Momto6inIN Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 DS just got an email from his recommender that she had a letter written and was trying to upload it and it wasn't working and she struggled with the website for an hour and then logged out and tried to log back in and it locked her out and now she says she's done with the process and he'll have to look for another recommender. The paperwork is due next Wed Oct 11. :eek: I'm trying really really hard not to be mad at this person. She has invested time and energy into my kid and she didn't have to because her kids are all graduated and I'm trying hard not to feel entitled and put upon. But ... does she realize that this could potentially mean thousands of $$ in scholarship money lost at some institutions that will give him a full ride for this??? Do I have any recourse at all with the NM people? (I'm sure not, but I'm reaching for suggestions.) DS does have one other person he could ask for a recommendation that I'm sure would be willing to do it, but she doesn't really know him in an academic capacity, just as an extracurricular supervisor. And she's not really known for her punctuality, so I worry that the deadline will come and go and it won't get in on time. Prayers, advice, and/or commiseration would all be greatly appreciated ... :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Call national merit folks. Based on personal experience with this issue, they will grant you an extension on the recommender deadline. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 Call national merit folks. Based on personal experience with this issue, they will grant you an extension on the recommender deadline.Really? That's great news!!! Do I have play nicey-nice around the issue that their website is not super user-friendly? Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) Perhaps call the College Board (or whoever is over it) and explain what happened and ask if there is another way she could get the letter to them. Maybe she could email it to you and let you upload it. I would (nicely) let her know how much potential scholarship money is involved. If she has really invested in him, I doubt she would want to mess that up just because she got frustrated with a website. Edited October 6, 2017 by Jazzy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbucks1 Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Could you offer to go over to her house and help her upload the information? The folks at National Merit are extremely helpful. If you are still having trouble maybe you could call them while you are there. My ds has the National Merit scholarship at the University of Alabama. There really is a lot of money at stake. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 Another option is to call National Merit and see if she can simply mail it or such. Technology can be a big hassle. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted October 7, 2017 Author Share Posted October 7, 2017 Could you offer to go over to her house and help her upload the information? The folks at National Merit are extremely helpful. If you are still having trouble maybe you could call them while you are there. My ds has the National Merit scholarship at the University of Alabama. There really is a lot of money at stake.She's out of town :( Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted October 7, 2017 Author Share Posted October 7, 2017 Another option is to call National Merit and see if she can simply mail it or such. Technology can be a big hassle.He did ask our 2nd option and she said she'd try to get to it tonight. If she hasn't done it by Monday, this might be my next move. Thanks! Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 We had more than one recommender struggle with the technology involved in submitting forms to some of these sites! So sorry this happened to you. Call National Merit for sure if the second recommender doesn't come through. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 Do I have play nicey-nice around the issue that their website is not super user-friendly? For now, most definitely. And probably until all of your kids are graduated :laugh: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 I am sure that this recommender will print out the letter for you, as it is already written. She's just frustrated. I would wait a day or two and confirm with NM that it can be mailed in, and then contact her with profuse apologies and a request that the print, sign, and seal it as per their process (usually signed across the seal so they can see no one opened it). Offer to pick it up, address it, stamp it, and mail it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk mama Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 OP, thank you for posting!! I had completely forgotten about this and had just assumed that the recommender had done his job (it was sent to him almost as soon as we got it). After reading your post I checked and noticed he hadn't done it! DS emailed him (letting him know that it meant a full ride at a college he is interested in) and he did it the next day - I think he had just forgotten about it. :tongue_smilie: Whew! So glad you posted!! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 Our 2nd choice did it right away so I'm thankful that's all squared away and taken care of! Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Our 2nd choice did it right away so I'm thankful that's all squared away and taken care of! Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk I'm glad to here you worked it out. I think it is easy for recommenders to underestimate both the work involved and the stakes. Ds had one of his math recommenders back out and refuse to submit any more recs. This was quite frustrating since he still had a couple major applications outstanding. Fortunately the liaison for one program was able to speak with him and convince him to submit for that app. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 I'm glad to here you worked it out. I think it is easy for recommenders to underestimate both the work involved and the stakes. Ds had one of his math recommenders back out and refuse to submit any more recs. This was quite frustrating since he still had a couple major applications outstanding. Fortunately the liaison for one program was able to speak with him and convince him to submit for that app. I think you are being too easy on recommenders. If they have any modicum of education, they should know how important these letters are. (Unless they've been living on Pluto the last 30 years.) They should also understand that writing letters is part of their job. I don't think any recommender should renege on a promise unless they have suffered some sort of personal catastrophe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 I think you are being too easy on recommenders. If they have any modicum of education, they should know how important these letters are. (Unless they've been living on Pluto the last 30 years.) They should also understand that writing letters is part of their job. I don't think any recommender should renege on a promise unless they have suffered some sort of personal catastrophe. In our case I try to be understanding because of the sheer number of recommendations. Navy ROTC Naval Academy 3 congressional nominations (none of which use the same method of submitting recommendations) Common App plus any college apps that were not Common App One year Navy ROTC not only lost the rec submitted online but also the rec that was resubmitted by email. High school teachers might be familiar with doing recommendations, but college instructors don't necessarily have familiarity with Common App, which isn't always user friendly. In my sons' apps, the recommender may have reused the contents of the letter, but it still took 30-60 min to submit each one. I'm grateful to the people who took the effort. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Page006(2).thumb.gif.3168baed01395132c901dc1f2c3ec53f.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.