My son just applied to three colleges with the Common App. His teacher has already completed his letter of recommendation, but his counselor hasn’t even started her part. Will the Common App nag her about this or do we have to?
I have the same question. I know the GC received the initial invite, but I am not sure if they receive another request once the application is in. We have schools like Purdue etc. on the list that fill programs early. So frustrating. I decided November 1 that I am contacting the principal. My son had his essays and everything done a month ago.
I wouldn’t rely on the Common App sending reminders to the guidance counselor. Just have the student bring in/email a sheet of deadlines and give the GC a friendly reminder. GC’s do have to send in recommendations on behalf of the student, so it’s best if the student isn’t rude. GC’s can have a ton of college-bound students and can be backed up with work. @jade100 have you or your son contacted his GC recently? Going to the principal might not do as much as you think. It’s also good to note that some colleges are lenient with deadlines because stuff is out of the students’ hand.
Yes, we’ve emailed the GC (nicely X 2), son has dropped in etc. to GC. This is why it is frustrating. You don’t want to make any enemies, but at the same time at some point you need to get it done. I think it is simply an issue of understaffing. The school only has one part time person to do all this. The best I could get from my son is that he thinks the GC will get to it by November 1. DS had to fight to get an appointment this week to make sure the GC had the request. We will see. And it is compounded by getting second hand information from DS about the whole business and so on…