Committee letters necessary?

[Syndicate101]

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So my pre med committee requires 5 letters before they consider me for the com. Letter. I only got really close to a few professors and am not really fond of having to ask professors I don't really know to help me out. Can I just submit my 3-4 good letters or should I try my best to get the committee letter?

 

[hoihaie]

Some med shcools require that you submit committee letters if you school offers them.

 

[mehc012]

More importantly, at most schools you can skip the specific/crazy detailed requirements if you have a committee letter. If you are already limited on letter-givers, you may find yourself struggling to meet the sometimes diverse letter reqs of the different schools anyway. May as well do the legwork to find 1 more req (maybe not from a prof? They don't all have to be academic) to avoid struggles later.

 

[Kelevra]

Many schools will ask you questions akin to, "Does your school offer a pre-professional committee letter of recommendation? If so, will you be submitting one? If not, please explain your reasons for choosing to forego this option."

It's tricky, because from a conservative viewpoint, someone from a school that offers committee letters, but does not have one, will raise questions such as, "did the school not think highly of them? Could they not find enough letter writers? Did they piss somebody off?"

 

[caffeinemia]

Come be my maid/manservant for a week, I have an md and will write you an effusive commendation for your expert "shadowing."

 

[Enginerd2016]

What do you do if you are in a DIY post-back as a non-degree seeking student? Do you still go through the com. letter process?

 

[mehc012]

What do you do if you are in a DIY post-back as a non-degree seeking student? Do you still go through the com. letter process?

I am, but with my original undergraduate institution, not my post-bacc. However, many of my post-bacc classmates are getting the comm. letter from our program.

 

[Avicenna]

I hate LORs. I don't understand the point. They shouldn't tell adcoms any more than the interview, transcript, and personal statements should.

 

[gyngyn]

I hate LORs. I don't understand the point. They shouldn't tell adcoms any more than the interview, transcript, and personal statements should.

They potentially offer a longitudinal view of your personal qualities, the way a gpa does for your academic qualities.

 

[ERK123]

I hate LORs. I don't understand the point. They shouldn't tell adcoms any more than the interview, transcript, and personal statements should.

LORs help determine whether a person gets an interview in the first place.

 

[geeGNOME]

So my pre med committee requires 5 letters before they consider me for the com. Letter. I only got really close to a few professors and am not really fond of having to ask professors I don't really know to help me out. Can I just submit my 3-4 good letters or should I try my best to get the committee letter?

I was always under the impression that if your school offers a committee letter, then it's in your best interest to secure it.

 

[medic86]

What if you go to a school where the person in charge of writing committee letters flat out said: "I think getting individual letters is better than getting a committee letter."?

 

[NonTradJp]

What do you do if you are in a DIY post-back as a non-degree seeking student? Do you still go through the com. letter process?

I've wondered about this too. My undergrad had a committee letter but I graduated back in 2006 and was never a premed. If you find out, let me know.