*~*~*~*Official Letters of Recommendation Questions Thread 2014-2015*~*~*~*

[breaklinedestroyed]

Does anyone know what schools other than Harvard require a letter from EACH principal investigator you've ever had? I spent a year at my first research lab and lost interest as the time went on, and it likely showed in my work. I have a great relationship with my new/current PI and I am EXTREMELY reluctant to go back to my old PI and ask him for a letter, so I was wondering if Harvard was the only school that had this requirement. Thanks!

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[Physics92]

How long does it take LORs to show up on the amcas application? My letter writer uploaded his LOR to both tmdsas and amcas at the same time but only tmdsas is showing up right now. Hoping nothing went wrong uploading it to amcas.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

How long does it take LORs to show up on the amcas application? My letter writer uploaded his LOR to both tmdsas and amcas at the same time but only tmdsas is showing up right now. Hoping nothing went wrong uploading it to amcas.

The one my professor did last week was pretty much instantaneous.

 

[rsull99]

Hi, I have two questions:

1) I didn't specify in my request that people use official letterhead and two folks have already submitted their letters. If I ask and find out they did not use official letterhead, are they able to remove the letter and upload a new one in AMCAS or is it too late? I've already emailed the other people I'm waiting on to specifically request they use letterhead.

2) I'm getting a letter from a person I worked with who is now at a new organization. Should she use letterhead from the new organization she is with or from the old organization where we worked together? She may not even have access to the old org's letterhead anyway. I imagine her signature lines at the bottom will include both her new position details as well as the details of where she used to work with me.

Thank you!!

 

[dudewheresmymd]

when med schools say they want letters from faculty members, what if our class was taught by a lecturer and not an assistant professor/full professor?

 

[kyamh]

when med schools say they want letters from faculty members, what if our class was taught by a lecturer and not an assistant professor/full professor?

Use your judgement. Ideally, your letter would be written by a full Professor. If you have two basically equal options, go with the Professor. If you expect a really great letter from the lecturer, go with whoever taught your course. If you want to get a letter from a graduate student or a lab instructor, you will most likely need to ask the Professor to co-sign the letter.

 

[kyamh]

Does anyone know what schools other than Harvard require a letter from EACH principal investigator you've ever had? I spent a year at my first research lab and lost interest as the time went on, and it likely showed in my work. I have a great relationship with my new/current PI and I am EXTREMELY reluctant to go back to my old PI and ask him for a letter, so I was wondering if Harvard was the only school that had this requirement. Thanks!

I don't know the direct answer to your question but if your first lab experience didn't do anything for you then you could consider leaving it off your activities all together. No one says you have to put down ALL your activities - and many students have to choose the most important ones anyhow - so that way you can avoid the issue.

 

[aladeen]

So my problem is that I might have too many letters, but not all the kinds that are recommended.
I have 2 from full science professors, 1 from an assistant science professor, 1 from a math professor, and 1 from a non-science professor. Two schools specified that a letter from a lab instructor, which is what the assistant science professor was, wouldn't qualify as one of the 3 science prof letters they needed. I decided to get one from him anyway, since it is likely to be so glowing that the light will shine through the AdComm's collective backside. I also want to get two more from my current employers (different jobs, different things they'd have to say - one is a nonprofit gig, which weighs heavily in my PS, and the other is medical, in which my boss is a doctor).
The ones from my professors are all going via the Pre-Health office at school, meaning they'd go out to all the schools. Seven letters is way too many, right? Should I see if the professors are willing to resend via Interfolio, so I can pick and choose which letters go out to which school to meet their requirements? Is that asking too much, this close to June 7?

 

[gastronome]

Apologize in advance for duplicity if this question was already answered. If your pre-health office transmits mid-July, would this delay reception of secondaries? It seems to be that LORs have nothing to do with AMCAS verification, but would they have anything to do with late secondaries?

