Committee Letter for the Liberal Arts Student

[cherryblossomsgalore]

So, I am applying for the 2017 cycle and I recently found out that my alma mater has a committee letter, however I was a liberal art double major there. I went to another school for my pre-medical requirements. Should I try to get a committee letter from them? I graduated in 2013.

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[OGLoc23]

Doesn't hurt to ask. Check with their advisory office about any special requirements they might have for using their committee letter.

I doubt your major will matter.

 

[atomi]

Committee letters are for students who have not graduated. You've been out of the school for 3 years presumably off away doing other things. Committee letters are not needed in your case. Get your own letters.

 

[cherryblossomsgalore]

Committee letters are for students who have not graduated. You've been out of the school for 3 years presumably off away doing other things. Committee letters are not needed in your case. Get your own letters.

Actually for the past three years, I was getting my requirements done at a college closer to my house. I was also working part-time and going to school part-time. I basically did a 180. Does that make any difference?

 

[libahli]

Committee letters are for students who have not graduated. You've been out of the school for 3 years presumably off away doing other things. Committee letters are not needed in your case. Get your own letters.

This is not true. I contacted several schools and all of them told me that a committee letter was highly preferred. In fact, they all said the best would be if I got two committee letters - one from my undergrad (non science major there) and one from the school where I took my post-bacc classes. I'm only going to end up with the second, since I would have to jump through crazy hoops to get the first. But absolutely, a committee letter is generally preferred. (Obviously it should also include additional letters from outside sources or else send those separately (like from work supervisors, etc).)

 

[GreenDuck12]

Call and ask about the committee letter. If you have it available to you, you may as well take advantage of it. That being said, if a committee letter is not an option, I wouldn't panic or worry about regular letters of rec from individual professors hurting your app. Many colleges do not offer committee letters.

 

[libahli]

Call and ask about the committee letter. If you have it available to you, you may as well take advantage of it. That being said, if a committee letter is not an option, I wouldn't panic or worry about regular letters of rec from individual professors hurting your app. Many colleges do not offer committee letters.

That sounds right. The sense I got from the schools I contacted was if a committee letter was available for me, then I should absolutely try to have one as it is much more preferable. If it would have been impossible for me to get a committee letter, they would understand but it wouldn't be the best case scenario for them.

 

[cherryblossomsgalore]

It is not too late to get it, right? I feel like I completely screwed up on this. I will be calling their office tomorrow morning.

 

[libahli]

It's worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no and you'll use your separate letters. But if they say yes, it can only help!

 

[OGLoc23]

Committee letters are for students who have not graduated. You've been out of the school for 3 years presumably off away doing other things. Committee letters are not needed in your case. Get your own letters.

I don't think so. Whether or not commitee letters are offered after graduation seems to depend on the college. I know of multiple colleges that offer them X years after graduation.

 

[DrMikeP]

So, I am applying for the 2017 cycle and I recently found out that my alma mater has a committee letter, however I was a liberal art double major there. I went to another school for my pre-medical requirements. Should I try to get a committee letter from them? I graduated in 2013.

You could ask, but then med schools want letters discussing how you'd be a good med student. Do they have a clue?

 

[atomi]

This is not true. I contacted several schools and all of them told me that a committee letter was highly preferred. In fact, they all said the best would be if I got two committee letters - one from my undergrad (non science major there) and one from the school where I took my post-bacc classes. I'm only going to end up with the second, since I would have to jump through crazy hoops to get the first. But absolutely, a committee letter is generally preferred. (Obviously it should also include additional letters from outside sources or else send those separately (like from work supervisors, etc).)

If you are out of college for a few years, work full-time, and took pre-reqs at night, please explain how going back to your alma mater 500 miles away and interviewing with people you don't know and who don't know you will be a good use of anybody's time?

