Professor's not responding after agreeing to write LOR

Graduate School
1

<p>A few weeks ago I had emailed a professor regarding writing me a reference for grad school. I view this reference as particularly important b/c im applying to IR programs and I had him for graduate level advanced Arabic and Im tailoring my application to emphasize my experience with the Middle East region. </p>

<p>I had always had a good relationship with this professor and used to visit him at office hours quite frequently. Since I graduated I have kept in touch with him periodically. When I asked about the reference he emailed me back without delay saying something to the effect of "Certainly I would be glad to write you a reference - just send the forms."</p>

<p>So on Monday I sent him the links to the schools saying I had registered him on all the schools (7). I also asked if he could take the same reference and modify it for a fellowship I am applying to as well. He replied quickly saying "I thought you only needed one reference. I really am very busy this week - I may be able to write one or two but I'm afraid the rest will have to wait until I return."</p>

<p>I replied that actually it was only 2 references - one for the grad schools to be uploaded to the various sites, and one for the fellowship which was less important. Then I signed up for interfolio so he could just send the reference once and I emailed him again letting him know that he only needed to do the one reference once and send to interfolio and I would take care to get it to the various schools and to let me know if that would be ok. 2 days passed without hearing from him and I started to get worried - assuming from his initial email that he would be travelling over winter break and might not be back until after the 1/15 deadline. So I emailed him last night again, thanking him for his efforts, apologizing for emailing excessively, but to please let me know if he is still available to write the one reference so that I would know whether to make alternate arrangements in order to meet the deadline. Not sure if this was the best move. Well its now 10:50 AM and if I dont hear from him by the end of the day I'm going to be concerned. What would be the appropriate course of action in that case?</p>

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<p>Edit: I just realized searching through the threads that apparently schools are not very strict regarding the deadline for the LOR's? This is certainly news to me. Would it be better than to let him know he could do it by the end of January if it would mean a more thorough rec instead of a rushed one?</p>

3

<p>The deadline is Jan. 15? That's still a long time to go. I was excessively worrying about my LORs too a few days back, but all of my LORs were submitted on time (albeit at the LAST minute).</p>

<p>So don't worry too much. Your prof could be at meetings or something and may not reply that fast.</p>

4

<p>True - the only thing that made me concerned was the fact that he wrote "when I get back." He has family in Iraq and I know he used to visit there during breaks so Im assuming if hes going to Iraq hes going for the whole winter break...Thats the only thing that made me worried - but I guess theres nothing stopping him from uploading the letter from Iraq.</p>

<p>Edit: "but I guess theres nothing stopping him from uploading the letter from Iraq."</p>

<p>Oops - unfortunately there might be a number of things stopping him</p>