*~*~*~*Official Letters of Recommendation Questions Thread 2015-2016*~*~*~*

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Hey guys,

Sorry if this question has already been answered, but I can't find where it's been addressed previously.

I'm using my school's letter service, which will send a packet of my LORs to AMCAS. AMCAS website states that these count as 1 letter, although my packet will include 5 letters in a single PDF document. I've been looking at the LOR requirements of the schools I'm applying to, and a few of them list a max of 3 or 4 letters. Does this mean that I should eliminate one (or more) of my letters from my packet before it's sent to AMCAS? I'm a non-trad, so my choice to have 5 letter writers is in order to account for how I've spent my time since leaving school. At this moment, I've got 2 science profs, 1 non-science prof, the PI from the lab where I did research, and the doctor I have worked for for the past two years.
A letter from your school's service will fulfill all requirements and does not exceed them.

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Would it be ok to have a DO write me a LoR? He works at my university's hospital(UCSD) part time and private practice part time
DO schools love DO letters.
Most MD schools don't give a hoot for physician letters.
Do not use this unless you are applying to one of the few MD schools that request clinical letters (e.g.AZ,UT).
 
Mayo's website states, "Mayo Medical School does not have a secondary application and does not request letters of recommendation from all applicants. You will be notified via email if the school requires letters of recommendation from you."

That means I shouldn't assign letters to Mayo when I submit the primary, right?

You can assign them right away. Mayo will notify you when they intend to upload them, so if you haven't assigned them by that point you need to do it then. If you already uploaded them, you sit back, smile that you've made it to the next step, and they will access them.
 
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So I've sent my primary application last week on the first day. I have four LOR sitting in Interfolio and waiting on one more. I'm wondering if I should send the four in now so medical schools can receive them sooner, or if I should just wait for the fifth one and send them all in together at once. I should be getting the fifth one back by June 20th, but I'm just anxious about some schools that say that they screen for secondaries and I don't want to miss out receiving a secondary because my letters of recommendation weren't in. Thoughts?
 
So is it wise to checkbox all letters you have uploaded when applying to all your schools, or is it better to tailor your selections to each school's requirements? I did the former last year, but I'm not convinced that was really a problem.

Any recommendations?
 
One of my letter writers said he uploaded the letter two days ago, but AMCAS hasn't marked it as received. Is there a problem?
 
Is it okay to submit the primary with all of the LOR info blank? Like can I submit and enter all of my LOR info while waiting for verification? Or do I have to identify all of my writers before I sumbit?
 
I've heard about how letters from TA in lieu of a professor's are a bit shaky, but what about using a letter from a TA as a character letter?
 
So I've sent my primary application last week on the first day. I have four LOR sitting in Interfolio and waiting on one more. I'm wondering if I should send the four in now so medical schools can receive them sooner, or if I should just wait for the fifth one and send them all in together at once. I should be getting the fifth one back by June 20th, but I'm just anxious about some schools that say that they screen for secondaries and I don't want to miss out receiving a secondary because my letters of recommendation weren't in. Thoughts?
Schools don't receive your primary application until July 1. Also, I highly doubt you'll be screened out because your letters are in.
 
I attend a very large university that does not have a single "university address." When giving the address for letters, which one should I give? The two that come to mind are the office of the registrar and the professor's office address. Also, should the organization name be the university of the department that the professor is in?
 
How strict are the "maximum letters" stipulation? Is it frowned upon to send in more than they ask if I think all my letters are good yet unique in their own ways?
 
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A particular med school says the following about their LORs (see below). Basically, it says 3 letters from faculty only (at least 2 from science profs). And I have those 3, but my 4th one is from my boss at a hospital where I have volunteered 500+ hours over the last 3 years. I have been given more responsibilities over time, and he even recommended I interview for a job as residency coordinator there (I did not take it bc of school).

So, the question is, is it acceptable/ is it a no-no to submit this 4th letter? It is an extremely strong letter from my long-time supervisor, so I feel it is an asset in my application. I think they should see this letter, but I also don't want them to throw out my app bc I can't follow simple instructions. Advise please...

