LOR Writer ghosting me

[SerUnMedico]

One of my professors whom I had asked for a LOR is ghosting me. I took 2 of his courses and got A on both, attended every office hours and participated in class. I believe I really connected with him and felt comfortable enough to request an LOR. I met with him in person and he asked me some typical questions (why I want to be a doctor, etc) and he also asked me to email him my resume and an “About Me” essay (like a summary of my PS). I did all that promptly. Now the school year has ended and my application is in review and this professor hasn’t submitted his LOR. I have emailed him twice to follow up and so far, ZERO RESPONSE. If he really didn’t want to write an LOR for me, what’s wrong with just letting me know instead of leading me on? (He sounded supportive during our meeting). If he is too busy, is it really that hard to send a quick email response to let me know? I had asked this professor way before I even started my application because he’s one of the few I felt I really connected with. I’m just a little disappointed at his lack of response. My question is, should I bother to send yet another follow up email? I know he’s teaching a summer class, should I show up on campus and ask him in person?

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[LizzyM]

He's teaching this summer. Give him a break. As long as he has the letter submitted by September 1, you'll be fine. Please don't show up on campus to ask him. That could seem unfriendly/threatening. It wouldn't be terrible to send an email asking how the summer term is going and noting that the LOR hasn't been submitted yet and asking if there is anything else that he needs from you. Ask him if there will be any problem getting is submitted by Sept 1. Wait for his response. Teaching in summer may be a handful and he'll get to your letter, in a good frame of mind, when the term is over.

 

[SerUnMedico]

He's teaching this summer. Give him a break. As long as he has the letter submitted by September 1, you'll be fine. Please don't show up on campus to ask him. That could seem unfriendly/threatening. It wouldn't be terrible to send an email asking how the summer term is going and noting that the LOR hasn't been submitted yet and asking if there is anything else that he needs from you. Ask him if there will be any problem getting is submitted by Sept 1. Wait for his response. Teaching in summer may be a handful and he'll get to your letter, in a good frame of mind, when the term is over.

Thank you for your input! This really helps.

 

[eigen]

In my experience, my students want my letters to be submitted way earlier than they're needed, and this stresses everyone all around. I know when schools will need letters and time my submission for that.

 

[SerUnMedico]

He's teaching this summer. Give him a break. As long as he has the letter submitted by September 1, you'll be fine. Please don't show up on campus to ask him. That could seem unfriendly/threatening. It wouldn't be terrible to send an email asking how the summer term is going and noting that the LOR hasn't been submitted yet and asking if there is anything else that he needs from you. Ask him if there will be any problem getting is submitted by Sept 1. Wait for his response. Teaching in summer may be a handful and he'll get to your letter, in a good frame of mind, when the term is over.

I’ve received emails from some of the schools I’m applying to and was informed that my application will not be reviewed until all materials are submitted, including letters from all LOR writers listed on my AMCAS. I could be wrong but from my understanding, the sooner my application materials are in, the sooner it’s reviewed, the better. It seems Sept. 1st is way too late and without knowing he’s even planning on writing such letter? I also no longer feel comfortable reaching out and sending yet another email to follow up. I’m super anxious and desperate, not sure how to navigate this.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Article, though in the OP's circumstances, it's a bit late

A Strategic Guide to Letters of Recommendation - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

I'm also guessing you don't have a prehealth advisor available for help.

I can't speak for every program you applied to, but interview season is long. Many committee letters arrive in September, and despite what the admissions offices may tell you, applicants with (later) committee letters are not disadvantaged in getting interviews or offers.

Many experts here have been involved with advising and admissions for many years, and we tell people to form strong relationships with your letter-writers well before beginning the application process.

I am sure you want to nag your professor now, but you risk them pushing out a less-than-optimal letter. It's like when we tell you that we need some task completed by Friday, but you have a ton to do. If we keep nagging you, would you send in your best work? Remind the professor respectfully how important it is that they send out your LOR before September 1. Dangle a gift (meaningful, like a $25 Starbucks card, which should cover 3 drinks now? Or homemade cookies). Use your teamwork experience to help your professor complete your task in a way they feel most comfortable. Show us your empathetic leadership.

If not, then ...

 

[The Deep]

Article, though in the OP's circumstances, it's a bit late

A Strategic Guide to Letters of Recommendation - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

I'm also guessing you don't have a prehealth advisor available for help.

I can't speak for every program you applied to, but interview season is long. Many committee letters arrive in September, and despite what the admissions offices may tell you, applicants with (later) committee letters are not disadvantaged in getting interviews or offers.

Many experts here have been involved with advising and admissions for many years, and we tell people to form strong relationships with your letter-writers well before beginning the application process.

I am sure you want to nag your professor now, but you risk them pushing out a less-than-optimal letter. It's like when we tell you that we need some task completed by Friday, but you have a ton to do. If we keep nagging you, would you send in your best work? Remind the professor respectfully how important it is that they send out your LOR before September 1. Dangle a gift (meaningful, like a $25 Starbucks card, which should cover 3 drinks now? Or homemade cookies). Use your teamwork experience to help your professor complete your task in a way they feel most comfortable. Show us your empathetic leadership.

If not, then ...
View attachment 389867

Doesn't it still put you at a massive disadvantage at schools like Tulane to be complete so late?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Doesn't it still put you at a massive disadvantage at schools like Tulane to be complete so late?

You, along with several hundred/thousand other applicants, who have to wait for their letters. If you have shown your mission fit, your application has a shot. Get everything else in that you can control. But I have no evidence that waiting for letters heavily disadvantages those applicants (in the processes I have been involved with).