 

[cookyjar]

So my PI told me that he submitted a paper that has my name as a 2nd author and he will not find out if that paper was accepted for publication or not until end of June. When I asked him for a recommendation letter, he told me that he is willing to submit a letter in June, but if the paper was accepted, he can write a stronger letter. So should I tell him to submit the letter in July? I already have all other letters (sci prof, non sci prof etc.) on Interfolio. I want to submit the primary app in early June. Also, my app will not be complete until early August because of mcat. So maybe submitting that letter in July is ok?

 

[Dr mutt]

Hi. I have a questions about letters of recommendation. I have read the original post.

I totally understand that I can assign letters to school after I submit. But does that mean that the school won't look/evaluate my application until I have all the letters in?

 

[zdoc9]

It says in the amcas instruction manual that we can submit our primary application before our LoRs are received. Are we able to create new letter entries once we submit the primary or should we create an entry for every letter we plan on having sent prior to submitting the application? By when at the latest should the LoRs be received? I'm going to be using interfolio and it says that the authors are supposed to add the AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID in their Interfolio account. I know I'm supposed to assign the IDs to each letter once I receive it when I create a new delivery. Where would my letter writers add the IDs in their account though in case I have to explain it to them? (One of my profs is using interfolio for the first time).

 

[jonhamm]

My undergrad institution does not have a committee. However, I took two pre-reqs (one class per semester) after undergrad at an institution that does have a committee - but I was not enrolled in any formal postbac program. I will be ok without the committee letter from this program, right?

 

[NCKSD]

My undergrad institution does not have a committee. However, I took two pre-reqs (one class per semester) after undergrad at an institution that does have a committee - but I was not enrolled in any formal postbac program. I will be ok without the committee letter from this program, right?

Yes, you will be fine. I dont even think the committee at the second post-bac institution would write you a letter since you did not attend seek a degree at their school. I could be wrong, but nevertheless, you should be fine.

 

[NCKSD]

So my PI told me that he submitted a paper that has my name as a 2nd author and he will not find out if that paper was accepted for publication or not until end of June. When I asked him for a recommendation letter, he told me that he is willing to submit a letter in June, but if the paper was accepted, he can write a stronger letter. So should I tell him to submit the letter in July? I already have all other letters (sci prof, non sci prof etc.) on Interfolio. I want to submit the primary app in early June. Also, my app will not be complete until early August because of mcat. So maybe submitting that letter in July is ok?

Since your app will not be complete until early August anyways, I would wait for the stronger letter in July! Good luck with the publication.

Hi. I have a questions about letters of recommendation. I have read the original post.

I totally understand that I can assign letters to school after I submit. But does that mean that the school won't look/evaluate my application until I have all the letters in?

Yes, the schools will not mark your application complete until all letters are received. Once your application is complete you'll be in their system/in line to be reviewed.

It says in the amcas instruction manual that we can submit our primary application before our LoRs are received. Are we able to create new letter entries once we submit the primary or should we create an entry for every letter we plan on having sent prior to submitting the application? By when at the latest should the LoRs be received? I'm going to be using interfolio and it says that the authors are supposed to add the AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID in their Interfolio account. I know I'm supposed to assign the IDs to each letter once I receive it when I create a new delivery. Where would my letter writers add the IDs in their account though in case I have to explain it to them? (One of my profs is using interfolio for the first time).

I just logged in to my AMCAS from this previous cycle and I could add more letters if I wanted to, so you can add them whenever. Unfortunately I am not too familiar with interfolio, so hopefully someone else can chime in. I would just make sure they have your AMCAS letter ID / AAMC ID or whatever on the actual letters somewhere at the minimum.

 

[NCKSD]

So my problem is that I might have too many letters, but not all the kinds that are recommended.
I have 2 from full science professors, 1 from an assistant science professor, 1 from a math professor, and 1 from a non-science professor. Two schools specified that a letter from a lab instructor, which is what the assistant science professor was, wouldn't qualify as one of the 3 science prof letters they needed. I decided to get one from him anyway, since it is likely to be so glowing that the light will shine through the AdComm's collective backside. I also want to get two more from my current employers (different jobs, different things they'd have to say - one is a nonprofit gig, which weighs heavily in my PS, and the other is medical, in which my boss is a doctor).
The ones from my professors are all going via the Pre-Health office at school, meaning they'd go out to all the schools. Seven letters is way too many, right? Should I see if the professors are willing to resend via Interfolio, so I can pick and choose which letters go out to which school to meet their requirements? Is that asking too much, this close to June 7?

