So I'm in the process of freaking out because 2/3 of my letters have not yet arrived and i've been told first hand that the schools i've applied to are going to begin reviewing in the next few days.
For those of you with experience with this matter, what's the protocol for missing letters during the application review?
My god!!!!!!!! man I'm going thru the exact same thing right this second. Yesterday I called the missing writers and I said that I would be coming to pick them up today because the package is due tomorrow. They all agreed except for one, he just did not respond to my message. But, what I did is I asked two more people than the amount of letters that I needed just in case somebody flaked and that is whats going to save my ass at this point. I must also add that they all knew of the deadline yet the ones that went sour just didn't gove a rats ass.
that's wrong. its part of these professors' duty to do this stuff. not that they have to, but if the agree....
anyway my impression (i also applied) is that the schools are usually fairly understanding about late letters, since that is one element that you can't necessarely help. if you haven't already, i would definetely ship in your main application and get it in on time. get the letters in seperate and late if they have to be.
Schools are understanding about late letters UNTIL they start reviewing applications. If the school is calling you asking for the letter then they're usually planning to start within 2 or 3 weeks.
The schools are usually lenient about this part of the application being incomplete. HOWEVER: the danger is not so much that they will refuse to review you as a candidate because your file is incomplete. It is that those committee members to whom your materials circulate early on will most likely never see those letters that are missing. If the letters are later than a week or so after the review process starts then your application will be up for the first "cut" without anyone having seen those letters.
Let these letter-writers know that you've already been contacted about the incomplete application. If you get the sense that they might not be able to make it in time then consider asking someone else to write one. There is no harm in having one extra letter (or even two, but probably not more than this.)
I went through something similar to this. I contacted a handful of my architecture professors (more than I needed) way ahead of time. I did this because architecture professors at my school are big flakes even if they mean well. Only one professor replied that he would write me a letter. After calling, mailing, emailing, and other forms of harassment I got no type of response from the other professors. When my application was due in 3 weeks, I started to contact other people. I ended up with an art history professor (my second major), an art professor, and an architecture professor. I felt uneasy about this combination. I thought if I had one more architecture professor it would have been stronger.
Well, 2 weeks before the application is due 2 of the 3 MIA professors contacted me, and said that they could write the letters. All my other professors were on top of it and already mailed letters out to the schools. I gave the other two profs half of the schools I applied to. Basically each school got 4 recs, but now I had 2 architecture professors for each school. I thought this was great, but a graduate student in another program told me that schools look down on applicants that don't follow directions on their application.
I think it is silly. Does anyone know if this is true? I can't change it now, since all my applications are mailed out.
Not following the directions regarding portfolio - for instance making it larger than it's supposed to be, not bound in the manner or oriented in the direction requested, including more pages than the limit, etc. does annoy some reviewers. Making your personal statement longer than the limit is another thing that gets you "doesn't follow directions" notes from reviewers.
Missing the application deadline is enough at some schools to put you out of the running. Others make a notation about it. Others don't seem to care.
Sending one extra recommendation letter is not a big deal. It's seen as a factor that isn't entirely in your control.
Sending five or six letters when they asked for only 3 starts to be a bigger risk of causing a "doesn't follow directions" kind of response.
Hutch, could i ask what school told you they will be reviewing soon. I have a bunch of apps out and havent heard anything from them yet when i know one letter is missing from them.
U of Oregon (deadline was January 3) said they will be reviewing soon - option 2 first, which happens to be me. Also, the folks at UVa "recommended" that I make sure they get there ASAP. I'm mostly concerned about Oregon, due to their earlier deadline. All of the other schools I applied to had a Jan. 15th deadline.
I think Columbia may be going through the applications to make sure everything is there. I got an email yesterday that my application materials were complete. I assuming that meant my part, the letters, and transcripts.
letters of recommendation
So I'm in the process of freaking out because 2/3 of my letters have not yet arrived and i've been told first hand that the schools i've applied to are going to begin reviewing in the next few days.
For those of you with experience with this matter, what's the protocol for missing letters during the application review?
Thx in advance!