While You Are Waiting: Processing Health Professions Applications - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[LizzyM]

The application cycle is months long. They schools don't "spend" all their interview invites in August. I no longer read applications pre-interview but when I did the cycle was about as long as the college football season: it got started in late August, was heavy through early December and trailed off to be over shortly after new year's day. Keep that in mind when you feel like you are going to lose your mind.

 

[Mr. Macrophage]

The application cycle is months long. They schools don't "spend" all their interview invites in August. I no longer read applications pre-interview but when I did the cycle was about as long as the college football season: it got started in late August, was heavy through early December and trailed off to be over shortly after new year's day. Keep that in mind when you feel like you are going to lose your mind.

@SerUnMedico here is a chart to help you visualize LizzyM’s point, based on data from cycletracker. While this is not representative of the entire application pool given that the average cycletrack user does not represent the average applicant, it goes to show that there is still a massive portion of interview invites available after August or even after September.

 

[eigen]

I could be wrong but from my understanding, the sooner my application materials are in, the sooner it’s reviewed, the better. It seems Sept. 1st is way too late

This is common advice among pre-meds, but it's not common advice from folks experienced with admissions. As you've been told by several admissions committee members, being complete by labor day is fine.

Doesn't it still put you at a massive disadvantage at schools like Tulane to be complete so late?

No. For one, schools don't review in the order applications are received. For another, lots of folks are doing other things over the summer (supervising research, etc.) and are starting to sit down in force as the summer ends to start reviewing things.

 

[SerUnMedico]

Article, though in the OP's circumstances, it's a bit late

A Strategic Guide to Letters of Recommendation - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

I'm also guessing you don't have a prehealth advisor available for help.

I can't speak for every program you applied to, but interview season is long. Many committee letters arrive in September, and despite what the admissions offices may tell you, applicants with (later) committee letters are not disadvantaged in getting interviews or offers.

Many experts here have been involved with advising and admissions for many years, and we tell people to form strong relationships with your letter-writers well before beginning the application process.

I am sure you want to nag your professor now, but you risk them pushing out a less-than-optimal letter. It's like when we tell you that we need some task completed by Friday, but you have a ton to do. If we keep nagging you, would you send in your best work? Remind the professor respectfully how important it is that they send out your LOR before September 1. Dangle a gift (meaningful, like a $25 Starbucks card, which should cover 3 drinks now? Or homemade cookies). Use your teamwork experience to help your professor complete your task in a way they feel most comfortable. Show us your empathetic leadership.

If not, then ...
View attachment 389867

I appreciate your input. Thank you!!!!

 

[SerUnMedico]

This is common advice among pre-meds, but it's not common advice from folks experienced with admissions. As you've been told by several admissions committee members, being complete by labor day is fine.

No. For one, schools don't review in the order applications are received. For another, lots of folks are doing other things over the summer (supervising research, etc.) and are starting to sit down in force as the summer ends to start reviewing things.

They don’t? What/how exactly is the process? I was always told, “Get your application in asap,” and “Taking the MCAT in Aug/Sept is way late for the current application cycle.”

 

[wysdoc]

They don’t? What/how exactly is the process? I was always told, “Get your application in asap,” and “Taking the MCAT in Aug/Sept is way late for the current application cycle.”

The latest MCAT dates accepted for each cycle is a checkable fact and there are no MCAT tests administered in October, November, or December.

Your other question is unanswerable because each school has its own process for sorting applications.

 

[LizzyM]

My general recommendation is to take the MCAT no later than April.
Apply no later than July 4th
Have secondaries and letters of recommendation submitted by Labor Day (early September)
Don't fret about not having an interview until Thanksgiving.
Don't expect to have an offer until Mardi Gras (mid-February/early March).

Your application might sit for months before anyone looks at it but it is not a bad idea to submit it well ahead of the school's published deadline.

 

[SerUnMedico]

My general recommendation is to take the MCAT no later than April.
Apply no later than July 4th
Have secondaries and letters of recommendation submitted by Labor Day (early September)
Don't fret about not having an interview until Thanksgiving.
Don't expect to have an offer until Mardi Gras (mid-February/early March).

Your application might sit for months before anyone looks at it but it is not a bad idea to submit it well ahead of the school's published deadline.

Good to know! Thank you!!
So, what does “rolling admission” mean?

 

[LizzyM]

Good to know! Thank you!!
So, what does “rolling admission” mean?

At some schools, rolling admissions means that offers are made shortly after an application is reviewed and that those who apply late are unlikely to be admitted because the school has made all the offers it intends to make. In other cases, it can mean that it makes offers throughout the season, not all at the end as is typical in doctoral programs that hold one or two interview weekends and then make offers in the late winter.

The fact is that 25% of all applicants arrive on Day #1 and the school could easily fill a class with qualified applicants from that 25% and call it a day. I highly doubt any school would do that.

 

[eigen]

They don’t? What/how exactly is the process? I was always told, “Get your application in asap,” and “Taking the MCAT in Aug/Sept is way late for the current application cycle.”

Being complete by labor day is a very different thing than taking the MCAT in Aug/Sept.

You want your MCAT taken before you submit primary applications, you want to submit your primary application in June or early July. Your secondaries and letters should be in by Labor Day: that's what it means to be "complete" at an institution.

Early is good, but "the absolute earliest" isn't always necessary, nor is being "ASAP". You want a strong application, and you don't want to be "late" in the review process.

 

[SerUnMedico]

Being complete by labor day is a very different thing than taking the MCAT in Aug/Sept.

You want your MCAT taken before you submit primary applications, you want to submit your primary application in June or early July. Your secondaries and letters should be in by Labor Day: that's what it means to be "complete" at an institution.

Early is good, but "the absolute earliest" isn't always necessary, nor is being "ASAP". You want a strong application, and you don't want to be "late" in the review process.

Thank you!!!!!!!!