Can a fabulous Essay trump mediocre LORs?

[funshine]

It looks like I will be getting 4 so-so LORs, all from professors.
I know they say to have at least one based on a major EC you do, but most of my activities are not led by adults. Like the Peer Health Educators at my school are completely student-led. I'm doing some volunteering at the hospital, but only started in december, so I don't feel comfortable asking them for a LOR.

WHat do you think? Am I doomed? Should I grovel at my profs' feet? Or just leave my LORs alone and work on writing the essay of my life?

Thanks, everyone. I swear this will be my last, or one of my last threads on LORs.

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[SanDiegoSOD]

What could you possibly say to make up for medicore recommendations? Seriously - that you are going to save the world? I'm sure that save-the-world personal statements are a dime-a-dozen, as are mediocre recommendations. I think you ought to make one or two professor friends over the next semester and improve your LORs.

 

[Brain]

Faint praise in a LOR can be damning. They really need to be glowing. It sounds like you're in several activities so be sure to create a resume with everything you've done. Schedule a meeting with your profs to go over your resume and your interest in pursuing medicine and they should be able to write you a good one.

 

[Law2Doc]

It looks like I will be getting 4 so-so LORs, all from professors.
I know they say to have at least one based on a major EC you do, but most of my activities are not led by adults. Like the Peer Health Educators at my school are completely student-led. I'm doing some volunteering at the hospital, but only started in december, so I don't feel comfortable asking them for a LOR.

WHat do you think? Am I doomed? Should I grovel at my profs' feet? Or just leave my LORs alone and work on writing the essay of my life?

Thanks, everyone. I swear this will be my last, or one of my last threads on LORs.

Doomed is too strong. The better candidates will have both good LORs and a strong essay. Thus if you are weak in either, you will not be competitive with those candidates with the same numbers as you and strong paperwork. While I don't advocate grovelling per se, it might not hurt to find an excuse to chat with your prof, discuss your future over coffee (your treat) etc. so that he knows you better and can write a stronger letter.

 

[tinkerbelle]

I think you need to figure out a way to get better recs. Recs are more important b/c it gives the AdComs and idea of what other thinks about you... and they might be weary of an applicant who says, "i'm awesome, i'm going to help poor people and save the world" when you recs don't paint you as that type of person.

I know my application isn't that great, but a lot of my interviewers told me i had awesome recs... and I think that really helped me. I like Law2Doc's advice. Set up a meeting with your professors so that they get a better idea of who you are. I did that, and it worked out well. I also gave my reccommenders my resume etc.