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

[egil_skallagrimsson]

I'm a non-trad applicant. I was going to include 2 science 1 non-science, volunteer letter, and a letter from my recent PI who I have been with for quite a while. I also had a PI in undergrad who I won't be asking letters from 1) because I've solicited many letters from him 2) he can sometimes be difficult to rely on/get a hold of 3) he honestly doesn't know me very well 4) it's been a few years. I'm wondering if a lack of letter from him will be perceived negatively?

Thanks!

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[nairopil]

I recently added a new letter to AMCAS (verified in July), and as I just went back to check on the status, I don't see the letter at all. It's not even listed as "Not received". I know I was able to print the cover sheet for my professor, but is it possible I didn't update AMCAS and the letter request wasn't saved?

 

[DrNavi]

What if I didn't get to know any of my professors well enough to get good letters of recommendation?

 

[Xenith]

What if I didn't get to any of my professors well enough to get good letters of recommendation?

One option is a committee letter, but some committees require letters from professors to write the composite letter. Otherwise, you really have no option. You need letters from professors

 

[DrNavi]

One option is a committee letter, but some committees require letters from professors to write the composite letter. Otherwise, you really have no option. You need letters from professors

What about LOR from hospital volunteering and scribing

 

[Xenith]

What about LOR from hospital volunteering and scribing

Look at each school's website for the requirements. Most say a minimum of two professors. Some are specific and ask for one science and one non science. You can add scribing and volunteering letters, but you must also have some professor letters

 

[gonnif]

What if I didn't get to know any of my professors well enough to get good letters of recommendation?

Then you have made an error in your premed preparation. Evaluation by faculty whom you have taken a course is important when considering a candidate. This includes the idea that you have the social skills, initiative, persistence, etc to get to know a professor.

What about LOR from hospital volunteering and scribing

A letter like this is usually just above fluff as it does not speak to your academic abilities in a classroom settings.

Look at each school's website for the requirements. Most say a minimum of two professors. Some are specific and ask for one science and one non science. You can add scribing and volunteering letters, but you must also have some professor letters

Medical schools have generally become more strict in the types and number of letters they want. mostly due to the increase in the number of applicants. Admissions has to process all these letters, which will be literally tens of thousands at some schools. You must get a copy of the MSAR and look at each school's website for the specific distribution of letters and types. Usually it is 2 faculty who have taught a science course and 1 non science. Schools are starting to list maximum number of letters as well. A few schools have very elaborate letter requirements such as 4 faculty, 2 volunteer/professional, 1 personal (yes 7 letters required, one of the florida schools I believe).

 

[Spriteling]

I'm really getting worried; one of my letter writers hasn't submitted his letter, and I haven't been able to get in touch with him (he's in another country). It's the only thing stopping my application from being complete at all my schools. How badly is this going to screw me over?

 

[JibsGuy52]

Hey guys

First time interfolio user here.... I am going to be asking for a letter of recommendation tomorrow. Almost positive I am going to get it. How should I go about this process? Do I literally just tell him to upload it to inter folio? How does this work? If someone could elaborate that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[deleted630732]

I asked this in a different thread, but it's probably more appropriate here,

If a school only wants three letters can you add an extra one that you feel would be good to round out your character? Some schools obviously state a maximum, but others don't say anything.

 

[socalhopps925]

Hey all. I had a letter of recommendation uploaded to AMCAS from my PI a few days before 3 of my interviews. Does anyone know if that will be added to my file and reviewed before a final decision is made on my application or do you think only my original submission information will be considered? Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Garurumon]

Apology in advance if someone already asked this question and had it answered, but could I submit a non-science letter from a liberal arts professor along with the pre-health committee letter? (I'm a non-science major)

 

[songl4a]

.

 

[deelee26]

Hi all, gap yearing noob here with a question! I'd really appreciate any help! Applying 2016-2017 cycle.

I've approached all of my LoR writers (5 total) and asked if they could write me a strong letter of recommendation, and they've all agreed to. Yay!

However, half of them said, "So just let me know when the time comes around. I will need a few weeks or a month to write the letter." My concern is that almost a year from now is quite a while away. I understand that most schools want letters dated <1 year old, but does it matter if the letter is dated 8 months old vs. a letter dated 1 month old?

Also, when writers submit to Interfolio, is it not signed until they are ready to submit it to AMCAS? For example, if my writers submit a letter to interfolio today (10/15/15) and then send that letter to AMCAS on June 1st, will it appear as signed June 1st?

Thanks for your help in advanced!

 

[stardust379]

Had a question about a specific LOR situation. Anyone's input would be much appreciated!

