Committee letter

[FutureDoc1016]

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I took the MCAT this Aug and I have already been verified by AACOM and AAMC and began sending out secondaries. I spoke to one of the people on the pre-med committee today and they stated that they will not be writing a composite letter until my MCAT scores are in.... I wanted to have everything in by Mid September now I have to wait until the MCAT scores are released and then for the committee to write the letter and then send it out. My letters will probably be in by November if they will even write a letter for me (he stated that if they are not high enough that they will not write it because they don't want to look bad) I don't understand.. is this how all pre-med committee's are?? Obviously I got good recommendation letters because professors thought I was qualified. Isn't the letter based on my performance in school and on my extracurriculars? Any responses will be really helpful. Thank you 🙂

 

[MaximusD]

I took the MCAT this Aug and I have already been verified by AACOM and AAMC and began sending out secondaries. I spoke to one of the people on the pre-med committee today and they stated that they will not be writing a composite letter until my MCAT scores are in.... I wanted to have everything in by Mid September now I have to wait until the MCAT scores are released and then for the committee to write the letter and then send it out. My letters will probably be in by November if they will even write a letter for me (he stated that if they are not high enough that they will not write it because they don't want to look bad) I don't understand.. is this how all pre-med committee's are?? Obviously I got good recommendation letters because professors thought I was qualified. Isn't the letter based on my performance in school and on my extracurriculars? Any responses will be really helpful. Thank you 🙂

They're dinguses. I doubt that PSU will back me fully. Whatever, it's out of your hands. Just be polite and try your best if they interview you or ask for a personal statement. There is no point in worrying too much about it, because it's beyond your immediate control.

 

[toothless rufus]

Just skip the committee letter and have your letter writers send in on their own. What exactly is the use of a committee, anyway? Oh, I know: none. That way your stuff will be in early, which is important.

 

[FizbanZymogen]

I skipped over the committee too and just had my letters sent out individually. This works although some schools require the committee letter so you will have to wait to be complete at those. Just get them out ASAP!

 

[toothless rufus]

What schools require a committee letter? I am certain I must have applied to one. I believe that they are NOT required (at least by myself) as they are obtained through an individual's academic work and the rapport that that person built with another individual who is a professor at an institution for which they paid to attend. I do NOT understand the requirement of anyone's acknowlegement other than the person who feels that someone was worthy of recommendation. X-university is not recommending me; nor did I ask or want them to, or even consider the existence of a third party's opinion.

And I do not understand the thinking behind a committee letter (or committee) in the first place. What right is there (like in OP's example) for a university to play any role whatsoever (and late letters skew matriculation probability) in anyone's decision to apply/attend medical school?

Ans what really annoys me is that they are making him wait onthe MCAT score, which is something that is completely and totally outside of the realm of the university! I myself would gleefully consider getting a lawyer at this point.

I don't know and don't care if my school does have a committee. It is total BS.

 

[bodhisattva]

If you don't send in a committee letter, schools will want to know why. You have a pretty valid reason. By the time your committee gets your scores, sits down and writes your letter, mails it in, and schools receive the letter and put it in your file, it'll probably be December. Way too late for rolling schools. So send in indvidual letters, but check each school's requirement for non-committee letters.

Your committee probably doesn't want to send in a letter without your MCAT scores because they don't want to write a letter saying they think you're highly qualified for medical school and you end up with a 15 on your MCAT (hope you don't though!). It would pretty much shoot their credibility to the ground, and ADCOMS would question the value of your letter.

 

[FutureDoc1016]

I stated that I would possibly want to send the letters out myself.. however I signed a waiver form and they are unable to release my recommendation letters to me. The professors who wrote the recommendation know the policy. I am pretty much screwed and feel that it's really unfair and I don't want to start anything because they will write the letter for me.

 

[bodhisattva]

I stated that I would possibly want to send the letters out myself.. however I signed a waiver form and they are unable to release my recommendation letters to me. The professors who wrote the recommendation know the policy. I am pretty much screwed and feel that it's really unfair and I don't want to start anything because they will write the letter for me.

Maybe your profs still have copies of what they wrote and can send letters in via Interfolio?