk: serious venting follows.

OK, it's been a couple months since I requested LORs from prof's, and only one of the four that agreed to write them has returned one!

My earliest deadline for LORs is 10/25 (Northwestern) and I'm really getting about this. I have sent the "kindly reminders" twice already, the last batch late Sept., asking them to return by Oct. 5th, today, and NOTHING! One of them told me that he sent his on Monday the 1st (dropped in mailbox),so "maybe it just hasn't gotten to premed office yet." Can't understand why a letter takes so long to travel from one campus building to the next!!! Why he couldn't just walk it over I have no idea--even fax it...don't even know why I didn't ask this. I can't seem to locate the others. When I stop by their offices, they're not around. I would hate to have my application rejected because of this. Unbelievable.I don't want to come off as annoying to these people. i know that their days don't revolve around my precious letters of recommendation. But it just burns me up that after all this time--and I thought I was doing them a favor by approaching them at beginning of semester--NOTHING. MCAT and AMCAS are the least of my worries this app cycle.

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[aisha]

here's what you do.. go to their offices and hand carry the letter to the counseling ofice.. esp the ones who told you that they already sent it to the counselling office. tell them very politely that this s the only thing that is holding your apps and that if they could please work on ur letter today and you can go back to the office to pick up the letter. meet them in person.. dont email.. hope this will help..

 

[nochaser]

Thanks for you response, Aisha. There are two people that I have not been able to find in person, but each time I went to their offices, I left notes in their mailboxes (2x each prof), in addition to the reminder emails. I thought about trying to get someone else at this late stage, but it was hard enough to get the guys I got! I was only close enough to one of my science prof's that could guarantee me a strong letter, and he was the first to send in. The others know me from their classes and office visits, and the others that know me well enough that could write super letters are not in science dept. Should I use these prof's as "backup"? WOuld a non-science letter even be accepted? All of my schools require at least 2 from science prof's.

 

[aisha]

well, u need two science letters for most schools and a lot of schools ask for a non-science one.. if u are doing research get one from that prof. that can count as ur science letter if you got units for research. but i think it is very imp to have two science ones .. look, AMCAS is screwing apps and delaying over anyway so dont be pressed for time.. a lot of schools havent even stated looking at the apps yet.. .so dont go get a not-so-good letter , that wouldnt help. how many lettters do u have in hand? which ones? how many more do u need? i would say this again, camp outside the prof's email, u cant miss them unless they are out of town. check with their secretaries an d get their schedules.. dont get stressed out.. it happens.. lastly, notify ur schools, like northwestern, whose deadline is coming up, about ur situation. tell them to please reconsider the deadline for u, i dont think they will be anal about it.

 

[nochaser]

.. lastly, notify ur schools, like northwestern, whose deadline is coming up, about ur situation. tell them to please reconsider the deadline for u, i dont think they will be anal about it.

I'm giving this til Monday afternoon, then I 'll call them. Thanks!

 

[aisha]

cool

 

[sz]

That's really rough nochaser! ... Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with the profs.

All I can say is that you should try to catch them during their posted (ask the respectve depts)office hours. Explain to them that you are approaching a firm deadline, imposed not by you but by the med schools and that you are sorry to be a pest but have no other choice.

Asking to hand carry your own letter may not work (it doesn't work at my school) because these letters are supposed to be confidential and you just can't have access to them even when they are sealed.

I don't understand why some profs procrastinate so much ... writing letters for students is literally a part of their job description! I hope everything works out for you. Good Luck and go be a pest

 

[aisha]

to avoid all this hassle i asked ppl for letters in April and gave them the deadline of June.. I had all 6 of my letters in by june.. U have to give them enuf time to work on the letter

 

[nochaser]

I asked in late Aug/early Sept and to make it worse, they each agreed to have it done and returned within a week after I gave them the forms! What a hassle...thanks for the reply, sz. True, i waived my rights, so I cannot handle the letters personally.

 

[jargon124]

What? Northwestern's LOR's are due 10/25? Can anyone confirm this? I recently added Northwestern to my designated schoools and I have note even received an invitation to complete the online secondary yet. What gives?

 

[Badgerbabe]

Relax, Northwestern's due dates vary by applicant. My letters were due in September. I'm sure your secondary invite is on the way.

 

[jargon124]

That's what I figured. Thanks Badger...and don't worry - I am chill

 

[nochaser]

Badger,

You'll actually get two due dates for Northwestern: One for the secondary app, and a later date for LORs. My dates--Oct 15th for 2nd dary and 25th for LORs.

 

[nochaser]

Oops--meant to direct that last post to Jargon, not Badger...