LOR problem - need advice!

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LAman10

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I requested a LOR from a professor in early April. she said she would write it (she knows me decently well) and that the way she normally does letters is to meet one-on-one with students right at the end of school to chat, and then she writes them while their meeting is fresh in her mind. Well, I've been emailing her for the last two weeks (I think I emailed twice so far) and haven't gotten a response yet. School just ended this past week, and now I'm panicking a little. I'm thinking she might just be busy with final grades and stuff, so that's why she hasn't been responding. but I really need closure on this because since she committed to it already, I've been counting on it and now I wouldn't have the opportunity to ask any other professors (since school is over). I'm thinking of emailing one more time, and if I dont get a response, I was thinking of just going to her office on campus. Would this be a bad idea? Would it be inappropriate? Like I said, she knows me decently well and I got the highest grade in her class (out of 300 students), but I didn't want to do anything inappropriate.
 
I requested a LOR from a professor in early April. she said she would write it (she knows me decently well) and that the way she normally does letters is to meet one-on-one with students right at the end of school to chat, and then she writes them while their meeting is fresh in her mind. Well, I've been emailing her for the last two weeks (I think I emailed twice so far) and haven't gotten a response yet. School just ended this past week, and now I'm panicking a little. I'm thinking she might just be busy with final grades and stuff, so that's why she hasn't been responding. but I really need closure on this because since she committed to it already, I've been counting on it and now I wouldn't have the opportunity to ask any other professors (since school is over). I'm thinking of emailing one more time, and if I dont get a response, I was thinking of just going to her office on campus. Would this be a bad idea? Would it be inappropriate? Like I said, she knows me decently well and I got the highest grade in her class (out of 300 students), but I didn't want to do anything inappropriate.

Definitely go see her. Not inappropriate. Tell her you were available to answer any questions she may have about your letter...

If she is still involved in grading, that probably explains it. One of my profs held off doing any letters until after all grades were in. He told us he had 80+ letters to write. Finally got it about a week ago...I was sweating that one, too, because I requested it in March, and had no idea he would be waiting until June to write it...
 
Maybe you just need to go in to see her?

Did you mention anywhere in your email that you would love to see her in her office "next week" or something?

Teachers are often busy, sometimes they say a mental "yes" to things and forget to respond. If you said ANYTHING such as "I would love to see you next week", "I hope you're free next week for me to stop by" she may be expecting you any time.

I would go in 🙂
 
Definitely go see her. Not inappropriate. Tell her you were available to answer any questions she may have about your letter...

If she is still involved in grading, that probably explains it. One of my profs held off doing any letters until after all grades were in. He told us he had 80+ letters to write. Finally got it about a week ago...I was sweating that one, too, because I requested it in March, and had no idea he would be waiting until June to write it...


Maybe you just need to go in to see her?

Did you mention anywhere in your email that you would love to see her in her office "next week" or something?

Teachers are often busy, sometimes they say a mental "yes" to things and forget to respond. If you said ANYTHING such as "I would love to see you next week", "I hope you're free next week for me to stop by" she may be expecting you any time.

I would go in 🙂

Ok, this makes me feel a bit better. I didn't say "I would like to stop by" or anything like that, but I did say I would love to meet with her for a bit and that I'm free pretty much anytime. She seemed really receptive to the idea of writing me one when I requested it, and I can't imagine she would back out now. But I wasn't sure if it was a rude gesture to just show up at her office. However, if this is not out of the norm, I think I will go ahead and do that if I don't get a response by the end of the week.
 
I am in kind of the same situation except I am 3000 mi away from the school now! 2 different professors, one of whom I know is REALLY busy, and the other somewhat flaky, both agreed previously to write me letters.

I emailed them both at the beginning of May, since I wanted my letters by the end of June at the latest, and I knew how they were, and again at the end of May and have not heard anything back. I just called them both today and left a voicemail... so hopefully that will work.

It just makes me so nervous - cause I REALLY need one of them in particular, and I don't want to be pushy or bothersome.
 
Did you call your school and ask if those two professors were still at your school right now?
 
Yeah they are, I have friends in the department and it was their name/voice on the voicemail. one was my thesis advisor. I know how he is, super busy and doing things at the last minute... which is why I've been sending emails at polite intervals for 2 months!!

I know I have impatient tendencies... so hopefully my voicemails will work out 🙂
 
Would you people please chill. These faculty KNOW that no one is going to read these LORs until about August 1. The end of the year is a very busy time and then faculty just need a little time to unwind. There is plenty of time for them to get your letters out.
 
Would you people please chill. These faculty KNOW that no one is going to read these LORs until about August 1. The end of the year is a very busy time and then faculty just need a little time to unwind. There is plenty of time for them to get your letters out.

haha sorry! the thing is I'm leaving the state in about a week, and if I don't make any contact with her by then.... idk what I'd do. I'd just like to get everything straightened out before then!
 
Yes, relax! You're not going to need her letter until later in the cycle (But, this could be as early as in August). Just go to her office, have a talk with her, and rid yourself of all the doubts and worries once and for all.🙂
 
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