To be worried about having to keep asking university tutor for references?

[worriedimannoying]

I graduated 4 years ago. I asked my tutor to provide a reference to support my PhD applications which they kindly agreed to, but unfortunately I didn't get a place. For every job I've applied to since graduating up until last year I needed an academic reference from university, as jobs typically ask for references to support the last 3 years (this was 2 references as I've had 2 jobs since graduating).

I've now been wanting to apply for nursing and asked my tutor if they would provide a reference and they kindly agreed to. They provided the reference last week. However, now I'm having second thoughts and thinking I should apply for medicine instead. I've been literally up all night worrying about having to ask them for another reference, and as I'll be applying through 2 different systems I'll need them to upload the reference twice. I need this by October, so plenty of time. The applications require an academic reference, rather than from an employer.

I feel awful and so anxious about it. I do tend to switch between 2 different academics (my personal tutor and my dissertation supervisor), but my tutor is a lot more responsive so they are kind of my go-to person to ask. My supervisor is very senior and unfortunately I have missed deadlines before when they didn't upload the reference in time (which I completely understand, but caused me so much stress as I had spent £100 on an application fee by then and it was my top choice).

Every reference I've asked for has to be uploaded or emailed by them from their official email address, so it's not like I can request a copy of the reference and submit it myself.

WIBU to email them in a couple of months and ask for another UCAS reference?

It’s part of their job.

It's a normal part of their job.

If you're really worrying about it just sent them an e-mail saying something like

Hi,

I just wanted to say thank you for providing the references you have so far, I know it's a lot of extra work as it's taking me a while to find the right course for me and I appreciate the time you have taken to give them. Thank you.

Yours,

name

Surely they are just re sending the same reference every time ?

You are massively over thinking this they must have to do this sort of stuff all the time.

If it was me I would send an explaining email..saying really sorry how life has turned out I keep having to come back to you

It's not your fault this is the system and actually is very poor of them to let you down with a late reference

She'll be fine with it, it's normal to need multiple references.

I am a university lecturer and supervisor

Don’t worry about it. I get SO MANY EMAILS about this from all my past tutees and MSc students and PhD students. So many. I just find the ref I wrote for that person, change the date and the addressee, and ping it over

the only annoying ones are where the job has a web form and you have to type it all out and can’t upload a pdf. Even then I don’t mind, it’s part of my job

HOWEVER, a thank you email for all of them as suggested above would be appreciated 🙂