I already submitted my app to AACOMAS (only applied DO) and I realized that the personal statement my letter writers used to help write their LORs was an old one--I ended up reworking the first few paragraphs and this ended up using a different anecdote to open up my PS. Just worried that my LORs will make references to my old PS and anecdote and med schools may be confused since I wrote a new one with a different focus. Any thoughts?

 

[Apophilius]

Hi all, gap yearing noob here with a question! I'd really appreciate any help! Applying 2016-2017 cycle.

I've approached all of my LoR writers (5 total) and asked if they could write me a strong letter of recommendation, and they've all agreed to. Yay!

However, half of them said, "So just let me know when the time comes around. I will need a few weeks or a month to write the letter." My concern is that almost a year from now is quite a while away. I understand that most schools want letters dated <1 year old, but does it matter if the letter is dated 8 months old vs. a letter dated 1 month old?

Also, when writers submit to Interfolio, is it not signed until they are ready to submit it to AMCAS? For example, if my writers submit a letter to interfolio today (10/15/15) and then send that letter to AMCAS on June 1st, will it appear as signed June 1st?

Thanks for your help in advanced!

One year is some time to wait, but odds are most of your professors will have reasonably good memory of you, so I wouldn't worry too much. If you want, you can ask that they write a letter for you NOW, and when the time comes, just get them to switch the date when it was written. Then have them submit it then.

 

[Apophilius]

Here's a weird question: are there any medical schools that DON't review letters of recommendation before sending out interview invitations?

 

[iforget2]

Hey guys, is it ok to have w letter from my PI when she's just a Ph.D. Student as one of my science letters?

 

[Apophilius]

Hey guys, is it ok to have w letter from my PI when she's just a Ph.D. Student as one of my science letters?

It won't make you look bad. But if she's just a PhD student, then she isn't a PI so much as a supervising graduate student, right? It carries more weight to get it from the PhD adviser in charge of the graduate student.

 

[iforget2]

It won't make you look bad. But if she's just a PhD student, then she isn't a PI so much as a supervising graduate student, right? It carries more weight to get it from the PhD adviser in charge of the graduate student.

Hmm you're right I guess she's not technically the PI. She defends her thesis next semester, but i'm not sure what exactly the timeline is for becoming a PhD. Would a cosign from the PhD in charge be ok too? Thanks for the help!

 

[fawkes94]

I've seen a couple of questions about this but no real answer so I want to ask just to clarify. Is it ok to have one of your science letters be from your PI if you took a class with her? Also I took a lab course and then TAd for it for two semesters after wards and want to get a letter from the professor in charge of the labs. However most of the lab was taught by a grad student and the professor only got to know me when I TAd. Would this still count as a professor who taught me? Her name is the one listed on the registrar as the main professor if that helps

 

[Goonie1010]

Hi guys, looking to get some advice here- all of my apps were complete in July/August and so far I've only heard back from a handful out of the 20+ schools that I applied to. I just got an additional LOR last week from a recommender who I had asked months ago but it was just finally just sent in to AMCAS. If I assign it to schools now do you think it would help/hurt/make no difference at this point in the cycle?

 

[Apophilius]

Hi guys, looking to get some advice here- all of my apps were complete in July/August and so far I've only heard back from a handful out of the 20+ schools that I applied to. I just got an additional LOR last week from a recommender who I had asked months ago but it was just finally just sent in to AMCAS. If I assign it to schools now do you think it would help/hurt/make no difference at this point in the cycle?

I honestly doubt it will make any kind of difference to schools that have already reviewed you, unless the letter is absolutely exceptional. Most letters aren't bad, and almost all of them are very good, but everybody has good letters, and so unless you think it will make you stand out of a pile substantially more, it most likely won't make a difference.

 

[Pusheen]

I apologize if this has been asked before...I'm frankly lost on how to navigate all this because my school sends out a committee letter within a letter packet to AMCAS. I've been told that I won't be able to modify the packet for each school. I have a committee letter, a PI letter, a non science prof letter, and 3 letters from significant EC's that are an integral part of my app.
So it seems that my options are

a) send all schools 6 letters, where everything is represented (PI, science profs, non science prof, important EC's) and go over the maximum limit at many schools

b) upload 5 letters, and leave out the non science letter (which is the weakest IMO) and not fulfill that requirement at some schools.

(Obviously this is for next year, I'm just trying to figure out what letters I should even bother getting)

Which is the better option? @gonnif, you've been super helpful..care to take a look?