I would check with your Pre-health office which ones to submit for your committee letter. Some committees will attach ALL the letters they got from you with your committee letter, and you dont want to send the school 7 letters. I would choose your best four or at most five and use those, while meeting the application requirements. If the assistant science professor wont count for schools, I would be weary on using that. Maybe contact some schools your applying to and ask this question directly to them. Good luck!

Apologize in advance for duplicity if this question was already answered. If your pre-health office transmits mid-July, would this delay reception of secondaries? It seems to be that LORs have nothing to do with AMCAS verification, but would they have anything to do with late secondaries?

Most schools will send secondaries when they receive your primary, so you should be fine. Few will wait for your LORS to send you a secondary.

 

[gordony]

Is it ok to go ahead and assign the required letters for each school when submitting AMCAS/before recieving secondary?

Basically, are there any schools that say DONT assign LoRs till you receive a secondary from us?

 

[gastronome]

Most schools will send secondaries when they receive your primary, so you should be fine. Few will wait for your LORS to send you a secondary.

Thanks for your reply! To follow, I understand one should promptly turn in secondaries. Will medical schools think you're not as interested in them if your LORs come in mid-July, even if you turned in the secondary application itself within a couple days of reception? I'm trying to figure out whether to send my remaining three LORs to my pre-health committee file (committee letter + 2 LORs) and have everything transmit mid-July or ask my recommenders to upload to AMCAS directly and say in my secondary to anticipate the committee letter packet coming later.

 

[ajm422]

Hi, everyone. I posted this in the non-trad forum but I think I might get more help here. I'm a non trad (3.5s/3.5c/33) applying to lower tier MD schools and several DO schools. I graduated undergrad in 2009, have several neuroscience publications (including one co-first author), good ECs, etc.

My question is the committee letter, which my undergrad offers. Unfortuately, it comes out very late, as in September-October. I'm planning on submitting AMCAS and AACOMAS next week and I have all my letters (2 science, 1 non-science, PI, volunteer, MD) in Interfolio. If I go non-committee, I can submit all my letters and be done with it, possibly totally complete with secondaries included in mid-July. If I wait for the committee letter, I may not be complete until September or (gasp) October!

With my borderline stats (for MD, at least), I would really rather be totally complete as early as possible rather than waiting for the committee letter. I feel like as an engineering major non-trad who did most of his science classes, shadowing, volunteering, and MCAT-taking after I graduated, I have an acceptable reason to forgo the committee letter despite my undergrad institution offering the option. Or is the committee letter really that valuable? Is it worth the wait?

Thanks!

 

[Episome]

Sup gang, I have a question that's similar to ajm422's. If our committee letter comes out super later, would schools mind if we had other letters instead and then just added the committee letter as soon as it came in? Like, let's say I assign 3 other letters as well as the committee letter to a certain school. The other 3 letters come in by like June something, so they're all ready by the time the school sends a secondary. Then the committee letter drops in in October. Will schools be irritated by that type of thing?

 

[NCKSD]

Thanks for your reply! To follow, I understand one should promptly turn in secondaries. Will medical schools think you're not as interested in them if your LORs come in mid-July, even if you turned in the secondary application itself within a couple days of reception? I'm trying to figure out whether to send my remaining three LORs to my pre-health committee file (committee letter + 2 LORs) and have everything transmit mid-July or ask my recommenders to upload to AMCAS directly and say in my secondary to anticipate the committee letter packet coming later.

Having everything complete in mid July still makes you very early, I would wait for the committee letter to come in then. AMCAS doesn't send out processed applications until late June anyways

Just note that your application will not be reviewed or marked complete to a school until everything is in. But having it done in mid July does not mean you are not interested in them.


