LOR Writer MIA...HELP.

[juliebethmarie]

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So I asked a doctor I shadowed (and who I've kept in contact with for 3 years now) to write me my "non-prof"LOR. She said yes, but asked me to write it for her. I've done this before, so it was no big and I sent it to her three weeks ago along with everything she might need to fix and upload it to the AMCAS letter writer.

I emailed her again last week gently reminding her about it, telling her to let me know if she had any questions, and that my applications would not be processed until it was uploaded and delivered.

I have not heard back from her and still am not able to submit my secondaries at a few schools, including my state school where I have a decent shot. I know she's busy, but it's really freaking me out. I could understand if she was writing it herself...but it's already 95% complete! She just needs to put it on a letterhead. Is there a precedent for how many times I can bother her? Should I call schools to see if they can process my secondaries without it? Has anyone encountered this before...and what did you do?!

 

[SN12357]

So I asked a doctor I shadowed (and who I've kept in contact with for 3 years now) to write me my "non-prof"LOR. She said yes, but asked me to write it for her. I've done this before, so it was no big and I sent it to her three weeks ago along with everything she might need to fix and upload it to the AMCAS letter writer.

I emailed her again last week gently reminding her about it, telling her to let me know if she had any questions, and that my applications would not be processed until it was uploaded and delivered.

I have not heard back from her and still am not able to submit my secondaries at a few schools, including my state school where I have a decent shot. I know she's busy, but it's really freaking me out. I could understand if she was writing it herself...but it's already 95% complete! She just needs to put it on a letterhead. Is there a precedent for how many times I can bother her? Should I call schools to see if they can process my secondaries without it? Has anyone encountered this before...and what did you do?!

You need to call her or try and get in contact via some means other than email. Maybe in person. If she has administrative staff, call and talk to them.

And let this be a lesson to get your letters of rec in loooooong before you need them....

 

[juliebethmarie]

Yeah, I know I should have gotten this done sooner. TBH I didn't even think about having a non-professor write one for me until I saw that I needed it on my secondaries.

 

[juliebethmarie]

There is no limit to achieving your goal. Tenacity works. Life is a series of intentions and obstacles. Do whatever it takes no one will do it for you.

I'm taking this to mean I should keep emailing her...although it kinda sounds like you want me to take more drastic measures.

 

[juliebethmarie]

My issue is that she already agreed, so I put her down on many secondary applications. They will not review them until they have that letter. Do I just give up on those schools entirely?

 

[Chelonia]

I was actually in the same position recently, except it was my pre-med committee letter writer that I was waiting on. I had already emailed her when I got my MCAT scores and then I sent a reminder email about a week later. The same week, I called her to remind her again, and she submitted it within a couple hours of me calling, and she wasn't annoyed or angry at all. I think that if you make the effort to see them in person or call them, you can remind them in a way that doesn't come off as annoying. You can even say "I don't want you to feel I'm badgering you, but schools are emailing me saying my application is incomplete without the letter" or something to that extent.