STRESSED OUT!- A rant

[Chieka]

I stayed home today (my day off) and spent over three hours attempting to clear up my appn stuff.

It turns out that a second professor hasn't been sending my letters. So now, my already late application (AMCAS submitted Sept 25) is further delayed.

Plus, AMCAS messed up my MCAT info; I took the test twice and they only had one set of scores on file.

So, I have been calling and faxing a bunch of places and racking up a long distance phone bill (I'm in Canada), not to mention the fact that I could have spent the time working on my final projects that are due in two weeks.

I'll be relieved when this is all over.

C.

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[shamthis]

when i first looked at the title i thought- oh...not another one....but you legitimately have a reason to rant. im not saying you didnt bring this upon yourself because you could have theoretically avoided all this. Still, i advise you stay cool. Get on the reccomenders tail until he or she moves.

Stay cool, b, i mean, c. (lame i know)

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Chieka,
I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with your apps. If I could make things easier for you, I would.

Here's what i found:

A calling card that you can buy online for 10 bucks to call from Canada and you get over 60 mins free. That's 16 cents a minute to call the US. Go to callingcards.com and click on "global caller." That's the card I'm talking about.

At least this way your $$$ might be saved.

Aside from that, I don't know what I can do to help you. Try and stay positive (I know it's hard) and work smart. We are racing against time (a bit) and you don't want to lose any of it. PM me if you want comfort, want to vent more, etc.

Be well.

 

[traveller4ever]

I know what u mean. I'm from Canada too and my refs looked amazed that I would even want to apply to the States as if Canada was the only place they would apply to. Then, since they have to print out so many copies (unlike one copy for all the Ontario schools), they have been really slack about it. In fact, none of my references have reached the schools yet. (they really do not understand rolling admissions, even after I've explained it... emphasizing that they really should send them early and not wait until closer to the deadline).
I am still bugging them....sigh

 

[Chieka]

Traveller4ever, how have you been handling the letters? I am no longer at my undergrad university, so I have just been mailing instructions (and postage) to the profs. Sometimes I do several mailings per week; I don't want to wait and collect a couple requests, because of rolling apps, so I send requests as soon as I hear back from the school. I really hope this isn't annoying the profs, but it's the best I could think of.

I've sent another harassing email and I hope I get a reply soon. Again, I'll be glad when this is over.


C.

 

[traveller4ever]

I basically handed them a stack of prepaid expresspost envelopes with all the addresses already written in. Then, on a separate sheet, I typed out the addresses for them again...attached my cv. I know they already have my letter on their files as they have written refs for me previously.
One prof asked me to send via email the list of schools in word so he can just cut and paste them.
I think by the end of next week, I am going to send them a thank you note / reminding them.... One of my references is not a professor and was out of the country until last week. So, I am basically e-mailing him... and hope that he is not too busy to get around to my letters ASAP!!! He also has my letter on file...

I wish I could just print them all out and mail them right now!!!! but alas, patience...

btw, the xpresspost things lie about delivery time.... they say 3-5 days for the states, but it's more like 10 days....or more...Hang in there... I share ur pain

 

[traveller4ever]

Hey Chieka--Hope everything is going well with the refs for ya.

I finally have got all my refs to mail them out... big sigh of relief!
Now, I just hope Canada Post and post in the states goes ok.

Noticed that u have an interview coming up--Good luck! Give them (adcom) a good dose of canadian-ess ") it'll sure win them over.

 

[Chieka]

I'm pretty sure they've all been sent now. I too am waiting on Canada Post. Congrats to you for getting things sorted out. Now, the next step

On a positive note, one of my refs sent me a copy of the letter and it's absolutely FABULOUS. I am very impressed, and pleased.

C.

P.S. All of my interviewers will receive a complimentary jug of maple syrup and a hockey jersey (Toronto Maple Leafs, of course). If that doesn't sway them, I don't think anything will.

 

[canadagirl]

Wow, you guys are scaring me! I'm another canadian (in toronto) .. I submitted the amcas app on oct 15th, and am only now deciding if I"m going to end up applying for one or two of the schools.

The reference letter thing is really what held me back from applying. I don't mind doing apps and writing essays myself, but I hate to ask my references for a million individual letters! Thank goodness for OMSAS!!!!! Why oh why can AMCAS not collect our letters once and for all, and then forward copies to all the schools, like OMSAS does? Or, alternatively, why is it that Canadian schools don't have these lovely premedical advisors that all American schools seem to have? If I wasn't graduating this year, I'd start working towards getting one of those in place

Just my rant to add to your own Good luck on your letters arriving soon!!

 

[streetdoc]

this might be against your morals, but i just lie to my committee about the date. let me tell you why...
i received my first interview invite without my LORs being received. they sent a nice note saying that they need them before the date but as soon as possible. i encouraged my committee leader to get it in (it had already been 3 weeks!!) and told him the latest date. now i had already given him an addressed envelope and stamped it too!
well, THE DAY BEFORE my interview the school calls to say they don't have it and i need to reschedule. i went to his office (i live close by) and watched him fax it. i just didn't understand why it was sooo hard for him to do that
soooo, now when i get a secondary asking for LOR that has a limit of 3 weeks, i tell my committee leader it is due in 2 weeks...as well as emailing him every week. it may not be moral, but it gets done. i don't want to get "screwed" because someone else doesn't do their part.
so i feel your pain!

if you know canada post is slow...try moving up the deadline on your LOR to ensure they get done.
best of luck
streetdoc

 

[Chieka]

Streetdoc, yes, lying is against my morals, but I get your point. I think this is what I will do next time: write "Please send the letter in by date" (which is the date I plan to have my own part of the app in). That is a deadline of sorts, isn't it?

Previously, what I did was state the school's deadline but explain that admission was on a rolling basis and then ask them to send it as soon as they can. And what happened? The prof saw the Dec. 1 deadline or the January 1 deadline, and since it was only October, he placed my letter in the "forget about it for now" pile in the dark recesses of his office.

What I don't get is that when I've sent postage material for two references - one with a very early deadline and one with a late deadline - the prof manages to meet the early deadline but not the late deadline! What is up with that?!?!? How hard is it to stick another copy of the letter into a second envelope?
Apparently, getting a PhD does not cure procrastination.

But enough - I got an interview, at least two of my reference letters rock, and all will be well.

C.

 

[streetdoc]

Congrats on the interview! you've been through the toughest part already (just getting an interview).
i would definitely say that the deadline that you have set for yourself to get the secondary turned in is a deadline. that is what i shot for and figuered my committee should shoot for too.
i just don't get how they don't understand the importance of early submission (my stats are average). and i know it's the same letter they send to these schools so why they don't have a stack ready to go is a mystery to me too. one of my secondaries said jan 15th on it! can you imagine if he waited till the 14th, i'd be last in line!
anyway, i'm so happy you got the interview! having a LOR problem is just extra stress that we don't need, but it seems like you're a great candidate!
Congrats again!
now go knock the socks off of some ad com members!

streetdoc

 

[jolu]

hey guys...hope your LORs are all working out. i'm another canadian in toronto. Go CANADA go!!!! It also took my professors a long time to finish my letters, but since i asked in like May...by the time i started mailing my secondaries, they started to mail out my letters as well...phew!!!!!