What else can I do? Help? Please?

[Tristy]

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I'm incomplete at 10 schools because of the science fac LOR requirement(especifically biology-->that's my major). I've tried e-mailing this professor twice and he never replied to my e-mails, I even left a thank-you note and nothing..The worst thing is that he agreed to write the darn letter and now I'm in application limbo because of this. I can't ask anybody else because I only took 1 bio class (all my bio classes were transfered from the university in my home country), so I guess the $1000000 question is: am I completely and totally screwed or is there anything else I can do? Would it work if I e-mailed the med schools explaining my situation? BTW, the letters I have are: 1 from my major advisor (he's from the bio department but didn't teach me in any class), 1 ethics prof, 1 anthrop, 1 organic chem, and 1 from a volunteer place. Any thoughts/idea/tips are GREATLY appreciated (I'm starting to freak out 🙁 ). Thank you all and sorry if I'm being a drama queen 😳

 

[Haybrant]

Hi; Im kind of in a similar spot; one of my sci LOR was asked back in august and despite my pushing is still not done; i have another but at alot of schools it seems like they ask for two; So im not complete at alot of places yet for the same reason;
That said, you mention you emailed him/her; You really need to make the attempt to go there and talk to the prof. It may or may not make the difference but at least it wont hurt. Offer any assistance too, like compiling a list of activities or things you did in the prof's class that stand out. Good luck!

 

[Tristy]

Hi; Im kind of in a similar spot; one of my sci LOR was asked back in august and despite my pushing is still not done; i have another but at alot of schools it seems like they ask for two; So im not complete at alot of places yet for the same reason;
That said, you mention you emailed him/her; You really need to make the attempt to go there and talk to the prof. It may or may not make the difference but at least it wont hurt. Offer any assistance too, like compiling a list of activities or things you did in the prof's class that stand out. Good luck!

Hi Haybrant, I'm sorry you're in the same boat as me 🙁 ...Actually, when he agreed to write the LOR, he asked for all that information (I spent like 3 days compiling all the stuff he wanted). I just get this feeling that he'll get upset/refuse to write or finish/something else really bad if I try to find him in campus (he doesn't even have office hours 😕 ). And it's not like I've harassed him bc the first e-mail I sent him was on Oct 20th, and the second I sent it this saturday...But thank you anyways for the idea 😳

 

[kiwie07]

email is sometimes not the best way to reach people..especially professors.

try calling them/dropping by/meeting with them in person like haybrant wrote.
also following that, be prepared to give them some more information (if they didn't really know you). also, explain to your prof your situation and that you need it asap.

i ended up emailing/calling my prof practically everyday (i was across the country) in order to get one of my recommendations.

g'luck! and don't worry, you still have time as this is still fairly early.

 

[Tristy]

email is sometimes not the best way to reach people..especially professors.

try calling them/dropping by/meeting with them in person like haybrant wrote.
also following that, be prepared to give them some more information (if they didn't really know you). also, explain to your prof your situation and that you need it asap.

i ended up emailing/calling my prof practically everyday (i was across the country) in order to get one of my recommendations.

g'luck! and don't worry, you still have time as this is still fairly early.

Thank you Kiwie 😳 I'll try and find out where I can find him...Just out of curiosity, how did your professor take you calling him everyday? Is it possible that they'll get anoyed and say "screw you"?

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

this may be OT but i know atleast 3 prof at my school who have email that goes into cyber graves..they have never checked it..
email is most def not the best way to get in touch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(trust me one of them stole my only set of project photos and tracking him down is like running in a safari after the rare jaguar or something..)

 

[Tristy]

this may be OT but i know atleast 3 prof at my school who have email that goes into cyber graves..they have never checked it..
email is most def not the best way to get in touch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(trust me one of them stole my only set of project photos and tracking him down is like running in a safari after the rare jaguar or something..)

I hope you're right about the cyber graves 😉 I will definitely try and find him, I'll kill myself (figuratively 🙂 ) If all those applications go to the trash.
Now, in the worst case scenario that I end up without the letter, would there be a slight chance that the medschools could accept the LOR's I have and understand my problem? Thank you!

 

[iamgoaloriented]

One of my profs who wrote me a LOR (the one who I was most sure would write me a strong one) didn't respond to my email, so I just went to her office to ask her in person and she wrote it. She said she got the email but was busy. Profs sometimes don't respond right away for all kinds of reasons (some wait to respond until they are ready to do what you ask, some forget to respond because they are busy and have a lot going on, some don't check email often or that email at all). I've had old profs respond to emails months after I sent them.

But definitely make sure you see your prof, just drop in if you have to.

If for some reason they won't write the letter it doesn't have to be a biology prof (not for any school I've had at least). As long as its a science prof it should be fine. Pick the ones you think will write the best letters (ones who know you well and whose class you did well in).

 

[Tristy]

One of my profs who wrote me a LOR (the one who I was most sure would write me a strong one) didn't respond to my email, so I just went to her office to ask her in person and she wrote it. She said she got the email but was busy. Profs sometimes don't respond right away for all kinds of reasons (some wait to respond until they are ready to do what you ask, some forget to respond because they are busy and have a lot going on, some don't check email often or that email at all). I've had old profs respond to emails months after I sent them.

But definitely make sure you see your prof, just drop in if you have to.

If for some reason they won't write the letter it doesn't have to be a biology prof (not for any school I've had at least). As long as its a science prof it should be fine. Pick the ones you think will write the best letters (ones who know you well and whose class you did well in).

Thanks amigo 😳 now that I'm remembering, I'm almost 99% sure he got my e-mail....Nonetheless I'll go and see him hopefully tomorrow! WIsh me luck!

 

[kiwie07]

Thank you Kiwie 😳 I'll try and find out where I can find him...Just out of curiosity, how did your professor take you calling him everyday? Is it possible that they'll get anoyed and say "screw you"?

I guess it may depend on the professor, but she set deadlines for me (ie, i'll have it for your by the end of the week), but never wrote it. I called her so often b/c I usually got her message machine. But I felt like after I finally reached her she sensed my urgency and me calling her forced her to spend some time and write it. I also told her my situation and how the reccomendations worked and the deadlines for the actual schools etc. but I have no idea if she wrote a crappy rec for me or not b/c i waived my right to read it...so far I don't think she did though.

 

[Tristy]

I guess it may depend on the professor, but she set deadlines for me (ie, i'll have it for your by the end of the week), but never wrote it. I called her so often b/c I usually got her message machine. But I felt like after I finally reached her she sensed my urgency and me calling her forced her to spend some time and write it. I also told her my situation and how the reccomendations worked and the deadlines for the actual schools etc. but I have no idea if she wrote a crappy rec for me or not b/c i waived my right to read it...so far I don't think she did though.

Wow, I'll have that in mind and try to explain everything very nicely. I found out his lecture hours so I'll be seeing him on thursday. Thanks for the info!

 

[Tristy]

Thank you everybody for all the input, the miracle happened and I have my last letter in!! Yipeeee! So by friday I'll be complete everywhere!!!! 😍