I just talked to the pre-med advisor at my school and she said my committee letter won't be ready until September. Does this really hurt my chances of getting in? My gpa is 3.55 with 3.8+ from sophomore year until I graduated and my MCAT is 31S (9PS,10V,12B). Also, should I submit my secondaries right away or does it not matter since the LOR won't be ready for another month?
Committee Letter Won't Be Ready Until September
- Thread starter actoutfit
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Yes, it will hurt you but there is no way getting around it. Your application will not be marked complete and reviewed until you get your LORs in for most schools. You are basically on the same track as the people taking August MCATs.
September is pretty late for a health committee to release their letter, did you turn in your forms late or something?
September is pretty late for a health committee to release their letter, did you turn in your forms late or something?
We had to turn it in online and a physical copy. I turned the online one in early, but completely forgot about the hard copy so I got screwed. I have all my letters from teachers and I would forgo the committee letter but so many of the secondaries say I must have a committee letter if the school offers it.
go ahead and submit your secondaries now, that way when your committee letter is ready, its the only thing left to make your file complete. If you wait to work on your secondaries, you could end up holding yourself up even more.
Just know that your file won't be reviewed until that committee letter is in.
Just know that your file won't be reviewed until that committee letter is in.
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Have you thought about calling the admissions offices of your schools to see if they would accept the individual letters instead of the committee letter? That's what I would do seeing as how you already have all of those letters.
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Until September, if you submit all of your secondaries, I don't think it's that late. It would be late if you haven't submitted your primary yet by September, but if the Committee Letter is the only thing holding you back, I don't think you're especially late or at a significant disadvantage.
I'm sorry, but you might be in trouble. That really is very late to be complete, because even if you get interviews, you will most likely be interviewing for the waitlist. Definitely do your best on the rest of the apps, but be realistic.
I got messed over big time because my dean's office messed up my transcripts and didn't send them in until mid August. I wasn't complete at schools until mid September. I had good numbers and decent ECS. I applied to 39 schools with a good mix of numbers. A few reaches, but mostly places I matched or exceeded the numbers from the MSAR. I only got 3 interviews, and made 3 waitlists. Adcoms at 2 of the schools told me directly (unofficially) the reason I was waitlisted despite doing well on the interviews and a fairly strong app was that by the time I was reviewed I was only interviewing for the waitlist.
There's obviously no guarantees. Keep doing your best, but be aware that this really might hurt you and make a backup plan.
Good luck.
I got messed over big time because my dean's office messed up my transcripts and didn't send them in until mid August. I wasn't complete at schools until mid September. I had good numbers and decent ECS. I applied to 39 schools with a good mix of numbers. A few reaches, but mostly places I matched or exceeded the numbers from the MSAR. I only got 3 interviews, and made 3 waitlists. Adcoms at 2 of the schools told me directly (unofficially) the reason I was waitlisted despite doing well on the interviews and a fairly strong app was that by the time I was reviewed I was only interviewing for the waitlist.
There's obviously no guarantees. Keep doing your best, but be aware that this really might hurt you and make a backup plan.
Good luck.
Wow 39 schools and not one acceptance? What were your exact stats if you don't mind?
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I just can't see how being complete in September can really hurt you that badly...consensus seems to be that being complete by August is still in the earlyish time, September is normal...are you really trying to say that outside of the SDN crowd, all the other applicants finish early? Getting LOR sent in by September is same as finishing secondaries by then, so just do your secondaries soon...
My committee only started interviews in June, they won't be turning in any packets til late August/September, and I turned in all my stuff on time...
ygree001, that sucks, but there is no way a sept. complete date only interviews you for waitlist...primary apps tech. aren't even due til oct. 15 or later, and while you never want to wait to submit, schools don't fill up every spot within 1 month of interviewing...
September complete date isn't early, it isn't late either though...that seems to be right in the middle of the pack, at least from what SDN seems to believe
My committee only started interviews in June, they won't be turning in any packets til late August/September, and I turned in all my stuff on time...
ygree001, that sucks, but there is no way a sept. complete date only interviews you for waitlist...primary apps tech. aren't even due til oct. 15 or later, and while you never want to wait to submit, schools don't fill up every spot within 1 month of interviewing...
September complete date isn't early, it isn't late either though...that seems to be right in the middle of the pack, at least from what SDN seems to believe
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That really sucks, and it will likely hurt your chances. Reason number 2759092873 I'm glad UNC had no pre-med committee.
thanks for all the replies. I was looking through a couple secondaries and I noticed a school such as Temple doesn't say the committee letter is mandatory (unlike for example, VCU or EVMS). Should I just get the pre-med committee to upload the individual letters to AMCAS then send them off to the schools that don't require the committee letter? The difference will probably be one month (Complete in mid-August vs. mid-September). Thanks
that really sucks. I don't see why schools need to have a letter from the pre-med committee. Especially since there are schools (like UNC) that don't have a pre-med committee. When do you find out your score?
33 MCAT (11,11,11) with a 3.75 overall gpa and 3.89 science gpa.
I had some volunteering, community service, leadership, etc. Not amazing but decent, with plenty of shadowing as well.
