Submitting applications without LOR Forum

[john1990]

my professors are taking forever to submit LOR's. Should i submit my applications without LOR's for now? Also, how should i indicate that i have LOR's pending? How will schools know when all LOR's are in? I have one LOR sheet on file that wont be used because it is a duplicate with incorrect spelling, will they think my file is still incomplete with this one outstanding?

[Tiago Splitter]

They'll begin reviewing your file as soon as the minimum number of LORs have been received. If the minimum is one, you might get a decision before the second one ever gets seen.

[john1990]

They'll begin reviewing your file as soon as the minimum number of LORs have been received. If the minimum is one, you might get a decision before the second one ever gets seen.

Could that result in me getting declined from a marginal school like Fordham that has no LOR requirements? Or an unnecessary and lengthy stay on the wait list?
Do they take very long looking over one application, so that the LOR is likely to come in before a decision is made? When does it make sense to just stop waiting on LOR's?

One professor told me he mailed my LOR on the 9th, and it has yet to be uploaded yet

[Tiago Splitter]

They'll begin reviewing your file as soon as the minimum number of LORs have been received. If the minimum is one, you might get a decision before the second one ever gets seen.

Could that result in me getting declined from a marginal school like Fordham that has no LOR requirements? Or an unnecessary and lengthy stay on the wait list?
Do they take very long looking over one application, so that the LOR is likely to come in before a decision is made? When does it make sense to just stop waiting on LOR's?

One professor told me he mailed my LOR on the 9th, and it has yet to be uploaded yet

I don't think it's too much of a problem now, since we're still fairly early in the cycle. You can check LSN for the individual schools to see what their turnaround times look like. If it's typically a quick one, I'd wait until the LORs get there.

[csp21]

why don't you just wait until u get the letters? i was in a similar situation and i called the law schools myself and they specifically told me that they won't even start looking at anything on your file until the letters are in. (cuz the apps are deemed 'incomplete apps' until everything the schools require are in) so whether u send the apps in now(without lors) or later with the lors, won't make much of a technical difference.

with that said, depends on the schools. the ones i asked were chicago n berkeley.

[FryBreadPower]

Have your recommenders fax the letters before they mail them. From my experience, LSAC has faxed LORS uploaded in around 48 hours. Mailing in the LOR can take significantly longer.

[john1990]

I asked two of them to fax, the third said he mailed it on the 9th so i figure i might as well just wait it out though.
But, i feel like i'm putting myself in bad positioning in the cycle now if i wait until December. Should i consider just applying to GWU and Fordham without any LOR and hope they get there before i receive a decision?
i have a 166/3.28