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[Czechtog]

Quick Non-Science letter question. I'm applying MD/PhD so have multilpe PI letters, a few science faculty, and am waiting on my non-science letter from an English Lit professor. As an English Lit prof she understandably hasn't written a statement for someone doing MD/PhD before and is looking for some guidance. Should I just have her speak to my abilities as a student of literature. Does anyone have a go-to guide they give to non-science letter writers to give them some idea of what to write?

 

[emg8613]

Hi, everyone. I posted this in the non-trad forum but I think I might get more help here. I'm a non trad (3.5s/3.5c/33) applying to lower tier MD schools and several DO schools. I graduated undergrad in 2009, have several neuroscience publications (including one co-first author), good ECs, etc.

My question is the committee letter, which my undergrad offers. Unfortuately, it comes out very late, as in September-October. I'm planning on submitting AMCAS and AACOMAS next week and I have all my letters (2 science, 1 non-science, PI, volunteer, MD) in Interfolio. If I go non-committee, I can submit all my letters and be done with it, possibly totally complete with secondaries included in mid-July. If I wait for the committee letter, I may not be complete until September or (gasp) October!

With my borderline stats (for MD, at least), I would really rather be totally complete as early as possible rather than waiting for the committee letter. I feel like as an engineering major non-trad who did most of his science classes, shadowing, volunteering, and MCAT-taking after I graduated, I have an acceptable reason to forgo the committee letter despite my undergrad institution offering the option. Or is the committee letter really that valuable? Is it worth the wait?

Thanks!

I am in the exact same situation minus being a non traditional applicant. I already asked all my letter writers to have my LORs (2 science , 1 from PI, 1 non science) done by July at the latest, and am hopeful that they will be finished earlier than that. Thing is I am not a pre-medical major and never looked into doing the committee letter until recently, and now I am afraid that 1) it's too late for me to even get one and 2) if I do get one they say they won't have them out until fall, which means my application wouldn't be "complete" until September or October, same as you. From what I have seen a few schools say that if your undergraduate institution offers a committee letter you are required to use it, which put me in panic mode now that it's coming up on June and I still don't even have letters submitted to get me one.

Sorry I can't be of more help, I'm talking to an advisor next week though so if I find out anything else I will update this post!

 

[Banco]

I have a question about Duke; does the committee letter satisfy their requirements? Or do we need 3 other letters on top of that?

 

[dudewheresmymd]

6. How many schools use the AMCAS Letter service?
This year, it looks like all but 5 schools that participate in AMCAS are participating in the letter service. Those non-participating schools are:
Duke University

In case you want to update this -- It says on Duke's website that they accept AMCAS letter service. Duke participates in the AMCAS Recommendation Letter Services as well as VirtualEvals and Interfolio.

http://dukemed.duke.edu/modules/ooa_applicant/index.php?id=6

 

[CKP7175]

.

 

[ronnicus]

I was wondering when to ask for letters of rec- I'm on the quarter system so I only know professors for 10 weeks or so. Would it be advisable to get to know them as well as possible for those 10 weeks and ask for a letter right after? Or should it be more keep in touch for the whole year and ask for a letter at the end?

 

[Banco]

I'm in a bit of a predicament: a few weeks before the end of the semester, I spoke to my pre-med adviser (who is also the head of my university's pre-health committee), and he ensured me that I could schedule an interview with the committee in the early summer so that they could write me a letter in time for me to submit it with my application in early July. After emailing him to schedule an interview time, he informed me that the members of the committee would no longer be able to meet during the summer, and that I would have to wait until the beginning of the semester (in late August) to perform the interview. My question is: should I hold off until the committee letter is complete - a full two months, at least - after I was originally planning to submit, or should I ask 4-5 faculty members/physicians to write me individual letters to submit at my originally planned time?
Also, if I were to submit my application in early July (along with the aforementioned individual letters), and then submit my committee letter in late August, would schools wait until late August to review my application and make decisions regarding secondaries, interviews, etc.? I understand how important committee letters are, but I'm not sure that they outweigh the benefit of a 2 month earlier application time. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts or ideas about what I should do here, because I'm on the fence.

