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I asked my teachers for recommendations two months ago and now my application is due this Thursday. I still haven't gotten them in the mail. I live in Seattle and the letters are coming from North Carolina. They all agreed to have them in and everything, and I tried to kindly remind them by thanking them before Christmas vacation.

So now I have one ungreat fallback recommendaton from my new school and atleast one great one to come. Any advice? Will UNC hold it against me if I explain this and send them in a week or two late? Probably, right?

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 08:41 pm: Edit

Stop hinting to the teachers. Call them -- now!
Believe it or not, many teachers are like their students: royal procrastinators. They mean well, but things like reccs can become forgotten without reminders.
It's a good idea, too, to not only give them enough notice (which you did), but to also ask for the reccs at least several days before you really need them.

Also, when you thanked the teachers for writing them, with the preholiday rush, the teachers may have thought they actually did write the reccs.

Call them tonight. Don't wait until Mon. The weekend is the easiest time to do reccs.

When you call, ask them if they need additional info on you such as a copy a paper you wrote for them, or a copy of your resume. Don't be modest about reminding them about how you performed in their class and in any clubs that they advised.