Still waiting on a letter of rec.

[cipher]

Has anyone else here had their secondaries in for months now but can't get their apps processed because you're still waiting on one letter of recommendation?
I keep calling the guy every week to tell him how important it is for him to get the letter in, and he keeps putting it off! And there's nothing I can do about it!!

<---Me for the past 2 months

 

[Serenity07]

Here are some suggestions I've seen on the forum that may help:

1. Send a note thanking him for writing the letter...hopefully this will make him feel guilty so he'll write the letter quickly

2. Lie and say that a school called and said if you complete your application by next Friday you can get an interview slot that just opened up...this worked for me, and so far I haven't been caught in my lie

3. Find another person to write the letter.

Hope this helps!!

 

[cipher]

Well, I called him yesterday to tell him that if his letter isn't in immediately, Northwestern will not accept my application (which is true!). He told me that he would fedex it on Friday, but I've been hearing that for weeks now.
If I could have had someone else write the letter for me, I would have, but he was my research mentor and some schools require letters from anyone you did research with.

At this point I just have to pray that he actually gets the letter in very soon.

It's completely ridiculous that my application can be rejected because of something that is out of my control.

 

[finney]

have you considered offering to write a "rough" draft that he can easily tweek?

 

[SMW]

Offer to come pick it up and physically take it yourself to FedEx. I had to do that with one of mine last year.

 

[cipher]

Originally posted by SMW
Offer to come pick it up and physically take it yourself to FedEx. I had to do that with one of mine last year.

I wish I could do this, but unfortunately he's on the opposite coast.

 

[Zoobaby]

You could play the desperate card. "Really Dr. such-and-such, I really need this letter in the next couple of days. I understand you're busy and all, but I'm seeing my future pass me by. Your getting the letter in today could really make a huge difference in the course of my life. PLEASE! Don't make me go back to [insert past crappy job here]" *sniff sniff*