How Long Should I Wait Before Following Up on an Admission Application Request

Am I being too ambitious with my request (explained below)?

I’ve been having a difficult time securing letters of recommendation from my undergraduate professors, primarily due to the amount of time that has passed since I graduated (about 7 years). Every request I sent was declined, with professors explaining that too much time had passed since we worked together.

I nearly gave up on completing my application altogether, but eventually decided to reach out to admissions to explain my situation—nothing to lose, right?

I emailed admissions to ask whether a strong professional letter of recommendation could be accepted in place of the 2 required academic letters (hopefully the professional recommendation was a good one 😅). It’s been about 11 days since then. While I know that isn’t very long, it feels like an eternity. I also recognize that the holidays and busy schedules may be a factor, but I’m anxious to know whether my application can still be considered without academic recommendations.

So my questions are:

• When would it be appropriate to send a follow-up email?
• Would it be redundant or overly pushy to contact other offices or departments involved in the admissions process with the same request?
• Since the application deadline has already passed, if my request were granted, would my application still be valid for consideration?
• If financial support were to be offered, could this request reduce my chances of receiving it?
• For anyone who has been in a similar position when applying for a master’s program, were there any additional requirements or conditions you were asked to meet?