  • Letters of Recommendation: Premedical committee evaluation OR three letters from instructors (any field of study) from whom the candidate has taken courses. One of the letters can be from a research mentor. These letters should critically evaluate the candidate’s academic ability, strengths and weaknesses, motivation for medicine, maturity, difficulty of course work, and special attributes/assets. Personal letters of recommendation are not acceptable. If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program or professional school, one letter must be from a faculty member at the graduate or professional school.
 
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See above.. I have the same question
We did not get any replies, alas... I updated my app to include the 4th letter. It makes sense to me because some schools say "No more than 3 letters" or "Do not send more than 3 letters unless you receive an II". This one does not say that and I think they will understand why it was included because the letter is very strong. Hope this helps someone else.
 
Hey guys, I haven't been able to find a exactly state answer to this. Say a school requires two science and 1 non-science letter, in this case would a committee letter (where they use quotes) count as science or non science?
 
For "Primary Contact/Author's Title" should I put Professor of Anthropology, for example? Or, should I just leave this section blank because I'm pretty sure my LOR writers will have that information after their signature...

Also, is it frowned upon to have LORs from lecturers instead of professors? It just so happens some of my classes were taught by lecturers. They are all PhDs. Thank you!
 
Feeling nervous...I just got SUNY Downstate's secondary and realized I assigned more than their maximum allowed number of letters, even though I had checked each school's guidelines. Now I'm wondering how bad of an impression this will make and whether I made mistakes with any of my other schools' letters...
 
Ahh, I see where I went wrong. I read, "Please make sure that at least one of the letters is from a science professor who has taught you in a biology, chemistry or physics course," on their website and thought those were the only guidelines. They weren't.
 
Anyone know how long AMCAS takes to process letters they receive in the mail?


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Can you add additional LoRs on AMCAS after you submit the secondary for a school?
 
My university has a pre-med committee, but I was informed that they do not write committee letters. For those medical schools that require a pre-med committee letter, where do I indicate that I am unable to get one? Is there a section on the secondary, or would I (or perhaps someone from the committee) have to email the school to let them know?
 
Ahh, I see where I went wrong. I read, "Please make sure that at least one of the letters is from a science professor who has taught you in a biology, chemistry or physics course," on their website and thought those were the only guidelines. They weren't.

What's their max amount of letters? You mean to say there are additional guidelines for LORs that aren't on their website? I'm also applying to this school, but haven't gotten verified yet...
 
What's their max amount of letters? You mean to say there are additional guidelines for LORs that aren't on their website? I'm also applying to this school, but haven't gotten verified yet...
This statement from their website applies to me: "If you have graduated from college and are currently employed or are a non-traditional applicant, you may submit two individual letters of recommendation if you are unable to submit a premedical advisor or a committee letter." So I'm not sure if that's a max of two or if they want to see those two at least.

The secondary has a section that says, "Enter the name(s) and institutional affiliation of evaluators who will send their letters individually to AMCAS via the AMCAS Letter Writer Application, not as part of a letter packet. List a maximum of three," which is what started my confusion. I think I'll call on Monday.
 
For community service references, is the letterhead an absolute requirement? The place where I have spent the majority of my time volunteering at is not really a formal organization.
 
Does anyone know what happens in this scenario: My research PI was also my teacher for a Directed Research Class in the Biology Department (labeled BISC-490x, so it was an actual biology class I had to register for and counted as a Biology requurement). I had him write me a letter of recommendation as one of my science professors, but in his recommendation he only spoke about my time working in his lab (the class itself is all lab work since its Directed Research). This counts as a science professor recommendation correct? Would I have to let the schools that I applied to know in some way?
 
I have individual reference letters from several professors. I did make sure that they were aware of the official letterhead and signature requirement. The letters were already uploaded to the AMCAS and ready to be forwarded to the designated schools. I didn't ask them to include my AAMC ID in their letters, will that be ok?

I didn't see this question being asked in this thread or other forums. Any comment is welcome!
 
