My DS is applying EA to two schools w/ a deadline coming up 10/15. Over a month ago he requested recommendations from two teachers - neither of whom has completed the recommendation despite re-sending the request through the app (twice) AND an email from him explaining that he’s applying EA and needs it by early October. Should he move on and ask from other teachers? (So that the people he requests from next have enough time?) Is there ever a grace period b/w deadline for app and when recommendation letters are received? His school has a “10-day turnaround” for recommendation requests for seniors… This is so frustrating IMO.
If I were DS, I would follow up politely in person, noting the deadline, and asking specifically if they would prefer that someone else wrote the recommendation. The bottom line is he needs recs by x date, so frustrating as it is, he needs to manage the situation.
This is indeed frustrating, and actually my D2 didn’t apply to any schools that required 2 recommendations because the math teacher who she thought would write her a great recommendation surprised her and said too many people had asked her already. This was March of Junior year. There was no recourse since she had the same teacher who taught the most advanced math junior and senior year. Even in college she applied for Summer REUs and one of her recommending professor’s wife became ill and he never submitted the letter even though he had written it. Her repeated emails went unanswered. He even asked her later where she was going for the summer. Apparently the whole time he had forgotten that he never actually submitted the letter. Well she got into one of the REUs anyway and it was a life changing experience but this could have turned out badly. She didn’t want to make him fell bad so she didn’t tell him. Nonetheless, the failure of people to actually follow through with the letters is in my opinion a grave weakness in any application process and should not be taken lightly. She’s applying to grad school now, and hopefully she learned her lesson to use some redundancy. She hopes to submit more than the 3 required recommendations just to be sure that at least 3 reply.
Perhaps a discussion with the guidance counselor to the effect that “My son’s teachers haven’t submitted their letters yet and the deadline is 10/15. He doesn’t want to bug them, but is there any way to lightly nudge them?”
The good news is that there is often a grace period for recommendations.
Do the teachers have everything they need to write a rec? Did he give them a resume and a list of highlights from their classes?
Sometimes bringing in a thank you gift of muffins or cookies for writing the rec (even if you know it hasn’t been submitted yet) can be enough to spur a slower person into getting it done.
I think a “10 day turnaround” is an unrealistic requirement for teachers. The best teachers are writing tons of recommendations and they shouldn’t just whip them out.
Over 2 weeks are left. There is no need to get them submitted prior to 10/15. No brownie points are awarded for early submission of teacher recs. Your son can talk to the teachers and kindly remind them of the date and thank them again for their willingness to write them but I think its too early to sweat it yet.
Carrot (muffins) or stick? I’d go to both the guidance counselor and the principal. Ultimately these teachers are employees who aren’t performing an essential function of their jobs. Their union contract probably does not obligate them to write recommendations, but their inactions breach the 10 day turnaround policy (which more schools should have). I firmly believe this is not solely on the kids (and parents) to figure out.
Thanks everyone for the responses. I think I will have him speak to them in person and just get a gauge on whether he should ask someone else.
@siliconvalleymom - They have to provide a “brag sheet” to their teachers for the recommendations and one of the two asked for a resume as well. I like the idea of a (pre) “thank you” prompt!
@doschicos - I think 10-day is unrealistic as well if I’m to be honest. While there are two weeks left, that is only two weeks for a new teacher to turn one around should he have to go that route.
Can your son get some idea from classmates past and present whether these teachers are the type to follow through? Maybe this is just the way it is with them and they get it done, just not within the unrealistic 10 day window. It might be helpful knowing their usual modus operandi.
Also worth noting, I can’t see schools penalizing an applicant if their teacher recs are a few days past the deadline. Schools are flexible on that, as long as the student has completed their portion.