"Reminder" for Recommendation Letters? Forum

[chicagolaw2013]

I handed out/sent out recommendation letter requests (those sheets from LSAC.org) about a month to month and a half ago to my recommenders. Of course, I got each recommender's okay before giving them those, but anyway...I'm still showing on LSAC that no one has sent theirs in yet, and I want to apply in October. I told all of my recommenders this when I originally asked them to write one.

Is it rude or anything to send a "hey, just wanted to remind you about that letter you said you'd write" e-mail, or give them a call or something, so that they know I'm waiting on them?

I mean, I'd obviously be thankful and everything when I contact them, but I am worried that they forgot or something.

Thanks guys!

[Miltiades]

Well I was kind of in the same position as you, but I think it is a case by case basis. The best and most tactful way to do it may be to find some excuse to email them or otherwise contact them and bring up the rec letter as a throwaway.

If they are academics they are often very busy and can forget so the very fact that you contact them could stimulate their memory and certainly a throwaway line about the letter in an email will get them back on track.

Try an email about anything (ask them about a book in a topic they teach etc) and then at the end say something like "Oh and by the way, my rec letter has not yet posted so if you have sent it let me know so I can call them and see if they have lost it..." or something like that.

[Burger in a can]

x

[meatball]

I had the same issues with the writers of my letters. I asked numerous professors for letters, knowing that some would fail to write the letters even when they approved of it and had reminders. I also sent out an e-mail reminder, which a couple professors said they appreciated (I didn't even disguise it as something different than a reminder). My dad is a professor and says he likes the reminders.

[Nom Sawyer]

I have the opposite problem: I gave my LOR packet to my econ professor to write one for me on THIS THURSDAY (Sept. 17)... then yesterday, or THIS FRIDAY (Sept. 18th), I go online and I see... Letter of Recommendation Received from that professor... that's a turnaround of around.. ummm.. 6~15 hours....

Does anybody ever have a professor write a LOR and fax it in in about the span of an afternoon upon receiving the request???

I'm kind of freaked out about the quality hahaha... oh well, not much I can do now I guess..

[elliefont]

def had this problem. i know my recommenders pretty well, though we live in different cities, and totes had this problem too. One I had to remind like 3 times (non academic, but waaaay busy), but was polite and friendly each time, asked about his family, etc. He just mailed it TODAY, but I"m confident it's awesome and i burned no bridges. it's totally legit to remind.

/apologies for syntax, have a few beers in the belly

[RhubarbPie]

This is why I asked for my LORs in April-May. Everything was in by late July.

[letsgojayhawks]

I met with my last recommender this Wednesday (16th) and she actually ASKED me to send her a reminder email in two weeks. To paraphrase: "I am aiming to write your letter as soon as possible, but things come up and I may forget, so please remind me well before your deadline." She's a prof, btw.

[Burger in a can]

This is why I asked for my LORs in April-May. Everything was in by late July.

I also asked for mine in April/May, but still have nothing.

[23fulltimecowboys]

This is why I asked for my LORs in April-May. Everything was in by late July.

helpful.

i found a roundabout way of asking for updates/urging them to submit by sending a quick email asking if they had gotten my LOR forms in the mail. i "just wanted to make sure" and happened to mention that it would be very helpful if they got them in asap.

[actorlaw]

Send an email to touch base with your professors. Tell them how your application process/lsat studying/final year of school is going etc... After all, this is hopefully a professor with whom you've established a strong academic relationship. They will most likely be interested in hearing about your progress.

GIVE THEM A SPECIFIC DATE ON WHICH THE MATERIALS MUST BE IN. (Give yourself 2-3 weeks before you actually want to submit your applications just to be safe...) Professors are quite familiar with the importance of setting deadlines for students and should have no problem adhering to deadlines established for them. Do this with any further recommendations you hope to secure.

Sometimes they just need a friendly reminder.

Best of luck!

[lsb]

It seems very hard to remind them without appearing to pushy. The last thing you want to do is piss off the person who is writing you a letter of recommendation.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to remind them in a tactful way?

[lawduder]

I recently emailed one of my recommenders saying that I was just touching base and asked them if they needed anything else that would help them write my letter. The response I got was exactly what I wanted, my professor told me that he didn't need anything else and was on schedule to get the letter in on the date I had requested.