My god!!!!!!!! man I'm going thru the exact same thing right this second. Yesterday I called the missing writers and I said that I would be coming to pick them up today because the package is due tomorrow. They all agreed except for one, he just did not respond to my message. But, what I did is I asked two more people than the amount of letters that I needed just in case somebody flaked and that is whats going to save my ass at this point. I must also add that they all knew of the deadline yet the ones that went sour just didn't gove a rats ass.
Yeah, its a pretty sick feeling. I have tracked down 1, but the other is still MIA. Do schools care if they receive more than 3?
that's wrong. its part of these professors' duty to do this stuff. not that they have to, but if the agree....
anyway my impression (i also applied) is that the schools are usually fairly understanding about late letters, since that is one element that you can't necessarely help. if you haven't already, i would definetely ship in your main application and get it in on time. get the letters in seperate and late if they have to be.
best of luck
thanks dillup,
Fortunately, everything else has been sent and accounted for. I was feeling pretty good about everything until this fiasco!
Best of luck to you as well.
Schools are understanding about late letters UNTIL they start reviewing applications. If the school is calling you asking for the letter then they're usually planning to start within 2 or 3 weeks.
The schools are usually lenient about this part of the application being incomplete. HOWEVER: the danger is not so much that they will refuse to review you as a candidate because your file is incomplete. It is that those committee members to whom your materials circulate early on will most likely never see those letters that are missing. If the letters are later than a week or so after the review process starts then your application will be up for the first "cut" without anyone having seen those letters.
Let these letter-writers know that you've already been contacted about the incomplete application. If you get the sense that they might not be able to make it in time then consider asking someone else to write one. There is no harm in having one extra letter (or even two, but probably not more than this.)
I went through something similar to this. I contacted a handful of my architecture professors (more than I needed) way ahead of time. I did this because architecture professors at my school are big flakes even if they mean well. Only one professor replied that he would write me a letter. After calling, mailing, emailing, and other forms of harassment I got no type of response from the other professors. When my application was due in 3 weeks, I started to contact other people. I ended up with an art history professor (my second major), an art professor, and an architecture professor. I felt uneasy about this combination. I thought if I had one more architecture professor it would have been stronger.
Well, 2 weeks before the application is due 2 of the 3 MIA professors contacted me, and said that they could write the letters. All my other professors were on top of it and already mailed letters out to the schools. I gave the other two profs half of the schools I applied to. Basically each school got 4 recs, but now I had 2 architecture professors for each school. I thought this was great, but a graduate student in another program told me that schools look down on applicants that don't follow directions on their application.
I think it is silly. Does anyone know if this is true? I can't change it now, since all my applications are mailed out.
Not following the directions regarding portfolio - for instance making it larger than it's supposed to be, not bound in the manner or oriented in the direction requested, including more pages than the limit, etc. does annoy some reviewers. Making your personal statement longer than the limit is another thing that gets you "doesn't follow directions" notes from reviewers.
Missing the application deadline is enough at some schools to put you out of the running. Others make a notation about it. Others don't seem to care.
Sending one extra recommendation letter is not a big deal. It's seen as a factor that isn't entirely in your control.
Sending five or six letters when they asked for only 3 starts to be a bigger risk of causing a "doesn't follow directions" kind of response.
i have had the same problems with one of my writers. See http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=11859_0_42_50_C
Hutch, could i ask what school told you they will be reviewing soon. I have a bunch of apps out and havent heard anything from them yet when i know one letter is missing from them.
monkeyboy,
U of Oregon (deadline was January 3) said they will be reviewing soon - option 2 first, which happens to be me. Also, the folks at UVa "recommended" that I make sure they get there ASAP. I'm mostly concerned about Oregon, due to their earlier deadline. All of the other schools I applied to had a Jan. 15th deadline.
I think Columbia may be going through the applications to make sure everything is there. I got an email yesterday that my application materials were complete. I assuming that meant my part, the letters, and transcripts.
i have not gotten that email yet from columbia. i know i am missing one rec for that application.
I just got mine yesterday, and I am at the beginning of the alphabet, so I wouldn't worry.
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