AACOMAS and LOR timeline confusion...?

[Doctor_Strange]

Hey,

I am going to ask the DO I am shadowing this week to write me a LOR. I already have 1 committee letter, but I know some DO schools require a DO letter. My question is twofold: 1) when should I tell the DO when I need the letter by exactly? I know AACOMAS opens May 5th, but doesn't start sending out apps until early June. 2) Is it possible for me to send my app to AACOMAS and then send the LOR later? Ideally, the DO would write it before May 5th so I would not need to worry about anything, but since he is an ER doc, I believe his schedule is really full until the beginning of May.

Any general advice regarding this is appreciated. I take a May 6th MCAT, so I won't have my scores back until early June, and from what I know I can just put pending for my MCAT score on AACOMAS. I just don't want to be in a position where I get my app verified and cannot send/add my DO's letter after the fact

Thanks!

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[jwilliams1993]

Firstly, I suggest using interfolio. The writer just sends the letter electronically or by mail. When you have all of your letters on interfolio, it just takes a few click to get them sent off to AACOMAS. They also save for a while, so you can send them other places or to AMCAS if you're going that route. Some scholarships like them as well. So instead of talking to your letter writer every single time you need something sent, you can just send it from interfolio. You don't see the actual document, don't worry.

My biggest piece of advice is to apply as early as possible. Things that can keep your application from being processed are your MCAT, letters, and transcripts. I suggest starting to fill out your application as soon as it opens. Get your transcript sent off early so that AACOMAS has time to process it. The same goes for the letters. The only thing you should be waiting for when you submit your app is the MCAT stuff, and that's out of your hands. I would ask your writers to have their letters in a week before you plan on submitting to AACOMAS.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

@jwilliams1993 so should I tell my writer to type it up on official letterhead and upload? I probably need to create an interfolio account prior? Or can he just write it and I upload by scanning it? I want to do what is least required of him just to save him the hassle and more likely to write quicker as opposesed to putting it off.

Also thanks for the reply!!

 

[jwilliams1993]

Most of my writers typed it up and emailed it to inter folio (they give you a link and stuff). One writer typed the letter and mailed it. I haven't had any issues either way. You'll want to have an account set up some time before the letter writers are ready to submit. The dossier account you'll use costs ~$20 a year.