A couple of months ago I found out about a $4000 scholarship with very narrow eligibility requirements that I fit.  Unfortunately, I found out about it the day before the deadline.  I emailed the scholarship contact and they said, yes, turn it in late.  The scholarship required 3 recommendations.  My two research mentors normally write me recommendations and another professor writes for me when I need a third letter.  All of them were wonderful when I asked for the recommendation on such short notice.  Then my third recommender dropped off the face of the earth.

So, I missed the late deadline.  And probably missed out on $4000.  I know that professors are incredibly busy, but I wish my third recommender had told me he was too busy instead of agreeing to write the letter and then ignoring me.  It’s been 3 weeks and he still hasn’t gotten back to me – even after I politely emailed him and let him know that I’d missed the deadline and no longer needed a letter.