I also was an arts major and transfered (when I got married).
I had some negatives but overall was a fairly strong applicant for mid tier schools. I very strongly believe that the reason I didn't get in is that I was complete late. That is what adcoms at 2 schools told me.
I ended up getting into a postbacc program for this year with a guaraneed linkage if I maintain a certain gpa and get a high enough MCAT (which I did already, so its just the gpa, and most students do get it and matriculate.) It's going to take me another year, but there is a happy ending of sorts for me.
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Yes definitely.
A September complete date puts you very low on the list to be reviewed. If they actually get to your file in late October or November and invite you then, you will likely only be able to schedule an interview after January, which is pretty much for the waitlist. Not explicitly, but by then most spots have been filled and the few remaining spots will go to people with stats well above their averages.
I am only repeating what I was told by several adcoms when I asked them about my file.
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Dude, what are you smoking? Some schools don't even release secondaries until mid August. Besides, most schools don't even look at apps until then, even if their secondaries have been available.
And, your application is not necessarily reviewed in the order it was received. As per LizzyM, since the apps are computerized, adcoms can filter and pull out whatever app they want, based on stats/other criteria.
Being complete in early September is fine.
And, your situation is completely bizarre. You're in a post-bac with a 3.75 GPA and a 33 MCAT? WTF? There must have been something seriously wrong with your app - disciplinary action? Criminal conviction?
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If being complete september is late I'm screwed. Tell me this guy is joking... 
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September is fine.
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You will be fine OP, please stop freaking out...may I suggest taking a break from SDN?
Once again, I am only telling you what I was told by adcoms at 2 different schools.
To clarify, I applied to the postbacc after I heard back form my last interview and was put on the wailist. They have a guarantee of linkage which is why I am going there (it's at a school I like). Rather than spend the money and stress of another application cycle, I decided to go where I know I will be for the next 5 years. I have a family to think of as well.
I have no criminal conviction, disciplinary action, or anything else. I applied late, that is all. Take it or leave it, that is what I have been told.
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So your primary was verified mid-September - but when did you actually turn in all your 39 secondaries?
No, my primary was verified before that. I don't have the specific dates anymore, but early to mid September is when I was complete at all of my schools. I started on some secondaries before I was even verified, because I got them soon after I submitted my AMCAS.
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Can someone please explain this. So your application speed is limited by your pre-health committee? Seems kind of counterproductive. What can you do to speed up your letter with the committee?
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Unfortunately, some schools just don't have great committees. My school's committee is only 2 years old, and they won't be ready til September. I've seen a lot of other schools that have deadlines of Jan. or Feb. for turning in professor LORs, essay drafts, etc, so they start interviewing for letter by March or so...
My school interviewed me late July (July 30 actually) and they still had more interviews to do...it's ridiculous yes, and pretty much all applicants from my schools are screwed to some respect (girl with 38 mcat, 4.0 gpa interviewed same day as me...her apps are all in but she's applying top tier schools and won't be complete til sept. either...i feel bad for her, she'll get into a good school, but she deserves to be in a top 10, and the committee sorta messed up her chances)
Also, my friend applied last cycle with 33, 3.8, got 3 interviews out of 5 total apps and was complete in mid-september...im not trying to be an ass, but he interviewed in october, accepted to all 3 in november...the adcoms at those schools may have been telling the truth, but 3 interviews/39 secondaries isn't awesome, that's gotta be something with essays, or lack of ec's, or something other than being late...or, liek med schools apps in general, its just bad luck sometimes...but regardless, its great your in an smp with a linked school, congrats, i just dont think your story is typical...
My school interviewed me late July (July 30 actually) and they still had more interviews to do...it's ridiculous yes, and pretty much all applicants from my schools are screwed to some respect (girl with 38 mcat, 4.0 gpa interviewed same day as me...her apps are all in but she's applying top tier schools and won't be complete til sept. either...i feel bad for her, she'll get into a good school, but she deserves to be in a top 10, and the committee sorta messed up her chances)
Also, my friend applied last cycle with 33, 3.8, got 3 interviews out of 5 total apps and was complete in mid-september...im not trying to be an ass, but he interviewed in october, accepted to all 3 in november...the adcoms at those schools may have been telling the truth, but 3 interviews/39 secondaries isn't awesome, that's gotta be something with essays, or lack of ec's, or something other than being late...or, liek med schools apps in general, its just bad luck sometimes...but regardless, its great your in an smp with a linked school, congrats, i just dont think your story is typical...
I sent you a PM.
This isn't the exception. Applying early is extremely important. Don't think it's just a couple schools.
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Why is this a PM situation? What were the two schools?
I prefer not to say.
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I am not going to say what schools they are. I will not screw them over for helping me out. It is not the exception. People seem to be missing the point. It is not just some schools. Being early is extremely important.
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This dude is totally correct in everything he said, including the stuff about the person who applied to 39 schools w/ a 33 and a 3.75. No offense, but you must have written some truly terrible essays to not get accepted at a single school.
