Being Complete Early Vs Adding an Extra LOR

[DBC03]

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This is something that is bothering me this week, and I think it is something that will be helpful to many people on this forum. I will be getting a letter packet (no committee letter as I graduated too long ago), and I am still waiting on three LORs. I have been in contact with the letter writers since January or before, but they are still taking a while. It looks like two will be complete very soon, but the third is from my PI, who is out of the country. I am more concerned about his letter because he is used to the PhD time frame and was surprised that I needed one earlier than the fall for MD (This is when I talked with him in May). I am primarily applying to MD programs and do not technically require a letter from my PI, but he has promised me a very strong letter and I am applying to research-heavy schools and would like to include it.

Since I am submitting a letter packet, I will need to have all letters returned before I can send the packet out. I will be a somewhat unique applicant, but not a particularly strong one, and I am concerned that waiting too long to get the last letter will complete my applications too late in the game. Is there a deadline I should set for myself on waiting for this letter before I give in and send the letters I have? I am already verified but have not received any secondaries, so I still have time. The question is how much time do I have before I start putting myself into the moderate to late category of applicants?

 

[stickgirl390]

I think the rule of thumb is to have secondaries completed by Labor Day

 

[DBC03]

I think the rule of thumb is to have secondaries completed by Labor Day

I've been hearing that and I think I can get the LOR by then. Is there any advantage to being complete by the beginning of August compared to the end? I'm thinking I'll give myself a hard deadline of a week before Labor Day, and see how it plays out before that.

 

[DBC03]

Letters, particularly committee letters are not assumed to arrived until after Labor day, when the faculty are back from the summer.
Complete by Labor day is early or ontime for the most selective programs
Complete by end of September is ontime for most solid applicants at most programs.

AMCAS 2018 Timeline Summary (post count #041)
-AMCAS May 2, 2017, Primary application opens up. Can send formal requests for transcripts from your schools and letter requests to your letter writers.
-AMCAS June 1, 2017, Completed primary applications with all ECs, PS, and course information can be submitted. You enter the verification queue only when both completed primary application and all transcripts have been received.
-AMCAS June 30, 2017, begins transmission verified applications (though some schools have secondaries sent to contact info upon submission to AMCAS)
-Verification peak is about August 1st and takes 20 days
-Most Primary Apps are transmitted early July thru early September
-Secondaries timelines can vary widely as to when to they are sent out from almost immediately upon submissions to 3 months, though most are in the range 1-3 weeks after transmission.
-Letters via AMCAS are processed/transmitted separately from primary
-Letters can be added after primary has been submitted and transmitted and are mostly not needed until secondary reviews at the earliest.
-There are usually 3 main phases in processing application
----1) Initial Screening/Evaluation: A hybrid of automatic GPA/MCAT screen plus human for "quick review" of application. Used for general priority and, in some cases, which team/subcommittee gets application. In some cases preset criteria can lead to II
----2)Full Evaluation: This is where evaluator/reader/team/subcommittee will fully evaluate all sections of primary, secondary, and LOR and generally summarize in broad categories or point system. This essentially becomes your priority for adcom review and II. This function may be split up among several evaluators and may go to a team or subcommittee for II decision
----3) Full adcom: this is where your fully evaluated application is reviewed and voted on by adcom for II on later on for acceptance/WL/rejection
-Application and candidate evaluations timeline varies widely by school may not done in a linear, chronological order. EDP, High achievers, URM, family of alumni, feeder schools, associated UG programs, linked postbaccs, and other factor may push an app forward in the process.
-Most adcoms dont start meeting for review of evaluated applicants until at least mid-August, more likely September, though some reviews may be done earlier for groups mentioned above. Evaluation may start almost immediately at schools.
-Submitting Primary Application June is Early, July Medium, August Late
-Having Primary verified and transmitted to school by end of August is normal speed
-Having Secondary and all LORs complete to school by Labor Day is early. By late or end of September is about normal speed, by end of October is about late.
--After that point you will generally start getting impacted by the number of applications submitted, the finite number of interview slots, and seats given by rolling admissions. This isnt an absolute date nor is it a fixed timeline. It should be used as a guideline

Thank you, gonnif, for coming through for me on this. Do they review any part of your application before the LORs are in? Of course, I know some schools SCREEN, so clearly they are reviewing. But will other schools read through them and note any they are interested in before the letters are in?

Thanks for your help! I'm going to be as persistent as possible without getting annoying so I make sure and get the letter in. I think I can get it before the fall semester begins in mid-August, so that sounds like it might be just in time.