Do I have to submit LORs in order to receive secondaries?

[ductus]

Hi all,

The title says it. I may be mistaken, but I remember reading about a school that doesn't send secondaries unless you have submitted the required LORs. Is there such a school? Do some schools do this? I know when you add the school on AMCAS, for some schools it states the required LORs that must be submitted...perhaps it is these schools that require you to submit them before you receive a secondary??

Thanks.

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[SaiphRigel]

Nope. For most, if not all schools, you don't need your LOR submitted to receive a secondary. You only need to have your LOR submitted in order for your app to be complete once your MCAT score is uploaded, you submit the secondary and pay the fee to have your app reviewed.

 

[Taco Time]

You will receive a secondary if your primary app hits a certain threshold (some schools simply have a bare minimum GPA and MCAT score while other schools may perform their own screening process and look into more besides stats). From here a school extends a supplementary application, the applicant then submits the secondary, it is then put on file for the student BUT will only be ready for review and looked at by a committee when recommendation letters are sent. in You should get secondaries from schools and will be able to submit them without your letters being in; however, your app will only be reviewed once letters are sent in. Does your school offer a committee letter? Do you have enough letter writers (non-sci, sci, clinicians, PI, etc.)? If you have a good amount of your letters ready and are waiting on a slow letter-writing, procrastinating recommender, then simply submit what you have and send that last letter later on. Only downside is you'll pay that $4 fee (or whatever it is) again to have AMCAS process/verify that letter.

Best of luck if you're applying this cycle!

 

[00391917]

I agree with SaiphRigel. I heard you don't need the LORs in to receive secondary apps, just to get interviews. Quick question, does anyone know if you have to have MCAT scores in to get secondary apps or do you just have to have a verified primary because I know a lot of schools send secondaries to most applicants

 

[SaiphRigel]

I agree with SaiphRigel. I heard you don't need the LORs in to receive secondary apps, just to get interviews. Quick question, does anyone know if you have to have MCAT scores in to get secondary apps or do you just have to have a verified primary because I know a lot of schools send secondaries to most applicants

Not 100% sure, but I believe schools that don't screen will still send you their secondary. You just won't have your app reviewed if you submit the secondary before your MCAT score comes in. If a school screens, obviously they'll need an MCAT score to screen your app (unless you retook the MCAT; in that case, schools that screen might still wait until your new MCAT score comes in but I'm not sure).

 

[Taco Time]

It depends if the school sends out the secondaries based off of hitting a certain GPA/MCAT threshold. My guess is that you could get a secondary, but getting an interview would require an MCAT score, like you said. Your app would be put off but looked at accordingly once a score comes in, and the school will receive a notice that an app has received an MCAT score. Some schools send out secondaries late June and others send them out towards the end of July. It can vary from school to school, but as long as you'll have a score come in by Aug/July, you should be good since classes haven't began filling up.

 

[00391917]

I haven't taken the MCAT, and I think you are right SaiphRigel. I would be happy if I could just get at least some secondary apps and get those done so as soon as my scores come back I will be complete at those schools (since my LORs should be done pretty soon). & Then the schools that don't send me secondaries until after my MCAT score is released I am going to try to complete the secondary apps ASAP. I just would prefer to get a few out of the way since 20 is a lot

 

[00391917]

Thanks Taco Time. I take my MCAT July 12 so it should come in August 12 roughly and my primary app should be verified by then and my LORs should be done because I am only waiting on one who said he will put it to the top of his list. I talked to him today.

 

[SaiphRigel]

I haven't taken the MCAT, and I think you are right SaiphRigel. I would be happy if I could just get at least some secondary apps and get those done so as soon as my scores come back I will be complete at those schools (since my LORs should be done pretty soon). & Then the schools that don't send me secondaries until after my MCAT score is released I am going to try to complete the secondary apps ASAP. I just would prefer to get a few out of the way since 20 is a lot

Edit: Just read your post above that your app isn't verified, so I deleted my whole post about waiting for secondaries (I assumed your app was verified already). People post the essay prompts in the School-Specific threads when they receive the secondary for a respective school, so you could always pre-write once you're done with the MCAT. You won't be at any disadvantage pre-writing while waiting for your secondaries since you are waiting for your MCAT score anyway. Good luck!

 

[00391917]

thanks so much

 

[Taco Time]

Take SaiphRigel's recommendation with a pound of salt--pre write the secondaries! Kick butt with MCAT studying, pre-write, and hope for the best. Best of luck this cycle!

 

[Sean Lee]

Nope!

 

[ductus]

Ok. Thanks for the response guys!

I have another question regarding secondaries. For the common question regarding activities during the app cycle, do most people who put down a job/employment as being their major activity list any contact for that position? I would assume it should be required, no? I mean, if not, then I can assume lots of applicants will be putting down lots of nonsense...

 

[ductus]

bump