do reapplicants need to get new letters of recommendation, committee letter, etc.?

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dianamd

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do reapplicants need to get new letters of recommendation, committee letter, etc.?

or can they use their letters from the previous year.... since they are from old profs and employers, the letters obviously wouldn't change.

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dianamd said:
do reapplicants need to get new letters of recommendation, committee letter, etc.?

or can they use their letters from the previous year.... since they are from old profs and employers, the letters obviously wouldn't change.
yes...you're right. Only get a new letter if something has changed. However, if you have a good rapport with one of them you can just get them to change the date and maybe make some statement about your perseverance if you are a reapplicant. :)

Also, it would probably be good if you can get one letter pertaining to what you have done since your last application cycle.
 
Get new letters only if they'll be stronger than your originals.
 
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You need to get new letters because the old one will bear the dates of the previous application cycle. The adcoms will read them and wonder what you've done since then. If anything, get your previous letter writers to submit the same letter, but with today's date.
 
Hi,
I have a similar question but slightly different situation:

I had applied last year to med school but didn't get in, so I'm reapplying this year. However, my old school says it can't write me a composite letter this year because

"The premedicine committee can only handle the application process for
students for two years after their graduation date."


so evidently they will not write me a composite letter this time.

I have new MCAT scores, and new recommendations, but I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Do I tell my recommenders to send write me new recommendations and have them send them out individually? I really don't want to tell my old professors that they will need to copy and send out twenty copies of their letters....how do people who don't have schools to write for them do this? Please help. Thanks!
 
NonTradMed said:
Hi,
I have a similar question but slightly different situation:

I had applied last year to med school but didn't get in, so I'm reapplying this year. However, my old school says it can't write me a composite letter this year because

"The premedicine committee can only handle the application process for
students for two years after their graduation date."


so evidently they will not write me a composite letter this time.

I have new MCAT scores, and new recommendations, but I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Do I tell my recommenders to send write me new recommendations and have them send them out individually? I really don't want to tell my old professors that they will need to copy and send out twenty copies of their letters....how do people who don't have schools to write for them do this? Please help. Thanks!

You can use one of those mailing agencies. your professors can send the letter to this agency and you can contact the agency and instruct them where you want the letters to go....i never used this but I heard about it from my friends.
 
deuist said:
You need to get new letters because the old one will bear the dates of the previous application cycle. The adcoms will read them and wonder what you've done since then. If anything, get your previous letter writers to submit the same letter, but with today's date.

I disagree.

It's best to ask a prof for an LOR after you've taken a class with them. Most would prefer it this way because they will actually remember you and then have them stored with a recommendation filing service. As a reapplicant, build upon these existing letters by getting new ones that reflect recent activites. (At least that's what Loyola and Pitt suggest). As a previous poster mentioned, it can be difficult to get a new committee letter.

That's my 2 cents, but double check with each school you apply to.
 
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