So one of my teachers from last year gladly agreed to write my letter of recommendation for the Common App back in October, and I invited her soon after that. However, it’s now December 11, one of my applications is due December 15, and she hasn’t even started on it yet. I’ve talked to her about it several times, and she always says she’s on top of it. I can’t submit the application without her, and I have no one else to ask. What do I do??
Why do you say you can’t submit the application without it? It may be the case, but most college applications allow you to submit and pay the fee for the application, and the recommender submits separately (but still online in most cases). Many (not 100%) of colleges are okay with the rec letters coming in a couple of weeks late. They understand you can’t completely control this. Read the college website to see what you can glean from that. Remember that the colleges are typically getting thousands of apps dumped on them right around the due date. They can’t review them all at once anyway – so yours will just sit until all the components are there. It happens all the time. So you need to make sure that YOUR pieces are all submitted and your application fee is paid by the due date.
As long as your components of the app are submitted by the deadline, the recommendation letters can still be submitted later. She might be busy with classes/grading, because it is nearing winter break for most schools- if, on December 15, it still isn’t submitted, maybe ask her again to see when she might be able to finish it. But don’t let your app be late because you’re waiting.
Could you talk with your guidance counselor to see what he or she thinks you should do? There are some teachers who always work to the deadline, but then get things in on time; there are other teachers who are bad about meeting deadlines. You could ask your guidance counselor whether you should start looking for a backup writer or not–that will tell you if your teacher falls into the former or the latter category. I agree that the schools are probably used to letters being a bit late, but if your teacher has a reputation of really missing deadlines, you will want to know that now.
She probably is on top of it. The majority of my teachers didn’t finish their letters until 10/31 when they were due the next day