LOR Situation - Very Worried

[oceanman]

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Hey everyone,

So I have already received mostly all of the LORs I requested from professors, DO etc. However, one professor has not responded yet. I spoke with this professor numerous times about a month ago discussing the letter. He agreed to my June 1st deadline and told me he would have it done by then. He also told me to send him weekly reminders by email. I have been doing so, but today is June 1st and I have yet to hear back from him. I even send him other emails, but he never responds. This is worrying me because it is one of my science letters. I do not know what to do. It's not like I can go talk to him because I am on summer vacation 300 miles away. Maybe he forgot? I am not sure if I should start looking for other science LOR writers. Any thoughts?

 

[mathnerd88]

Email the guy and ask? This happens to many of us quite often. You just have to be persistent but also be polite at the same time. I had professors who delayed their submission by a couple months. In any case, it isn't important to have them in now, as your school won't deem you complete unless you submit all your secondaries too.

You don't need LOR to submit the AACOMAS app. June 1st isn't an end all date. You can still have LOR's in by July and still be super early.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Hey everyone,

So I have already received mostly all of the LORs I requested from professors, DO etc. However, one professor has not responded yet. I spoke with this professor numerous times about a month ago discussing the letter. He agreed to my June 1st deadline and told me he would have it done by then. He also told me to send him weekly reminders by email. I have been doing so, but today is June 1st and I have yet to hear back from him. I even send him other emails, but he never responds. This is worrying me because it is one of my science letters. I do not know what to do. It's not like I can go talk to him because I am on summer vacation 300 miles away. Maybe he forgot? I am not sure if I should start looking for other science LOR writers. Any thoughts?

Send an email tomorrow maybe and inquire about the letter. You can ask if maybe the email didn't reach you for some reason.

 

[oceanman]

Send an email tomorrow maybe and inquire about the letter. You can ask if maybe the email didn't reach you for some reason.

I emailed him about an hour ago, but as usual he won't reply. I have no other way to contact him. He should at least let me know that he will take a bit longer to write the letter, but nothing.

 

[oceanman]

Email the guy and ask? This happens to many of us quite often. You just have to be persistent but also be polite at the same time. I had professors who delayed their submission by a couple months. In any case, it isn't important to have them in now, as your school won't deem you complete unless you submit all your secondaries too.

You don't need LOR to submit the AACOMAS app. June 1st isn't an end all date. You can still have LOR's in by July and still be super early.

I have literally emailed him over a dozen times this past month. I have already e-submitted my application, but I really wanted all my letters in by MY deadline so I don't have to worry about them anymore. The thing that grinds my gears is the fact that he agreed to the deadline and has not gone through with it (who knows it might miraculously get submitted today). To me that is extremely unprofessional. I understand that things happen and professors are super busy, but he could have at least told me that he would need more time to write the letter.

 

[ortnakas]

I emailed him about an hour ago, but as usual he won't reply. I have no other way to contact him. He should at least let me know that he will take a bit longer to write the letter, but nothing.

It's only been an hour, don't panic!

Another reason not to panic-- LOR writers are notoriously untimely, it's probably not personal.

If email isn't working, perhaps try leaving a voicemail at his office? (99% sure his office phone number will be on his faculty website).

 

[oceanman]

It's only been an hour, don't panic!

Another reason not to panic-- LOR writers are notoriously untimely, it's probably not personal.

If email isn't working, perhaps try leaving a voicemail at his office? (99% sure his office phone number will be on his faculty website).

Yeah, I'm going to call his office number and leave a voicemail in a bit. Hopefully I can get a hold of him.

 

[Grace184]

It's not the end of the "business day." That would be the June 1st deadline. You already sent him an email today, call him tomorrow. I'm just saying when I had to write LORs for students, and they all had different days, I had them done by the end of the business day on the day due. I'd be super annoyed if you emailed and called in the same hour. But I do agree, unprofessional not to respond at all last month.

On the other hand, maybe something serious happened to him. Point being, you don't know. If you haven't heard from him at all in a week I would call the department secretary making sure he's a) alive and if so b) leave her a direct message to call you. Then start lining up another professor bc it's getting sketchy.

 

[oceanman]

That's some solid advice. Thanks!

 

[adrian710]

Email the guy and ask? This happens to many of us quite often. You just have to be persistent but also be polite at the same time. I had professors who delayed their submission by a couple months. In any case, it isn't important to have them in now, as your school won't deem you complete unless you submit all your secondaries too.

You don't need LOR to submit the AACOMAS app. June 1st isn't an end all date. You can still have LOR's in by July and still be super early.

Similiar position. I have 3 of 4 letters ready to go, my genetics prof seems to be delaying. Should I still submit app and letters through inter folio, and once the last letter comes in, then send that on through?

 

[oceanman]

Similiar position. I have 3 of 4 letters ready to go, my genetics prof seems to be delaying. Should I still submit app and letters through inter folio, and once the last letter comes in, then send that on through?

Definitely! Don't wait for letters to submit your app. Submit your app ASAP and get verified. Letters need to be in by the time secondaries come around.

 

[adrian710]

Definitely! Don't wait for letters to submit your app. Submit your app ASAP and get verified. Letters need to be in by the time secondaries come around.

Are you using the Evaluations thing on AACOMAS for ur letters though?

 

[oceanman]

Are you using the Evaluations thing on AACOMAS for ur letters though?

Yeah

 

[swolebrah]

I was in similar situation except one of my doctor letters wasn't written on official letterhead so I had to quickly go into recovery mode lol.

Since you have already emailed, you need to call his office tomorrow. Not today since you already emailed. Also when you call him let him know that you are sorry to interrupt him but you need this letter or else you could be at a serious disadvantage. I know the feeling of just realizing you have no control over something that could affect your application, but it's going to be ok. Also in the mean time, possibly go visit him in person in the next few days if he still does not respond? Most science professors over the summer still do research and apply for grants for their departments, he might still be there- I know my professors were.

 

[mathnerd88]

I have literally emailed him over a dozen times this past month. I have already e-submitted my application, but I really wanted all my letters in by MY deadline so I don't have to worry about them anymore. The thing that grinds my gears is the fact that he agreed to the deadline and has not gone through with it (who knows it might miraculously get submitted today). To me that is extremely unprofessional. I understand that things happen and professors are super busy, but he could have at least told me that he would need more time to write the letter.

Lots of professors are like that. Either you just wait it out on them or you find another professor who is willing to write one for you. You don't want to piss him off because he can write you a bad one which will affect your chances.

Although you have your own deadlines, you shouldn't worry too much about your professor. Even if they submit it by end of June, that's fine because secondaries get released around that time. The schools care about the whole package being completed. You have a lot more buffer for LOR.

 

[oceanman]

I appreciate all the input. The professor literally just submitted the letter! 🙂

 

[Oh_Gee]

I was waiting for my last science letter today and was getting anxious because I also sent multiple emails this month to remind him but he never replied to any. I called him today and he said he just finished submitting grades and had 3 letters to work on. Submitted later today!