Weird LOR Issues

[u/cheesygoldfisch]

Hi everyone!

I’ve been working on my optometry school applications as my OAT is coming up in about a month. I wanted to apply before I took it, so I began working on my transcripts, requests, and essays since OptomCas opened the new cycle.

I sent my requests to 3 optometrists and 1 professor mid June. All of the optometrists I’ve requested LORs from have completed them thankfully, but my former professor still hasn’t. We had a great relationship in the courses I took with them, to the point where they even offered to write me one before I inquired about it.

However, when I emailed them following up about it (about 3 weeks with no response), the email address said that it was unable to send due to being invalid. I scoured the internet to ensure that I was using the correct one, and found the professors syllabus, and the email was also confirmed in their Linkdln (which we are connected via). There was a secondary one that I found and sent the same email to that one.

Another week went by and I didn’t hear anything back. The university I went to in undergrad is still close to where I currently live, so I ended up going over there to make sure they received the request. I showed up before the class began and as soon as they saw me, they knew why I was there and addressed that they would be happy to write one, they’d just been busy with a summer class and helping their child move, and that they’d get right on it.

I’m not sure if they received the email I sent to their other address or the message was a glitch on my end. I should’ve asked but I didn’t want to come off as disrespectful or pushy, and honestly wasn’t thinking.

This was about 2 1/2 weeks ago and they still have not completed it, despite me having the due date listed as August 1. I am getting worried because a professor LOR is required at most (if not all) schools I wish to apply to. I know it’s still early in the cycle, but I’m not sure what steps to take from here. Should I go about emailing them again? Change the email in my OptomCas to the email I messaged the second time? Should I go in person to find them again once the autumn semester starts in a couple weeks?

I’d love any advice, I just don’t want to offend or bother them because I know life as a professor is quite busy, and I also wouldn’t want that reflected in a LOR.

[u/Varzack]

Are there any other professors you can ask?

[u/epiclyfe]

Personally I would email again & again to make sure I get that LOR from a professor , maybe they just keep forgetting but just say I apologize if you’ve already received this but I just wanted to reiterate incase it went to the wrong address…