rec letter

[camisho]

Hey guys...I asked a professor for a letter (one to be mailed to my prehealth committee and another copy to some masters programs) towards the end of January and my committee has still not received it. I wrote him a thank you e-mail about 3 weeks ago (more as an indirect reminder than anything else) and never got a response. I want to get my stuff in ASAP...what should I do?

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[39094]

Let them know!

Professors get busy and forget about things, it's nothing personal. Just send them and email or go to their office and ask if they were able to send that letter out for you. It may have even gotten lost in transit.


I had the same problem with one of my professors. I had to remind him 3 times before he got the letter in, and that was a month after it was due.

In any case, don't be afraid to go talk to your prof.

unles he/she is an ogre who will club you and eat your bones......

 

[docmemi]

yes. for sure go to your prof. one of mine got lost too.

 

[jlee9531]

be persistent...

professors are hella busy and tend to forget about emails they read or notes they write to themselves about doing something for you.

 

[cytotech27]

I feel your pain comisho-I asked for letters in january and only 2 have been recieved by the premed com. It's not like they have never written letters before. And I have been reminding them, one of them I call every week! One doc lost my paperwork twice! I asked more people than I need in anticipation of this happening, but still am having this timing problem. I hope if I am ever in their position I will write letters in a timely manner!!

 

[lynx]

Yep, that happened to me as well. I asked one professor like 3 times - never received it. Somebody told me at that point (or I read it somewhere) that if the professor doesn't write it after a couple of reminders that could mean that he doesn't really want to give you a recommendation for whatever reasons. He can't say - hey, I can't give you a recommendation directly, so he is just trying to avoid writing it. All other professors wrote me letters with enthusiam and right away. My 2 cents would be - try to ask some other professor if it's possible. Maybe even ask several - at least one should respond positively and help you out.

 

[Deuteronomy]

try to ask some other professor if it's possible.

agreed...you can't assume that the professor simply forgot cause he/she was busy.


Most likley, it looks like you will not get a strong letter from this particular prof.