Skipping Premed Committee Letter

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I did awful in undergrad due to some family issues. Also, I finished my ugrad about 6 years ago. Right now, I am finishing my courses and applying to medical school shortly. I have done a lot since graduation with getting publications and research experience. I have some great recs lined up for myself.

However, I am thinking of skipping the comitee letter. My science grades were awful and some of my other grades. I did get some great volunteer experiences though with underserved communities in undergrad despite my poor grades. Do you think adcoms will look at my application weird if I have glowing recs from everything but no recs from undergrad.

A bad gpa will probably be worse.

Originally Posted by HealthE

I did awful in undergrad due to some family issues. Also, I finished my ugrad about 6 years ago. Right now, I am finishing my courses and applying to medical school shortly. I have done a lot since graduation with getting publications and research experience. I have some great recs lined up for myself.

However, I am thinking of skipping the comitee letter. My science grades were awful and some of my other grades. I did get some great volunteer experiences though with underserved communities in undergrad despite my poor grades. Do you think adcoms will look at my application weird if I have glowing recs from everything but no recs from undergrad.

How awful in undergrad? How bad were your science grades? Have you fixed (ie over a 3.0 minimum)?

Without these answers, anything else is irrelevant.

Assuming you fixed your GPA, then you should have current science grades, and those are the professors/pre-med committee members you need letters from not from 6yrs ago.

A common sociological way to describe medicine is a tribe. In order to gain entry you need someone either on the inside (existing physicians) or with strong ties (experienced advisers) that can 'introduce' you to the gate keepers. A glowing letter from Obama won't do squat if you can't get someone Dr's can respect professionally to vet your application.

Originally Posted by HealthE

I did awful in undergrad due to some family issues. Also, I finished my ugrad about 6 years ago. Right now, I am finishing my courses and applying to medical school shortly. I have done a lot since graduation with getting publications and research experience. I have some great recs lined up for myself.

However, I am thinking of skipping the comitee letter. My science grades were awful and some of my other grades. I did get some great volunteer experiences though with underserved communities in undergrad despite my poor grades. Do you think adcoms will look at my application weird if I have glowing recs from everything but no recs from undergrad.

I skipped the committee letter and got individual letters instead: a former boss, 2 science profs, 1 history prof... No docs. It worked out fine for me.

And for the record I think a letter from Obama would get you in anywhere!