No committee letter

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Hey folks,

Earlier this year I had decided that I was not applying this cycle. Recently, I found many post bacc's and DO schools that I think I could have a shot at. So, I changed my mind and want to still apply this cycle. However, I was not able to get a committee letter. How much will this hurt my chances of getting in?


cgpa-3.2
sgpa-3.2
mcat-28

I don't know if this is the same for DO but I asked the same question for MD and the general consensus was to call up each individual school and ask. Different schools will have different policies. Some don't care, some will forgive you if you have a good explanation (just bs it I guess), and some are adamant and will ignore your application if it doesn't have a letter from a group of people who barely even know you. Not biased at all.

Originally Posted by iololiol

Hey folks,

Earlier this year I had decided that I was not applying this cycle. Recently, I found many post bacc's and DO schools that I think I could have a shot at. So, I changed my mind and want to still apply this cycle. However, I was not able to get a committee letter. How much will this hurt my chances of getting in?


cgpa-3.2
sgpa-3.2
mcat-28

I never had a committee letter when I applied. Most schools will accept a couple of letters from science professors in the absence of a committee letter. It won't hurt your chances at all and you will have a good shot this upcoming cycle if you apply as early as possible and broadly. Good luck!

Originally Posted by iololiol

Hey folks,

Earlier this year I had decided that I was not applying this cycle. Recently, I found many post bacc's and DO schools that I think I could have a shot at. So, I changed my mind and want to still apply this cycle. However, I was not able to get a committee letter. How much will this hurt my chances of getting in?


cgpa-3.2
sgpa-3.2
mcat-28

Spend some time looking on the school websites. They will tell you exactly what their letter requirements are. Often they will have a clause stating "committee letter OR three or more separate letters from science and non-science faculty and physician (if needed)." I didn't have a committee letter either and did just fine. Be careful, though, as there are some schools with different letter requirements than the standard "committee or 3+ separate."

Originally Posted by iololiol

Hey folks,

Earlier this year I had decided that I was not applying this cycle. Recently, I found many post bacc's and DO schools that I think I could have a shot at. So, I changed my mind and want to still apply this cycle. However, I was not able to get a committee letter. How much will this hurt my chances of getting in?


cgpa-3.2
sgpa-3.2
mcat-28

I applied without one and was fine, I don't think any schools outright require it, but most require two letters from science faculty in its place.

In my case I was told I couldn't have it because I had not satisfied some math requirement in my post bacc which wasn't even required for med school. The committee did, however, write a letter saying essentially that I was a very strong student and they would have recommended me highly if it weren't for that one missing class...so I guess it was kind of a committee letter.

Some undergrads don't even have a prehealth committee, so a committee letter is impossible to get. My premed advisor told the premeds at my school that medschools will be suspicious if your undergrad HAS a prehealth committee, but you don't get the committee letter and get letters from 2-3 science profs instead. This is obviously rubbish logic... since I doubt adcoms know whether every undergrad university in the country has a prehealth committee or not. Nonetheless, I got one... since I knew them well.

Just call up some of your teachers and ask them to write you a letter. I think you need 2 science profs, and 1 other. Use the CIB or call each school individually or go on their websites to figure out how many letters you need to get in place of the committee letter.

Originally Posted by Iliketoytles

Use the CIB or call each school individually or go on their websites to figure out how many letters you need to get in place of the committee letter.

Totally forgot about the CIB. Good call

My school sees tons of people without committee letters.

Originally Posted by iololiol

Hey folks,

Earlier this year I had decided that I was not applying this cycle. Recently, I found many post bacc's and DO schools that I think I could have a shot at. So, I changed my mind and want to still apply this cycle. However, I was not able to get a committee letter. How much will this hurt my chances of getting in?


cgpa-3.2
sgpa-3.2
mcat-28

Originally Posted by Goro

My school sees tons of people without committee letters.

Really! So, I hope it doesn't look bad because I'm applying without committee letter as well. He doesn't know me that much.. and he cut my arms lol by saying no chances at all
Anyways to the OP I think you should call each school just to make sure .. or apply and if they ask you give them a good reasons.

I did not have a committee letter and was accepted. I almost 100% postive it will not hurt your app. If anything it will force the adcom to read all your rec letters individually rather than just read committee letter and skim the rest.

BUT it did prevent me from sending in a secondary to PCOM. PCOM requires a committee letter. You can get around this requirement if you have the dean of you school write a letter that says you are in good standing. I found that this would be to much hassel and decided against furthering my app with PCOM.

I think PCOM is the only DO school that requires a committee letter.

^ +1

yea i wont be able to get mine either due to taking my mcat in july and the hpac closes during this time and they wouldn't even review or grant me any mock intereviews or conduct any review without an mcat score so..not really my fault since there are a lot of ppl who take the mcat in july - what do they expect - but besides that you should be fine.

I won't be utilizing my school's pain in the ass of a committee.

Thankfully, no medical school would have heard of the school I go to.