That is definitely infuriating. Are you at least getting your application fee back?
I doubt that the non-submission of letters will affect future applications to this university, especially that it was something beyond your control, people re-apply a lot, and more likely is that they get so many applications that they don't remember what they receive year to year.
It's unclear whether one or more professors didn't submit letters for you, but basically, you should definitely not ask whoever you asked this year, and didn't write the promised letter, to write one for next year.
I don't think I'm getting my app fee back. As long as the most expensive school is still active and the application is complete I will at least feel a bit better
This is one of my fears.. very sorry they didn't come through for you. I can't comment on your future chances, but as cosmicwonder said, this is probably nothing they would remember or hold against you. It probably happens quite often.
I was applying to a program (not grad schools) a few years back and my LoR person happily agreed to write my letter, gave me her home phone to keep in touch, then disappeared on a month-long vacation. When she came back I called to say hello and remind her about the LoR, and she didn't know who I was/how I got her phone number. Let's just say I didn't pick the most stable person to write my LoR. After three weeks of dragging her feet, she ended up telling me to write my own letter and put her name on it, the day before the deadline. So... I did!
After three weeks of dragging her feet, she ended up telling me to write my own letter and put her name on it, the day before the deadline. So... I did! Nice! LOL That is a very familiar-sounding situation. The part where she didn't know who you were/how you'd gotten her # is a little weirder, but only a little, hahaha.
Wow. Some people just suck. I really don't understand why someone would agree to do something they clearly don't want to do.
Definitely shouldn't be held against you if you reapply next year. As somebody already said, they probably won't remember anyway. But things that are beyond your control are just that. Beyond your control.
Obviously your best plan of attack for next year is going to be finding different recommendation writers. Because seriously, that's just a hot mess of fail.
I seriously don't get why it's so hard for rec writers to tell students that they won't be able to write a recommendation anymore. I don't doubt they're busy, but it barely takes any time to write a simple email.
People are always reapplying for various reasons, so I don't think this will affect future applications. I agree with everyone else about looking for new people to write you recommendations for the next cycle. Also, since you still have a few applications active right now, I'd ask around and see if you can find someone willing to do it for you on short notice.
I am going through something similar. Luckily no one has withdrew my application (yikes! I'm so sorry), but one of my rec writers is unable to send my letter to my last two schools because her computer crapped out, is "at the Apple store", and my letter is on her hard drive. God knows if the schools will ever get the letter, but I am trying to gently prod her to just write another one. Sigh.
I wonder if she can log in to the other apps she submitted for you and retrieve the pdf the site created upon upload. Hmm... OR, you could try contacting the admissions coordinator for one of the schools where your letter is already submitted, explain the insanity of the situation, and see if you can get them to email the pdf back to the (flaky) recommender (not to you, which they won't do). The school will know that you're applying elsewhere (unsurprising), but the person you'll talk to won't be on the adcom, and it might be trivial for them to send the pdf on file (somewhere) to the original letter-writer. Just an idea...
I was about to say the same thing - can't she just write another one? I mean, it's not your fault she didn't back up her hard drive. If my students tried to use that excuse with a paper that was due I would roll my eyes.
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I doubt that the non-submission of letters will affect future applications to this university, especially that it was something beyond your control, people re-apply a lot, and more likely is that they get so many applications that they don't remember what they receive year to year.
It's unclear whether one or more professors didn't submit letters for you, but basically, you should definitely not ask whoever you asked this year, and didn't write the promised letter, to write one for next year.
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I was applying to a program (not grad schools) a few years back and my LoR person happily agreed to write my letter, gave me her home phone to keep in touch, then disappeared on a month-long vacation. When she came back I called to say hello and remind her about the LoR, and she didn't know who I was/how I got her phone number. Let's just say I didn't pick the most stable person to write my LoR. After three weeks of dragging her feet, she ended up telling me to write my own letter and put her name on it, the day before the deadline. So... I did!
Reply
Nice! LOL That is a very familiar-sounding situation. The part where she didn't know who you were/how you'd gotten her # is a little weirder, but only a little, hahaha.
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Definitely shouldn't be held against you if you reapply next year. As somebody already said, they probably won't remember anyway. But things that are beyond your control are just that. Beyond your control.
Obviously your best plan of attack for next year is going to be finding different recommendation writers. Because seriously, that's just a hot mess of fail.
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People are always reapplying for various reasons, so I don't think this will affect future applications. I agree with everyone else about looking for new people to write you recommendations for the next cycle. Also, since you still have a few applications active right now, I'd ask around and see if you can find someone willing to do it for you on short notice.
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