Should you wait for your counselor's recommendation before submitting your Common App?

My counselor is super busy and hasn't uploaded her recommendation yet. Should I wait for her to upload it before I submit my Common App, or can I go ahead and submit it without the recommendation?

Students often find themselves in this situation, and the good news is you can go ahead and submit your Common App even before your counselor has uploaded their recommendation. Colleges understand that counselors are managing requests from many students and sometimes cannot complete their parts of the application until after students have submitted theirs.

You should communicate with your counselor to confirm that they will complete their recommendation in time for the deadlines of the schools you're applying to. Most colleges have a window of time after the application deadline to receive supplementary materials like letters of recommendation and test scores.

I suggest you submit your application as soon as you feel it's ready to allow yourself some peace, and then kindly remind your counselor about your application deadlines. Remember to check each college's policy to know how long after the application deadline your counselor's recommendation can be received. Bear in mind that so long as your application is submitted by the due date, you're typically meeting your responsibility in the process. Be aware of each institution's deadline and stay proactive with the follow-up. Wishing you the best with your applications!