Obtaining and submitting letters of recommendation?

[TheLeadSeed]

Hey guys!

First off, sorry if I am beating a dead horse with this question. I've searched the forums a bit but haven't found anything as specific.

Not to confuse anyone, but I am applying next cycle (Spring 2016), not this one.

I am in the process of contacting DO's to shadow and thinking which professors I will ask for a LOR.

1.) I will be shadowing a DO in September for a few weeks, and then ask for a LOR. Let's say he writes me a LOR and finishes it in November or even earlier. What do i do? Have him send it immediately to interfolio? Or should I just ask him to hold onto it and wait until the application cycle in May and send directly to AACOMAS? I think read that letters can now be send directly to AACOMAS starting this cycle.

2.) Also, I have science classes this Fall. If I want to ask a professor for a LOR in December when classes end, should I just tell them to have it ready by May for AACOMAS, or should I do the interfolio way?

Thanks y'all!

p.s.- if you are looking for a D.O. to shadow, google the iLearn Mentor Program. I just contacted 10 doctors today through it, and 3 already emailed back within 10 minutes! 1 even called me with his cell phone and told me I can shadow him for a few weeks.

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[mk2015]

So I don't think there's really a wrong way to do this that you mentioned. But this is what I did:

I asked for my DO letter in early May and sent him the AACOMAS request email. He submitted about 2 weeks ago and was received without a problem.

My school uses a committee letter. So I asked for 5 letters just before Christmas break last year with a deadline to submit to the committee by the end of June. I sent an AACOMAS request to the head of the pre health committee to submit. If your school doesn't do a committee letter, you could have them submit to interfolio or just send separate requests from AACOMAS. I haven't used interfolio but from what I hear it's extraordinarily useful so if you're getting the letters early that might not be a bad way to go.

 

[TheLeadSeed]

So I don't think there's really a wrong way to do this that you mentioned. But this is what I did:

I asked for my DO letter in early May and sent him the AACOMAS request email. He submitted about 2 weeks ago and was received without a problem.

My school uses a committee letter. So I asked for 5 letters just before Christmas break last year with a deadline to submit to the committee by the end of June. I sent an AACOMAS request to the head of the pre health committee to submit. If your school doesn't do a committee letter, you could have them submit to interfolio or just send separate requests from AACOMAS. I haven't used interfolio but from what I hear it's extraordinarily useful so if you're getting the letters early that might not be a bad way to go.

Yeah I was thinking Interfolio might be the best way if I get the letter early, like between now and December. However, I might have read some people having a hard time sending letter from Interfolio.

With Interfolio, you send letters directly to the school, or to AACOMAS? I also read of people using "fake emails?" Can someone clarify what that means?
Thanks!

 

[pmsltechnician]

Yeah I was thinking Interfolio might be the best way if I get the letter early, like between now and December. However, I might have read some people having a hard time sending letter from Interfolio.

With Interfolio, you send letters directly to the school, or to AACOMAS? I also read of people using "fake emails?" Can someone clarify what that means?
Thanks!

I used Interfolio instead of AACOMAS. The benefit to this is that you have these letters in storage for the rest of your life (aka future application cycles). If you have your letter writer send them directly to AACOMAS and (God forbid) you don't get accepted, you'll have to bug your letter writer to send the letter again. If your letter writer is bad at responding promptly, this could screw you over in the future. However, you do have to send your letters directly to each school you apply to. I've had zero problems with this so far (same or next day receipt of letters).

I'm not sure what this "fake email" business is, but it sounds unethical and you should probably steer clear from it anyways.

Hope this helps!

 

[lyana]

Sorry to bug in.
So letters from AACOMAS are not saved for next cycles? Where did you get that info from?

 

[pmsltechnician]

Sorry to bug in.
So letters from AACOMAS are not saved for next cycles? Where did you get that info from?

According to the AACOMAS website:

• Applicants will not have access to the 2015 (or any prior year) application after 11:59pm EDT on April 30, 2015.
  We strongly encourage applicants to save/print off a copy of their current AACOMAS application before this date.
• Applicants must re-submit all transcripts and documents. Applicants will need to re-submit all transcripts and documents to our new mailing address:
  AACOMAS
  PO Box 9137
  Watertown, MA 02471
  

So I assumed the same will happen next year for this year's application/documents. I also know that AMCAS does not save letters of recommendation stored through their service for future cycles. I could be wrong though, since the AACOMAS letter service is brand new. Perhaps someone else can clarify?