 

[Xenith]

I apologize if this has been asked before...I'm frankly lost on how to navigate all this because my school sends out a committee letter within a letter packet to AMCAS. I've been told that I won't be able to modify the packet for each school. I have a committee letter, a PI letter, a non science prof letter, and 3 letters from significant EC's that are an integral part of my app.
So it seems that my options are

a) send all schools 6 letters, where everything is represented (PI, science profs, non science prof, important EC's) and go over the maximum limit at many schools

b) upload 5 letters, and leave out the non science letter (which is the weakest IMO) and not fulfill that requirement at some schools.

(Obviously this is for next year, I'm just trying to figure out what letters I should even bother getting)

Which is the better option? @gonnif, you've been super helpful..care to take a look?

1 committee packet is equal to 1 letter I think. That packet could have 10 letters in it. However make sure you meet 1 no science, 2 science, and research PI. Your extracurricular letters are secondary.

 

[Pusheen]

1 committee packet is equal to 1 letter I think. That packet could have 10 letters in it. However make sure you meet 1 no science, 2 science, and research PI. Your extracurricular letters are secondary.

Got it. So if my packet includes 1 committee letter (includes contributions from 4 science profs), 1 non science letter, 1 PI letter (also my science prof), +3 EC letters, that would put me in a good place for all schools?
Thanks for clearing that up, it really helps

 

[fawkes94]

Would a Food Science and Nutrition professor count as a science professor?

 

[LakridsA]

How did you guys go about asking professors for letters? I've procrastinated a little and haven't asked yet. I'm now at home for break so I can't go to their offices to ask personally.

Is it ill advised to ask professors via email if they would be ok with writing a letter?

 

[ls2412]

How did you guys go about asking professors for letters? I've procrastinated a little and haven't asked yet. I'm now at home for break so I can't go to their offices to ask personally.

Is it ill advised to ask professors via email if they would be ok with writing a letter?

If you know them pretty well I would say email is okay, but if you don't or its been a while I would just wait til you get back to school and ask. You don't need them until june or so, so I think it should be fine. For the record, I asked mine by email and it was okay

 

[TooMuchPressure]

How exactly does interfolio work? After I pay $20 for the year do I need to pay anything else when it comes down to sending letters?

 

[mj53son]

I know this is probably going to be an "it depends" type of answer, but I am a graduate student in cognitive and behavioral science and am eventually hoping to apply for med school after I complete my PhD (for neurology or if possible to be a surgeon).

My question is what exactly is considered a "science" letter? The two professors who I have interacted with the most would be my mentor, who is a cognitive psychologist, and the other is involved more heavily in aspects of neuroscience. Both are obviously under the umbrella of psychology/behavioral sciences more so than hard sciences like biology and chemistry.

So, would these be considered science letters? I'm wondering how far the term science letters stretches, especially with the new MCAT having a psych section making that area more relevant to applications than in years past.

 

[hailbate]

Does anyone know if it has to be a professor? At my school there are a fair bit of Lecturers as opposed to professors, so is it fine to get LORs from them? I mean they still have their PhD and the ones I'm thinking about work full-time at my University, so just curious.

 

[7331poas]

If possible could someone answer the first question of the thread for me? Ill reiterate it.

"If I took Research hours for credit, such as the course titled "Directed Research", could I have my PI write me a LOR and count that as a Science professor letter?"

I did not take my PI for any other courses. I did however spend multiple semesters with "Directed Research" in my credits.

Thanks

 

[quicheduty]

If possible could someone answer the first question of the thread for me? Ill reiterate it.

"If I took Research hours for credit, such as the course titled "Directed Research", could I have my PI write me a LOR and count that as a Science professor letter?"

I did not take my PI for any other courses. I did however spend multiple semesters with "Directed Research" in my credits.

Thanks

I had this issue this cycle. Does your school do committee letters? If so, committee letters trump all LOR requirements, so it would be a matter of clearing this by your school's committee letter reqs.

If you're sending letters via letter packet, then it becomes a school-by-school thing and I would check with each school you apply to, since it does vary, and sometimes depends on the type of research.

 

[7331poas]

I had this issue this cycle. Does your school do committee letters? If so, committee letters trump all LOR requirements, so it would be a matter of clearing this by your school's committee letter reqs.

If you're sending letters via letter packet, then it becomes a school-by-school thing and I would check with each school you apply to, since it does vary, and sometimes depends on the type of research.

I appreciate your response suchbrio. I know this is more of a question for my own premed committee but, how did your committee letter work? Are they going to ask all my pre req professors for LOR input? I do have a committee, but I also have my own LOR lined up. How does that work?