Thank you!

I think you can submit your app and get secondaries without any letters of recommendation.

 

[ManOfDiligence]

I emailed the admission staff of a school that requires 4 LORs and asked them if I'll get screened out if I submit an application with 3 LORs. I got this as a response:

"You can not be considered a complete applicant until you submit 4 recommendations. Since you have the science faculty and and MD, I would hope that you are able to find a fourth through a service or extracurricular activity."

Does this mean I'll be screened out? His response was a bit vague. This school is in my top 3.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

I emailed the admission staff of a school that requires 4 LORs and asked them if I'll get screened out if I submit an application with 3 LORs. I got this as a response:

"You can not be considered a complete applicant until you submit 4 recommendations. Since you have the science faculty and and MD, I would hope that you are able to find a fourth through a service or extracurricular activity."

Does this mean I'll be screened out? His response was a bit vague. This school is in my top 3.

It means they won't even consider you until they get that fourth letter. So you won't be screened out since your application won't even make it in.

Is there a volunteer supervisor you can get a letter from?

 

[Copernicium]

If schools have a maximum letter limit of let's say 6-7 letters, will they care if I send close to the max amount? I have a packet of 5 letters (2 sci, 1 non-sci, employer, and my PI) + 1 individual letter (6 total), and feel like sending all of them to each school that accepts over 5. The single letter is from my other PI and I don't know how great it is (but it shouldn't be bad). I'm applying to a good amount of research schools if that helps.

reposting

also wondering about:

Is it ok to go ahead and assign the required letters for each school when submitting AMCAS/before recieving secondary

 

[dr.hill13]

Hello, I have tried to find a similar question, but I haven't

• 1 letter is from my biochem professor who is the student organization advisor for a club that I am Vice President. I have built a relationship with her so she knows me personally, and I also 4.0 her course.
• 1 letter is from my volunteer coordinator from high school who I have worked with closely and who I have maintained a positive relationship with over the years.
• 1 LOR is from a non-science professor who knows me very well.

Help:
I worked as a CNA in a nursing home for an entire year. During that year, I only saw a Dr. 3-4 times. I have a BSN who now works in the cardiovascular unit at U of M that is willing to write me one. He can attest to my work ethic, integrity, and ability to succeed in a medical setting. I know that a BSN isn't a Dr., but if anyone can attest to my ability, it is him.

I need advice on how to approach this section/things I could do to make the RN status a non-issue.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[gettheleadout]

Hello, I have tried to find a similar question, but I haven't

• 1 letter is from my biochem professor who is the student organization advisor for a club that I am Vice President. I have built a relationship with her so she knows me personally, and I also 4.0 her course.
• 1 letter is from my volunteer coordinator from high school who I have worked with closely and who I have maintained a positive relationship with over the years.
• 1 LOR is from a non-science professor who knows me very well.

Help:
I worked as a CNA in a nursing home for an entire year. During that year, I only saw a Dr. 3-4 times. I have an RN who now works in the cardiovascular unit at U of M that is willing to write me one. He can attest to my work ethic, integrity, and ability to succeed in a medical setting. I know that an RN isn't a Dr., but if anyone can attest to my ability, it is him.

I need advice on how to approach this section/things I could do to make the RN status a non-issue.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

The RN acted as your supervisor if you were a CNA right? The letter is then a letter from someone in a supervisory role at your place of employment, regardless of the credentials the writer has. I wouldn't think it would be an issue.

 

[ahhssha]

Anyone know the best way to go about sending LORs directly to schools?

I have a letter writer who has to address each school directly in the letters she's writing, it's company policy. I emailed AMCAS for advise and got the response of "you have 10 submissions max.", which will not work considering i'm applying to 14 schools and have other LORs and a committee letter. Any advice?

 

[Leslie_Knope]

Anyone know the best way to go about sending LORs directly to schools?

