Will it still be counted as Early Action if some materials are submitted past the deadline?Answered
Applying to UMD right now and I need a counselor recommendation. I've asked him for months but he's never written it for me, and now it's required by tonight for Maryland but he still hasn't done it. If I already submitted my application on Common App but I'm missing a counselor recommendation only, will I be penalized/will it count as regular decision?
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3 answers
In this instance, it will depend on whether you can get him to write it at all, and if so, how long past the deadline. Typically, colleges will allow you to submit additional materials up to two weeks after the deadline. However, if you get it in a little later, you can always call the university and let them know the situation, and it should be fine as long as they didn't start viewing your application. If you do not think you can get the counselor to write a letter at all, I recommend you do the following (this is taken from the Common app website): "you may list your principal or other school official, international or domestic, who has overseen your academic progress. You will also be required to invite this person to complete the School Report on the Recommenders and FERPA section located on the My Colleges tab." Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi @judecondon, your first mistake is to assume that any teacher or counselor is going to fulfill their fiduciary obligation to write your recommendation on time. While it's part of their job description to do so, it's up to you to follow up and get a reasonable answer. I suggest that rather than emailing, you walk into your college counselor's office today and ask him personally if he is aware that today is November 1 or the EA deadline for the college you are applying to. Then ask him if he is on target for submitting the college recommendation and transcripts and any other information required of the college including your high school profile.
If he says he will do that, then you have your answer. If he says he will not do it then find out why. It will then be up to you and your family to contact the school principal for enforcement. If you hit a wall with the school principal, then you have to contact the Superintendent of the School District to immediately remedy this.
All colleges give teachers and counselors a week or so leeway with submitting their information so the fact that it is not recorded on your common app is not a immediate cause for concern. However, you should stand up for yourself and find out personally why there was a delay and if this delay was something personal that could have detrimental effects on the outcome of your recommendation.
If this was simply a teacher, I'd say ask the teacher in person to follow through on this and if they do not want to comply, ask another teacher. However, since this is your counselor's recommendation who has other pieces to submit, I would stay on top of this and find out if they are just behind in their work if they were sick, or if something personal to do with your relationship with them.
Good luck.
Do you happen to have another counselor at your school that you can have write your letter of rec? If not I would contact the school that you are applying to and say that your counselor is unwilling to write a letter of rec for you and if you could supplement this with a letter of rec for one written by a teacher or another advisor. Since you had something from your application missing,the school will likely contact you and will delay your application. This would likely turn your application from early action to regular decision.
Hopefully all works out!
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