ONLY a committee letter?

[Thegirlfromfenweh]

So I have been looking up the school-specific letters of recommendation requirements and I am partly puzzled. Some schools state that they need only a committee letter OR an alternative option. And that's it. I have a committee at my school. So, should I send in additional letters from other sources to strengthen my application, or just send the committee letter?

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[LizzyM]

Does your committee require you to submit letters to it? Many do. Those letters are either quoted in the committee letter, or quoted and appended to the committee letter, or just appended to the committee letter. So, while the committee letter is all that is required, it often includes "enclosures" that may number as many as seven letters (most commonly 3-5 letters). And yes, adcoms are okay with that.

 

[Thegirlfromfenweh]

What I think they do is compile letters from several professors in the sciences into one committee letter. Should I make sure they attach the originals with the letter to make it more credible?

 

[LizzyM]

What I think they do is compile letters from several professors in the sciences into one committee letter. Should I make sure they attach the originals with the letter to make it more credible?

They have their policy... whatever it is, and you should just let them go with that... it will be what adcoms have come to expect from your school and it will be fine.

 

[Thegirlfromfenweh]

Alrighty! Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[qwe7791]

Sorry for the question, but what exactly is a committee letter?.. Is it like a letter written by a group of maybe 3+ people comprised as one letter vs just having three separate letters? Thanks.

 

[LizzyM]

Each school has its own way of doing a "committee letter". Some schools gather your letters of recommendation and a single person, or perhaps a pair, write a formulaic letter discussing your background, academic performance, extracurricular activities, and your personal characteristics quoting liberally from the letters you have asked to have provided on your behalf. These letters are usually authored by a pre-med advisor or someone in a pre-med office.

Some committees ask for your application including grades, experiences and personal statement and they interview you. The letter then highlights what is in your application.

Finally, some schools merely serve as letter services with, perhaps, a cover form that asks the letter writer to categorize you in things like maturity, written communication skills, verbal communications, creativity, integrity, etc.

 

[AxiomaticTruth]

Quick question LizzyM if you're still around. Some schools say they require committee letter OR two science + one nonscience LoR (or some combination). My school committee sends a letter as well as attaches all the LoR received. I do not have any non-science LoR. This is alright to apply to those schools correct? Even though they will see in the committee packet that there's only science LoR.

 

[LizzyM]

Quick question LizzyM if you're still around. Some schools say they require committee letter OR two science + one nonscience LoR (or some combination). My school committee sends a letter as well as attaches all the LoR received. I do not have any non-science LoR. This is alright to apply to those schools correct? Even though they will see in the committee packet that there's only science LoR.

What you have is fine according to the rules. That said, in an ideal world, the non-science letter is most likely going to comment on your communication skills (good writing, cogent arguments in class discussion, etc) and some of your non-science interests which helps round out our picture of you. If it isn't too late, you might try to get a non-science letter but it isn't required.

 

[Tappinfool66]

I have a question and LizzyM's advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm kind of in the opposite situation as the person above. I have a committee at my school and they do a letter that they send out based on all of our submitted letters. It looks like I'll really only have one strong science letter. I've done very well in all of my science classes; it's just that I've only really gotten to know one of my science professors well enough to ask for a letter. Will this be a problem? Am I going to have to try and find another science professor to write me a letter? Or is my situation similar to the one above and it should be okay since I'll have a committee letter?

 

[Doctor Strange]

Quick question LizzyM if you're still around. Some schools say they require committee letter OR two science + one nonscience LoR (or some combination). My school committee sends a letter as well as attaches all the LoR received. I do not have any non-science LoR. This is alright to apply to those schools correct? Even though they will see in the committee packet that there's only science LoR.

OR means OR. I don't see why people are making this harder than it actually is.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

I have a question and LizzyM's advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm kind of in the opposite situation as the person above. I have a committee at my school and they do a letter that they send out based on all of our submitted letters. It looks like I'll really only have one strong science letter. I've done very well in all of my science classes; it's just that I've only really gotten to know one of my science professors well enough to ask for a letter. Will this be a problem? Am I going to have to try and find another science professor to write me a letter? Or is my situation similar to the one above and it should be okay since I'll have a committee letter?

You need to find out the requirements for your committee. Mine required 2 science, 1 non-science, and 1 "other" letter.