Committee letters are just a way for schools to lower the risk of accepting a 20 year old. They could be getting a very mature student with a strong work ethic. Or they could be getting somebody who doesn't know how to write a check and who's mom orders dinner for him every night and makes sure he is doing his homework and not playing video games. Once you've been out and held a job for a few years and you've got a resume of actual work experience to vouch for the fact that you're an adult, you don't need a standardized committee to prove it anymore.

 

[DrMikeP]

That sounds right. The sense I got from the schools I contacted was if a committee letter was available for me, then I should absolutely try to have one as it is much more preferable. If it would have been impossible for me to get a committee letter, they would understand but it wouldn't be the best case scenario for them.

Many of the schools I spoke with understood that nontrads often can't get a committee letter so it wasn't a big deal either way.

A committee letter can make their job easier in that most committees include specifics like using university letterhead, signing the letter, ranking info, personal details, etc. But if the committee knows little to nothing about you that they can include having them provide one could end very badly.

e.g. Mr. Jones was an above average grade student who attended XX-YY. He was remembered by one faculty member who said he was a good student and a pleasure to have in class. Therefore, we think he would be a good student for your medical program...

 

[libahli]

If you are out of college for a few years, work full-time, and took pre-reqs at night, please explain how going back to your alma mater 500 miles away and interviewing with people you don't know and who don't know you will be a good use of anybody's time?

Committee letters are just a way for schools to lower the risk of accepting a 20 year old. They could be getting a very mature student with a strong work ethic. Or they could be getting somebody who doesn't know how to write a check and who's mom orders dinner for him every night and makes sure he is doing his homework and not playing video games. Once you've been out and held a job for a few years and you've got a resume of actual work experience to vouch for the fact that you're an adult, you don't need a standardized committee to prove it anymore.

I think you were missing my point a bit. It's not a matter of what makes sense to you and me (I agree, I don't think committee letters really add much value for us nontrads). It's more of a matter of what schools prefer. And the schools I have spoken to have explicitly told me that if I can get a committee letter, that's what they want. It's one thing if logistically you can't get the letter. But if a school is perfectly happy to provide you with one, I can't see why it wouldn't make sense to take advantage of that, given that quite a few medical schools have stated that that is their preference.

Look, I don't think it's worth arguing about. I personally don't think my committee letter is going to add that much to my application, which is why I have made sure to also gather letters from people and teachers who do know me well. But since school A (not school B) for me was easy to work with (true, I did have to visit the campus one time but it wasn't that far), I figure if that's what the medical schools want, I might as well get it.

To each his own. If a school refuses to give you the letter or requires you to fly in from out of town, I think it's totally reasonable to tell medical schools it wasn't possibly to get the letter. But if you could have gotten it without much effort and the schools ask why you don't have one (and yes, some schools do explicitly ask for a reason), then I don't think it will reflect well if you just say, I didn't think it was worth my time.

 

[DrMikeP]

Of all of the schools that I applied to I can honestly not recall a single one that asked or cared about my not having a committee letter. I do agree that if you can easily obtain a good one why not, but if not then again not a big deal.

 

[QofQuimica]

As others have already said, if you can get the committee letter, then get it. If you can't, then get individual letters and if asked, explain that you cannot obtain a committee letter.

 

[cherryblossomsgalore]

Update: I won't be able to get a committee letter due to that fact I wasn't on the pre-med track for my alma mater. Thank you guys!

 

[CastleG8]

Committee letters are for students who have not graduated. You've been out of the school for 3 years presumably off away doing other things. Committee letters are not needed in your case. Get your own letters.

I talked to my academic advisor before I graduated, who was also a member of the pre-health committee about a letter and she said many students come back after they have graduated and ask for a the letter. She told me to come back after I have my shadowing, volunteering, and MCAT. I also went to a small public 4 year.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Not a problem. Make sure you spend some time building relationships with 2 or 3 faculty members and keep in contact with them. You'll be able to get the recommendations that you need.

Update: I won't be able to get a committee letter due to that fact I wasn't on the pre-med track for my alma mater. Thank you guys!