Don't know if this is a "horror" story but...
I asked the Chaplain I had in Iraq to be a "wild card" 3rd recommender for HBS and Stanford. He was in a unique position to write about the work I did in Iraq that wasn't part of my job duties or responsibilities, but specifically did to raise the morale of my Marines. It was a "wild card" because i knew the risks involved. A) Since he's a "chaplain", the adcoms could assume that he would write the nicest thing because as a spiritual adviser, he may be reluctant to write something negative about me. B) I've seen some of the sermons he's given, and while sometimes they're pretty articulate and somewhat inspirational, some of them are downright basic and elementary. I wouldn't know which Chaplain personality would be sitting behind the computer when he writes the recommendation.
The upside, of course, would be huge. I feel that the story he would be able to tell, from his unique perspective, if told effectively, would be extremely compelling.
So....
A few days ago, around 11am, I check my Rec status. He hasn't started. "That's fine" I thought. "He's got plenty of time."
At around 1pm, I get a gmail notification saying that he's submitted the HBS rec! "Crap!" I think. " Within the last 2 hours, he opened up the HBS rec link, wrote down what he thought, and he submitted. He didn't even call me to clarify anything, or ask any questions or anything! Did he even take the time to really think things through? Did he choose his words carefully, knowing the immensity of what this recommendation is to my career?"
at around 1:20...I get ANOTHER gmail alert. The chaplain just submitted the Stanford rec!!! 20 mins!
Now I'm freaking out. Writing a thoughtful and compelling rec should take more than 20 mins, shouldn't it?
I sent him an email, thanking him for his time and support, but with a slightly probing question. In the recommendation packet I gave him, I added a Stanford adcom podcast transcript that gives advice to recommenders in how/what to write. (if you want it, i've posted it here
https://gmatclub.com/forum/calling-all-us-military-fall-2010-applicants-83186.html) So in the email, I ask him, "Hey Sir, I hope the Stanford transcript wasn't too much information. Was it helpful to you, Sir?" In essence, asking if he even read it, to assuage my fears that he wouldn't even know what a good rec would look or sound like.
He replied "No problem at all. The information was helpful."
So I'm hoping he read it, and I'm hoping it helped. But jeez louise. 20mins to write a rec? am I freakin out for no reason?