LOR rant

I'm in the same bind, but Im' waiting on two letters.
I've sent out 10 secondaries and I got 4 or5 left, but it don't matter without the damn letters!
agrgh

 

This whole LOR thing is driving me NUTS!!!! I totally understand what you guys feel, since I've completed 10 secondaries already (10 more to go) but because SOME LOR people just don't do what they promise, even when they're reminded (!), all my early work do not count as early!!!! Just one recommender can put you back for months!!! I will be backed up more than a month because of that!!! And I totally gave these LOR people a lot of time in advance!!!

Sorry to rant, but I feel a bit better now.

 

There are quite a few schools that request non-science letters. I suggest contacting each individual schools to see if they will make exceptions. I talked to Michigan and they are OK with it, but you may have to find one.
g'luck

 

Ok, I'm ready to add my sob story. I thought I would check in with my pre-med office since I haven't heard anything from them. Turns out one of my letters (the one from the PI I've been working for for the last two years) is missing. It was due at the end of June and I know that it was sent almost 2 months ago!! ARGGHH. So anyway, last Monday, I had my PI's secratary dig up the letter he wrote and have him re-sign it and send it again. stupid me, i didn't think to tell them to send it certified and it hasn't shown up at the pre-med office yet. I think i'm going to cry!! My boss is going to think i'm the biggest moron if I need to ask for ANOTHER letter. I've already sent out about half of my secondaries, but the pre-med office still has to write the committee letter (which they're waiting to do until they get all my letters!). I was so proud of myself for getting everything done early - now it doesn't even matter.


ok, enough moping. i need to stop stressing myself out. ranting really helps!!

 

this makes lazy people feel good honestly though, this sort of stuff sucks, because there's so little the applicant can do about it.

 

I, too, was ranting until today. I finally met w/ my last letter writer (after a handful of emails AND contacting his g/f) today. Now I can breathe a big sigh of relief. Don't fret guys...there's a light at the end of the tunnel. It's just that some tunnels are longer than others.

As for my non-science letter, I've been to hell and back. I tried to get my humanities TA (I know TA's are looked down upon, but she has her PhD and can explain certain grade trends), but apparently she got married, changed her last name, and no longer teaches at the school. Wonderful. I tried tracking her down with every method short of contacting the FBI. I was even desperate enough to check that stupid "Classmates" website where you track down past schoolmate. Anyways, to make this short, I gave up and asked my psych prof for her letter, which I know will be crappy because I didn't know the woman and gave her like 2 weeks to write it.

Letter of rec's make you feel even more powerless when you're a control-freak pre-med.

 

sniff, sniff

i'm still feeling sorry for myself. how pathetic.

 

I must admit this post is making me crazed since my premed committee has not yet sent out our letters, and isn't planning to do so for another month. They claim all the adcom people are on the beach now anyways, so I just should not worry! My secondaries are going to have a heep of dust on them my the time my recs get there =mad:

 

Any one else in a similar situation?

 

yup. still waiting on 2 LORs... one from a guy on an adcom, the other from my PI. arrrrrrgh!!!!!

so frustrating b/c i've sent in 10 secondaries, but haven't been able to send in LORs to complete my files. so much for being prepared...

the good news is, unc (my first choice but golly, i'll be happy to go anywhere!) hasn't sent out secondaries yet, so i'm not behind there... trying to find positive aspects of this situation wherever i can.

 

wow, what bastards. you should forward them the interview lists from these boards.

 

Yeah, I thought about that tactic, however somehow I don't think it would get me anywhere. I have sent them a couple "concerned" emails though. There now telling me just 3 more weeks, eeks! Worst part is they were so adamant we get everything in for AMCAs first two weeks in June, and then turn our secondaries around in two weeks without exception, yet they aren't holding their end of the bargain up.

When I mentioned my concerns the first time, I was told to read a book called "worry" . I mean really!

Rant over...just feels good to get it off my chest.