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To all the adcoms here, thanks for helping us neurotic premeds out.

Here is my question. I got letters from my physics professor and my anatomy professor. My anatomy professor sent her letter in a couple weeks ago. My physics professor sent his in yesterday, but he lost the letter request form that I gave him. He emailed me and asked for the letter ID, and I accidentally copied what was the anatomy professor's letter ID and sent it to him. I realized my mistake when I got the confirmation that "anatomy professor" had submitted another letter for me. I sent him the correct number and his letter was then uploaded to the right spot. What on earth is going to happen to my anatomy professor's letter now that my physics prof also uploaded a letter with that ID number?
 
How strict are the "maximum letters" stipulation? Is it frowned upon to send in more than they ask if I think all my letters are good yet unique in their own ways?
See above.. I have the same question
We did not get any replies, alas... I updated my app to include the 4th letter. It makes sense to me because some schools say "No more than 3 letters" or "Do not send more than 3 letters unless you receive an II". This one does not say that and I think they will understand why it was included because the letter is very strong. Hope this helps someone else.
Many schools with restrictions are using this as way to see who is actually interested in them.
If the instructions are clear and available in all the reasonable places, those who don't follow them are likely to be more interested in other programs, applying to so many programs they can't keep them straight, inattentive to important details or think they are so special the rules don't apply to them.

It's also true that reading through endless LOE's burns out the evaluators.
 
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As an undergrad, I majored in BME and ChemE, and therefore chose my three faculty LORs to be BME, Cheme, and Chemistry. Now I'm realizing some schools asking for a second science letter. I feel like the concepts of biology and physics are deeply ingrained in BME and ChemE, so one of these letters could replace the second science LOR. Would adcoms understand this line of thought?

I should note that the BME professor taught me in a lab course that fell under the AMCAS BCPM classification.
 
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For community service references, is the letterhead an absolute requirement? The place where I have spent the majority of my time volunteering at is not really a formal organization.

I would also appreciate feedback on this... One of my letter writers is someone I have tutored for but not through an organization. I think I've settled on having her make a letterhead with her contact information for now.

If the place you volunteer has a logo or anything of the sort, see if they can do a makeshift one with that!
 
As an undergrad, I majored in BME and ChemE, and therefore chose my three faculty LORs to be BME, Cheme, and Chemistry. Now I'm realizing some schools asking for a second science letter. I feel like the concepts of biology and physics are deeply ingrained in BME and ChemE, so one of these letters could replace the second science LOR. Would adcoms understand this line of thought?

I should note that the BME professor taught me in a lab course that fell under the AMCAS BCPM classification.
This would be fine at my school.
 
For community service references, is the letterhead an absolute requirement? The place where I have spent the majority of my time volunteering at is not really a formal organization.
Are they affiliated with an organization (city, state, school, church...)?
 
I've completed a post-bac that doesn't do committee letters. Fortunately, after talking to my undergrad pre-health committee they have agreed to write a committee letter on my behalf. I've had all my LOR writers send their letters to my undergrad pre-health committee (per undergrad's instructions), so there are 8 letters bundled into it.

My physics post-bac professor, though, declined to include his letter in the committee packet, stating he is opposed to committee letters. Quirky, yes, but I'm confident that his is a strong letter, as I was the top scorer in his class and he knows me well from lab and conversations at office hours and outside of class.

I'd like to include his individual letter, but I worry this violates the 1 Committee or 3 individual preference many schools state; many are worded vaguely. Also, I have already sent both to some schools at which I am not complete yet; is there even a way for me to withdraw this individual letter once it's marked on AMCAS?

Thanks.
 
Should I submit my secondaries without all my letters of rec being uploaded or should I wait until they are uploaded and then send secondaries?
 
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I'd like to include his individual letter, but I worry this violates the 1 Committee or 3 individual preference many schools state; many are worded vaguely. Also, I have already sent both to some schools at which I am not complete yet; is there even a way for me to withdraw this individual letter once it's marked on AMCAS?