I have a letter writer who has to address each school directly in the letters she's writing, it's company policy. I emailed AMCAS for advise and got the response of "you have 10 submissions max.", which will not work considering i'm applying to 14 schools and have other LORs and a committee letter. Any advice?

Use interfolio and make sure the schools you are applying to are OK with it.

 

[andrewRA4]

Hi all,

on some websites, the schools state something along the lines of: "Please request your AMCAS ID be included on each of your letters."

I sent to AMCAS vio Interfolio, so when AMCAS distributes my LORs to the school, they will have the AMCAS ID on them, right?

All my schools are using the AMCAS Letter Service

 

[gettheleadout]

Hi all,

on some websites, the schools state something along the lines of: "Please request your AMCAS ID be included on each of your letters."

I sent to AMCAS vio Interfolio, so when AMCAS distributes my LORs to the school, they will have the AMCAS ID on them, right?

All my schools are using the AMCAS Letter Service

It's my understanding that when letters are sent to AMCAS via Interfolio, the AMCAS ID need only be entered into Interfolio by the applicant, not included in the text of the letter.

Merging with Official LOR Q&A Thread.

 

[IL Pre Med]

Is it bad to have all 5 of your letters be from professors? I have none from employers or MDs, not sure how this looks.

 

[504196]

One school that I am applying to suggests 3 letters or a committee letter in lieu of the 3 letters. I have a committee letter, but I REALLY want to include 2 more letters: one from a professor I did 1.5 years of research with and another English professor that I took 5 courses with and did a semester of research with (I was an English major). Should I just stick to the committee letter? Or should I submit the additional 2 and if the don't read them then that's fine? Or would that not be good to submit 2 extras?

 

[Fisherman1]

I've got an issue with one of my science LORs. Towards the end of the semester, I asked my professor if she could write me a good letter, she said sure, I gave her my packet and the whole bit. At the time, she said she would have it in by last Wednesday. I noticed yesterday that it still wasn't submitted, so I sent her a little email to check in and make sure everything was still good. She responded with a form email stating that she only wrote personalized letters for her TAs and preceptoris, and that regular students would only get a simple generic letter. Basically, "so and so did well in my class and you should take them." Not the worst thing in the world, but not great, and not what she told me I would be getting.
I've got 5 other great letters: 1 from a Bio professor who I have TA'ed for and work with on a research project, 1 from an Education professor that has taught me for 3 semesters and supervised me in a mentorship program, 1 from a local non-profit president who taught at the business school for 15 years and supervised a community service-based internship, 1 from the director of the Center for Toxicology at the Pharm school who ran an internship where I taught some health lessons to local youth and mentored high school students in research labs, including training the students in basic lab techniques, and one from my hospital volunteer supervisor.
My question is, should I take the generic letter that is on the table and hope for the best, or should I scramble to find somebody else to write my second science letter? I've got one other professor that I know could write me a good letter, but he won't be reachable until mid-July at the earliest. Realistically, he wouldn't be able to get a letter submitted before the end of August, assuming I can get ahold of him before the start of the semester.
Is the cost of 1 weak letter enough to warrant delaying the completion of my applications to mid-September? I already know that I'm not the strongest applicant, I was hoping to have everything done ASAP.

 

[centillion]

1. Question regarding when is too soon/too late to ask for recs:

As a rising junior in college, I took a history course and did really well this past sophomore fall and had a strong personal connection to my preceptor/TA (who is finishing her PhD and is pursuing teaching positions at other universities next year). My pre-med advisor told me to hold off and to wait until later, like around senior year, to ask the TA for a recommendation letter (I am planning on taking a gap year, so I imagine I would start reaching out to professors my senior spring, correct me if I'm wrong). Is this too late? Would the TA be less familiar with my strengths and qualities about two years out? Should I ask now or is it too soon? Are freshman year teachers or PI's (whom you discontinued working with) weighed less valuable or important?


