DS is reapplying this year. He is attending a large State University and after a great first semester math class, the professor agreed to write him a letter of rec. Great! This was just before Christmas. Now, here we are in the final days of the application and there is still no upload by the professor. All other sections of his application are complete. This professor is difficult to get ahold of, very busy guy, and when DS did finally speak with him, he said he'd get to it.... (no urgency, very uncomfortable). My two questions: is there a delay from when a teacher uploads their rec and the system recognizing it? And, does anyone know what the prompts for the letter of rec look like? (i.e. is it a series of questions about the student, or is it simply a standard paragraph write-up?) I ask these questions as DS preps to scramble for a back-up letter.... Thanks for all input/advice.
Letter of Rec Delay
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usna1985
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Don't understand the "delay" question. My understanding is that it's an email sent to the prof and the prof completes it on-line. It is a series of questions.
Assuming your DS emphasized the importance of the Jan. 31 deadline to the original math prof and the man remained indifferent, I suggest your DS do the following. First, find a backup prof or his senior h.s. teacher who can complete the rec. Second, contact his RD and explain the situation. Also provide the name of the backup recommender so an email can be sent to that person. If the original prof does get his act together, then there will be 2 recs instead of one.
Assuming your DS emphasized the importance of the Jan. 31 deadline to the original math prof and the man remained indifferent, I suggest your DS do the following. First, find a backup prof or his senior h.s. teacher who can complete the rec. Second, contact his RD and explain the situation. Also provide the name of the backup recommender so an email can be sent to that person. If the original prof does get his act together, then there will be 2 recs instead of one.
usna1985 - thanks for your reply. I didn't realize there could be more recs uploaded than what is requested by the system. I'll suggest that to my son. Right now, he's giving this Prof as much opportunity as possible as he would be a good person to have received recognition from. I just want to be able to advise DS (and when to advise) that "enough is enough, go to someone else." Last year, the letters of rec were so simple/straight-forward, I never imagined this could be a thing to trip him up in the process. By delay, I just mean - does the system recognize the online input immediately or have people noticed that it takes a few days to reflect on the application? Again, thank-you.
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First, the Math Teacher Evaluation is NOT a recommendation letter. It is a mandatory evaluation by a Candidate's Math Teacher to determine if a Candidate can handle the academic rigor at USNA.
Second, substituting Math Teachers can be a bit tricky. If your DS is a college re-applicant then it is highly likely he used his senior year high school math teacher in last year's app. If true, then he cannot reuse his senior year high school teacher for this year's re-application.
However, if your son used his junior year math teacher in last year's app, then it is possible for him to ask his senior year math teacher to complete the Math Teacher Evaluation for this year's re-application.
My DS was a college re-applicant who is now a Youngster at USNA. I know very well the situation you are in.
Second, substituting Math Teachers can be a bit tricky. If your DS is a college re-applicant then it is highly likely he used his senior year high school math teacher in last year's app. If true, then he cannot reuse his senior year high school teacher for this year's re-application.
However, if your son used his junior year math teacher in last year's app, then it is possible for him to ask his senior year math teacher to complete the Math Teacher Evaluation for this year's re-application.
My DS was a college re-applicant who is now a Youngster at USNA. I know very well the situation you are in.
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Norfolk63 - Thanks. He used his junior year Calculus teacher for his app last year, so he is going to contact his senior year teacher now; however, the class was AP Economics (no additional Calculus classes offered), hoping that counts as "math" for USNA.
*Correction: Senior year math class was AP Statistics - that should count for sure (I hope).
usna1985
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Wouldn't 100% count on that. Seriously.
Also, USNA Admissions has to send the email to the potential recommender. If they are willing to send more than one, then more than one can be completed. But they have to initiate it. They won't send additional links unless there is a "problem," which there appears to be in your DS' case. That is why it is imperative that your DS get in touch with Admissions ASAP.
He needs to explain to the RD the steps he took to try to get the original letter completed/submitted on time. It should be positioned as: I did X on this date, and I did Y on that date and Z on this other date and, despite these efforts, I am concerned that the prof's rec won't be submitted by the deadline. Here are my other options as I see them (whatever they may be). IOW -- your DS needs to sound like he had a solid plan, it went awry, and now he has developed a backup plan but needs RD's help to execute. [As opposed to: my prof screwed up; I'm panicked because my stuff isn't in yet/on time; I didn't think ahead and I now want you, the RD, to fix it; it's someone else's fault; I don't know what to do . . .].
Be solution-oriented vs. engaging in a blame game (which, in the military, you always lose).
The challenge your DS faces is that the deadline is a week away, so moving quickly is essential.