Additional requirements for Letter writers

[Interferon-beta]

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Hi all,
I've been going through some of the admissions requirements, and it looks like Mayo MSTP requires evaluators to fill out a ratings sheet. Also, University of Pittsburgh requires evaluators to submit letters online as well.

Is anyone aware of programs with similar additional requirements for letter writers?

Thanks,
Interferon

 

[glutamate]

I'm not sure where you're finding the extra requirement for Pitt? Is it part of the secondary?
https://www.mdphd.pitt.edu/admissions_appprocess.asp

 

[mTORC]

Ohio State does this too. I didn't apply there, but I saw it on their website 🙂

 

[plumazul]

I'm not sure where you're finding the extra requirement for Pitt? Is it part of the secondary?
https://www.mdphd.pitt.edu/admissions_appprocess.asp

Yes. They use the AMCAS letter service and the medical school told me that they had my LORs, but that wasn't good enough for the MSTP office. They insisted that my PIs do it all over again (which meant I couldn't complete my secondary until Oct.). A very weird experience. I withdrew, but they kept my $. If you are going to apply there, make sure that your PIs are available.

 

[glutamate]

@plumazul, what on earth? How recently was this? Did you have to wait until your primary was verified to receive the secondary?

 

[plumazul]

@plumazul, what on earth? How recently was this? Did you have to wait until your primary was verified to receive the secondary?

It was last summer. My primary was submitted on the first day and was verified the same day so I have no way of knowing if being verified was required to receive the secondary. The catch was, only after I submitted the secondary and paid the fee was I informed that the LORs they received via the letter service was not enough and so my application would never be complete.

 

[glutamate]

That's so weird. Did they just want more letters? Did you have a letter from every research mentor you've worked with? I'm trying to figure out if I should even bother with applying to Pitt if this happens to me. I submitted my primary on July 1 but still have ~9 schools I want to add, Pitt included.

 

[SynBio]

Pittsburgh just wants two letters for the MSTP secondary. They can be any two of your evaluators or from a pre-health advisor if you have one. For example, I put my PI and my pre-health advisor. My pre-health advisor completed within one day, so I don't think it is that much information that is needed by the evaluators.

 

[glutamate]

@SynBio, thanks! 🙂 Did you get your secondary when you submitted the primary, or after you were verified?

 

[SynBio]

I received the secondary the day after I was verified (7/2).