2. Question regarding how well you have to know a science teacher:
In addition, how well do you have to be known by a science professor from a class, not a PI, to ask for a science rec? I took a science course with about <100 students this past spring and I did the best in course, and given the hands-on nature of the class the teacher knows all of our names and has a good sense of what we're good at. However, I'm not really sure whether doing well and having a positive impression on a professor (we were expected to complete labs, write manuscripts, present info, collaborate) will make for an exceptional or stand-out rec. The professor also had a fairly intimidating personality so we weren't exactly all amigos throughout the semester. Would this be a potentially worthwhile rec to seek out, or should you stick to professors that you have a personal relationship with? Is it okay for me to only have science PI's for my science recs and not a class professor?

Thanks so much!

 

[quicheduty]

Is it rude/appropriate to ask for a LOR from a professor who's on sabbatical? I've been planning on asking a prof for a letter for some time now and I am a TA for his class, but he recently announced the sabbatical and now I'm not quite sure what to do.

Edit: whoops, I'm not a current cycle applicant. I'm sorry!

 

[dlm2852]

Does anybody know anything about letter of rec for texas school? They seem to only ask for two and only allow a max of 3. Im not sure which ones to provide and there does not seem to be much on their websites. Do they require a non science? I have two very strong letter from PI and MD who I did research with. I feel like a should include my PI and the MD is my strongest letter by far. Then I would only have 1 letter left. Not if it sure be science professor or non science...

 

[mypan2409]

Hi Everyone!

I have a odd question. I have reviewed all the schools that I am applying too. And I have recorded all their requirements for LORs, what/when/how/who.
What if I have my letter writers filling multiple roles? Do you think they will suffice? I'm also a graduate student finishing up my MS so IDK if I'm considered "Non-Traditional" student?
For instance, my letter writers are: PI fills the role of...well.. obvi my PI, but also my Grad advisor, a Science Faculty, and Undergrad Science Faculty. A Pre-Health Advisor, who was previously my Undergrad Advisor, and I've taught with her for Intro Bio lab. Additional Science Faculty who was an Undergrad Science Faculty, and who I later taught under for Bio. An Internist that I've strictly passively shadowed acts as my MD letter but I've volunteered at her school that she opened; which she will speak on in the letter. Lastly, I have two MD's writing me a letter from my ED Scribe job who act as my "hands-on" Clinical Hours evaluators.
I obvi can't/won't send all these letters to the schools. But I'm trying to have a pool of letters to pick out of that are best suited for school A vs school B.

So do you think I have to contact the schools that have strict rules about their LORs and convince them that my letters fulfill their requirements in a more dynamic way??

 

[mypan2409]

Is it bad to have all 5 of your letters be from professors? I have none from employers or MDs, not sure how this looks.

Have you not shadowed? I guess it depends on the school(s) in which you are applying to. The schools I've chosen "strongly suggest" a letter from a physician who I have worked with. Which translates to you need to have a physician write you a letter.

 

[gettheleadout]

Is it bad to have all 5 of your letters be from professors? I have none from employers or MDs, not sure how this looks.

I doubt it's bad. Unless a school explicitly recommends a letter from a physician, then I would think the minority of applicants would actually have one. LOR's from shadowed physicians make especially little sense to me; why should they be able to speak to your qualifications moreso than a professor you have worked with extracurricularly or a boss? Also if you've had no employers who could write informed, useful letter then I wouldn't worry about that either.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

Question about schools that screen/request LORs only from certain candidates:

Is it OK for me to assign letters when I submit AMCAS, or should I wait for the school to request LORs? Which is more efficient/appropriate?

 

[Lifeman]

Can I get a list of which schools require a non-science professor LOR? In other words, if I only have (2 science professors + 1 research PI) letters, where can I not apply?

 

[gettheleadout]

Question about schools that screen/request LORs only from certain candidates:

Is it OK for me to assign letters when I submit AMCAS, or should I wait for the school to request LORs? Which is more efficient/appropriate?

Check the schools' websites. I swear I've seen one recently where it said not to assign them until requested.

 

[Klyx]

Small detail, but do you entitle your faculty writers as Prof. or Dr.? I guess Prof. is the more prestigious/informative option, but I haven't ever seen any with that title on a formal document.