<p>So for many reasons two of my recommendations were not sent to a specific school and this school never got back to me about it, and even told me that my file was complete by phone, until I asked today specifically about the recommendations because I knew it couldn't be right (teachers never confirmed they had sent them). Now the school is telling me that anyway they have already evaluated me, and that I can send the recommendations, or not send them but anyway the faculty will not review it.
I know it was my responsability to take care of this and I don't blame the school but I don't really understand what that means. The person I had on the line told me it did not mean I was rejected but I don't see how can they actually accept someone based on a CD recording without any recommendation letter... so I am right to think that I am totally rejected by this school ?</p>
<p>You cannot assume anything. Please contact the teachers and see if they sent them and by what means. Have them send another the FASTEST way possible and reimburse the teachers for the cost. Call the school and see if they will accept the recommendation via fax as another option.</p>
<p>They could have been sent and lost in transit, lost or misfiled at the institution, and a chance they were never sent to begin with. Son had an issue like this when he applied, we had documentation the school had all the materials, yet they claimed a tape was lost.</p>
<p>For your peace of mind, I would find out what happened (and if the teachers did not send them, then you have other issues). </p>
<p>If they were sent, and you have documentation from the the school that they “had everything”, I would insist on a refund of application fees. But wait on that aspect until you know the admissions outcome. If it is the school’s error, I cannot see having to pay for incompetence.</p>
<p>I would not jump to any conclusions just yet. Basically they have said that the decision has been made and that your references will not influence them one way or the other at this point. The matter is out of your hands and you will have your answer within a few weeks. Until then, worrying is not going to help.</p>
<p>If they did not like your audition recording, the recommendation is not going to get you admitted. If they really did like your recording, their main concern would be that it really was you playing on it. If memory serves, you made a video recording of a piece that is not all that commonly played on modern double bass. That would be pretty hard to fake, so it is not out of the question that you have been admitted. You can’t be sure until you have the official notification.</p>
<p>(Crossposted with violadad) I agree that, if you were rejected on the sole basis of not having recommendations, you should be able to get your application fee refunded if you can document that they told you that your application was complete. I would not bring this up until you are officially notified, however.</p>
<p>No, you are not right in assuming that you have been rejected. I would believe the person from the school when they say that the lack of recommendations does not mean that you have been rejected. Most schools place very little weight on the recommendations: the audition/recording is very important. Some schools do not require recommendations at all and still manage to make good and well-informed admission decisions. </p>
<p>For example, Juilliard requires no music teacher recommendation. They require only the recommendation of a humanities teacher. It is quite likely that your recording was either clearly above the standard required or clearly below the standard required, and therefore that your recommendations would not have influenced the decision. Possibly, the recommendations are only considered in cases closer to the borderline between acceptance and rejection. </p>
<p>Given that the school will not review the decision even if the recommendations arrive, I would be disinclined to bother your recommenders and to go to the expense of expressing the recommendations.</p>
<p>OK thank you ! Now I guess I just have to wait until they release their decisions in early April…</p>
<p>This is from the Peabody website:
“The truth about recommendation forms is that we use them for supplemental data in conjunction with our own impressions. A missing recommendation form will not prevent the folder from being processed. However, two missing recommendation forms may cause raised eyebrows among the faculty.”</p>
<p>Also, for UMKC, I didn’t send in 2 of the 3 “required” recs but I just got an acceptance email from them. A prof there said they help with scholarship consideration.</p>