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My professor (who I asked YEARS ago to write me a letter of rec and with whom I've kept in pretty consistent contact) still hasn't gotten it to me, and I'm sort of freaking out about how late it's getting. I have two other letters, but one is from an employer and the other is from a professor who doesn't know me as well as the one who is MIA. I saw that some schools (Georgetown and Columbia) allow you to postpone having your file viewed as complete until a 3rd letter has arrived.

Is there any benefit to submitting now, asking to postpone completion, and then sending in my final letter whenever my professor decides to get around to it, or is that the same as just waiting to submit the app until he sends it in?

I'm also curious if others have thoughts about whether it would be inappropriate for most schools (other than Northwestern) for me to just have one academic rec. and just submit now. It seems like timing is more important than LOR but maybe I'm wrong.

(FYI: I am applying to the majority of t14 schools and have a 170, 3.79 and pretty solid (albeit brief) work experience in legal/policy.)

Have you talked to the late prof about it? I would just have an open conversation with him about it. And give him a deadline. (Hey prof, I was wondering if you've been able to complete my letter of rec yet? The deadline is coming up next week, so I wanted to check in. Hope the end of the semester isn't killing you!)

Personally, I would send this sort of email, then also ask another prof for a letter in 2 weeks (which is tight, but often do-able), and submit either when the preferred letter comes in or in 2 weeks when the other prof's letter comes in. I would not submit without 2 academic references, unless it came down to being REALLY late. Granted, I have no actual evidence for this being an appropriate plan. Just what I would do on my instinct. Talking to the professor, though, seems like the first logical step.

Oh yeah, I've talked to him. He was out of the country and apparently is really swamped with stuff. I think he's hoping to get to it by the weekend or early next week. (sorry, I didn't make that clear before!) I'm just wondering whether it would make sense to wait for him or just submit the apps now and then direct the LOR over once its in.

I'd just wait 'til next week. I doubt that the few days between now and "early next week" will make a ton of difference for your applications. Also, I don't think the plan of having them hold your app in incomplete will do you much good, since they tend to review apps in order of complete dates, not received dates. Though I haven't looked specifically at those policies at the schools you mentioned.

Okay, thank you! I think I'm just overanalyzing all of this. Thanks for your help!