 

[quicheduty]

I appreciate your response suchbrio. I know this is more of a question for my own premed committee but, how did your committee letter work? Are they going to ask all my pre req professors for LOR input? I do have a committee, but I also have my own LOR lined up. How does that work?

I would go to your committee for those answers since they may vary, but for my school, we submitted our prof LORs to the committee who compiled them and included the committee letter on top.

 

[7331poas]

I would go to your committee for those answers since they may vary, but for my school, we submitted our prof LORs to the committee who compiled them and included the committee letter on top.

Okay thanks.

 

[BackthePack]

Can anyone comment as to when admissions committees review letters of recommendation? Are they factors in interview invites or are they looked at post-interview?

 

[somedudehere]

I'm planning on applying this upcoming cycle 2016-2017.

Currently enrolled in an SMP and asked one of my professors from last semester to write me a letter. He was one of 3 professors who taught the class so he only taught ~5 lectures and I went to 4-5 of his office hours and got an A in the class. When I asked him, he responded that he would write me one, but aside from doing well in the class, there's not much more he can write. Though I tried building a relationship with him.

I asked my advisor (who teaches medical school courses at the medical school I'm doing the SMP at) about this and he said that letters from science professors who you took classes with don't necessarily need be the "they know you on a personal level" type since their recommendation is based off of if you can handle the rigorous coursework that comes along with medical school.

So far, I have two letters (one from a PI and the other from my boss at a volunteer position) who know me on a more personal level and could describe my qualities and attributes that would make me fit for medical school.

So, my question is, would you take the letter from the science professor? I have a couple more classes that I'm currently taking this semester in which I am planning on asking the professors for letters since I still need 2 science. Thanks.

 

[Jarvis22]

I want to apply to a specific medical school, and in speaking with someone on the admission committee, they said a letter from one of their medical alumni could certainly help in securing an interview. I know an alumni of this school and am sure I could get a strong letter, but it's from a plastic surgeon who does mostly cosmetic work, and this is a school who is all about serving others (what medical school isn't though...). Would a letter from a plastic surgeon be less "respectable" and perhaps even hurt my application given that the specialty (at least when it comes to cosmetics) often has a negative connotation (money making, hollywood beauty, etc)?

 

[LakridsA]

I have a LOR from one of my teachers from a nonscience class. He was the only person teaching the class, grading the class, etc. However, he did not have an official title as "professor" and is PhD student. Is this ok for my "nonscience letter." Thanks

 

[Fidgety]

Question about reapplying: Should I get all my letter-writers to resubmit their letters (my school has a letter tracker system where they compile all of them and then we send it to AMCAS)? I have heard that some schools want the letter to be within the year.

 

[redpillchick]

can we use interfolio for AACOM and does it work properly? just wondering because last year people were having issues with it

 

[redpillchick]

I have a LOR from one of my teachers from a nonscience class. He was the only person teaching the class, grading the class, etc. However, he did not have an official title as "professor" and is PhD student. Is this ok for my "nonscience letter." Thanks

as long as he wasn't the TA, then i dont think it should matter

 

[gonnif]

can we use interfolio for AACOM and does it work properly? just wondering because last year people were having issues with it

Yes, I would speculate that last year's issues were due to an entirely new application system being in place. It was a messy transition
http://www.interfolio.com/clients/welcome-aacomas-users/

 

[gonnif]

Question about reapplying: Should I get all my letter-writers to resubmit their letters (my school has a letter tracker system where they compile all of them and then we send it to AMCAS)? I have heard that some schools want the letter to be within the year.

I would recommend you do so

 

[gonnif]

I have a LOR from one of my teachers from a nonscience class. He was the only person teaching the class, grading the class, etc. However, he did not have an official title as "professor" and is PhD student. Is this ok for my "nonscience letter." Thanks

Was he listed as instructor or lecturer?

 

[gonnif]

I want to apply to a specific medical school, and in speaking with someone on the admission committee, they said a letter from one of their medical alumni could certainly help in securing an interview. I know an alumni of this school and am sure I could get a strong letter, but it's from a plastic surgeon who does mostly cosmetic work, and this is a school who is all about serving others (what medical school isn't though...). Would a letter from a plastic surgeon be less "respectable" and perhaps even hurt my application given that the specialty (at least when it comes to cosmetics) often has a negative connotation (money making, hollywood beauty, etc)?

He is an alumni but how does he know you? What can he write?

 

[gonnif]

Can anyone comment as to when admissions committees review letters of recommendation? Are they factors in interview invites or are they looked at post-interview?

They are more likely used post interview but there is a sizable portion of schools that use them for II

 

[Espressso]

What do people typically type for the "Letter Title"?