My school offers a composite evaluation packet, if you are applying to any pre-professional schools. You fill out the packet with your EC's, personal statement, autobiography, School Record, and who you want to receive the L.O.R's from. This file will "be used to build a very descriptive and comprehensive composite evaluation letter written by your pre-health adviser". I really don't know him that well..but is this the right way to go? Or should i go on my own?
Composite Evaluation Packet -- Should i use this?
- Thread starter ehmjay1
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Sounds like committee letter to me. Not using one when it's offered by your school can be a red flag to med school adcoms. Definitely use it unless there are extenuating circumstances preventing such.
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Based on the description, it sounds like you may have gone to the same undergrad as me.... if so (or even if not and its another school with a similar system):
We don't have a "committee" like most other schools, however the evaluation packet and credentialling file are all materials that usually are given to a comittee. In our case, the pre-med advisor is our "committee", and will write a composite evaluation based on your LORs, autobiography, PS, transcript, activities, and conversations you've had in the past with him. This can provide a strong concise evaluation for your application. Keep in mind though, if you haven't seen him since your freshman year he most likely doesn't know you well enough to write an evaluation in which he has a strong connection too - so start speaking with him, even if its about easy pre-med/academic questions, and talk about things other than academics. A roommate of mine who applied to dental school ended up getting asked at two interviews why he received a poor evaluation even though he'd had near perfect gpa and test scores... the evaluation said the he never met this student.
If you don't use a committee or evaluation when your school offers it, and med schools know if your school does, you'll usually need to explain why. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons, but being shy or lazy isn't one. If you do have a legitimate reason for not using the evaluation, then get the standard LORs and such as each school requires. Though the committee/evaluation saves a lot of hassle on your part, in that you can get several LORs from professors, PI's, employers, and such and usually part of the evaluation packet that is sent contains the three "best" LORs, and then you only need to place the one packet on AMCAS, all your LORs are centralized in his/her office and your advisor will upload the packet. There is less chasing after people for LORs or having to get paid services like interfolio and such. Just give your LOR writers sufficient time, and/or accumulate them throughout your academic career and get them sent to your advisor.
We don't have a "committee" like most other schools, however the evaluation packet and credentialling file are all materials that usually are given to a comittee. In our case, the pre-med advisor is our "committee", and will write a composite evaluation based on your LORs, autobiography, PS, transcript, activities, and conversations you've had in the past with him. This can provide a strong concise evaluation for your application. Keep in mind though, if you haven't seen him since your freshman year he most likely doesn't know you well enough to write an evaluation in which he has a strong connection too - so start speaking with him, even if its about easy pre-med/academic questions, and talk about things other than academics. A roommate of mine who applied to dental school ended up getting asked at two interviews why he received a poor evaluation even though he'd had near perfect gpa and test scores... the evaluation said the he never met this student.
If you don't use a committee or evaluation when your school offers it, and med schools know if your school does, you'll usually need to explain why. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons, but being shy or lazy isn't one. If you do have a legitimate reason for not using the evaluation, then get the standard LORs and such as each school requires. Though the committee/evaluation saves a lot of hassle on your part, in that you can get several LORs from professors, PI's, employers, and such and usually part of the evaluation packet that is sent contains the three "best" LORs, and then you only need to place the one packet on AMCAS, all your LORs are centralized in his/her office and your advisor will upload the packet. There is less chasing after people for LORs or having to get paid services like interfolio and such. Just give your LOR writers sufficient time, and/or accumulate them throughout your academic career and get them sent to your advisor.