Thanks.
You are right to worry.
Once sent it cannot be unsent.
 
You are right to worry.
Once sent it cannot be unsent.

Is there any recourse for me?

Would you recommend I simply hope for the best, or begin contacting individual schools apologizing for my error?
 
I did not realize that it took so long for schools to receive my LORs from AMCAS once I had assigned them. I did not assign any originally because 1 of my 2 science letters was not very strong, and I was waiting for another professor who said he would write me a letter but has been impossible to reach to replace that one. However, I cannot wait any longer and I have started assigning both science letters, or leaving off the weaker one when not required. For the rest of the schools whose secondaries I have not yet completed, is there any benefit to waiting longer, or only submitting some of the letters, and then perhaps assigning more at a later time?
 
Should I submit my secondaries without all my letters of rec being uploaded or should I wait until they are uploaded and then send secondaries?

Yes, that is what I am doing. They won't review it any earlier, but I'm hoping it shows more interest than waiting. However, with that said, take some time to still write quality essays since you don't want to rush and turn something in early and decrease the quality for something that won't let you hear back any sooner.
 
Does the character reference letter require a signature? I was under the impression that only the university affiliated letters needed the signature/official letterhead.
 
Is there any recourse for me?

Would you recommend I simply hope for the best, or begin contacting individual schools apologizing for my error?
Hope for the best. I assure you, there are many in your boat.
Nobody wants those calls...
 
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My committee isn't going to send their letter until the end of September or even October. Should I worry?
 
So it says in OP that there is rarely a waiver on requirements for non-trads, this sounds a bit ruthless. I graduated from college >4 years ago and did a MSc since then. I can get awesome letters from 3 science faculty, 1 who taught me in undergrad, and the others from my grad PI and a collaborator. Maybe also a letter from the coordinator of a class I TAd?

I want great letters but don't want to come off as ignoring requirements. I feel it would be better to go with strong letters than try to contact professors I took classes with in undergrad who will write more generic letters if they are even willing to after so long. I also went to a school where most of my classes had >200 students and we don't have a pre-med comittee.

Would appreciate any advice
 
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My committee letter was delivered to AMCAS today. How long will it take for my schools to download it and make my secondary app complete?
 
So I'm waiting on my final in department LOR - it will be submitted either this weekend or early this coming week - I was just verified and have received most of my secondaries this morning which I pre-wrote. Curious on the timing with this now, which option I should go with;
1) Should I assign the letters to the schools before they are received by AMCAS and submit my secondaries
2) Should I not assign them but submit secondary then assign them when the last one is received
3) Should I not submit secondaries until they are all received and assigned
 
Hello!

When a letter author submits their letter to the AMCAS, do they personally designate the course for which the letter is written, or the type of letter it is? (As in science or non-science)

I'm just wondering because on my Virginia Commonwealth U secondary, it has all three of my letters designated as "Science", including one professor who I intended to be my non-science letter. The class that this professor taught me definitely does not fall under BCPM (more like community health/public health classes). I'm kind of worried that I no longer have the required two science and one non-science.
 
Any idea how often letters are downloaded from AMCAS by schools, just had my last (FINALLY) letter uploaded.
 
I just emailed my professor to ask about my letter of recommendation, and got an automated reply email saying she was out of her office with sporadic access to email until August 25th... I have had all of my secondaries submitted for a week now but it doesn't really matter until this letter is in. How much would it hurt me if she doesn't submit it for a while yet?
 
I'm in a bit of a strange situation. I have a Committee Letter already verified by AMCAS, which fulfills the LOR requirement at all the schools I'm applying to, but after finishing a research program this summer, my PI offered to write me a letter; so I added it as an additional individual LOR to all of the schools. However, my PI has not submitted it yet, and it's preventing my application from being considered complete at some schools because "not all letters have been received by AMCAS" yet... Even though the required letters have been received, this is just a supplemental letter I thought may boost my application a little. Should I just indicate to AMCAS that this letter is no longer being sent; so that schools can start reviewing my application? Or does an unsent letter look bad to adcoms?
 
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