Decided to not apply this cycle.What should I do with my recommendation letters?

[USC 22]

I have 3 letters of recommendation ready to be delivered in Interfolio. I was planning on applying this cycle but figured I could be a much stronger applicant next year. What should I do about my letters of recommendation? Can I send them out next cycle or do I have to email my letter writers and ask them to rewrite it and change the date? (ie do med schools care when the letter was written/what year)

Thanks for the help guys.

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[Ismet]

You can keep them for next cycle. Many people store rec letters from undergrad for a year or two due to taking time off between undergrad and applying. Not sure when the letters "expire" or become too old, but I'd say if you apply next cycle, it's fine.

 

[USC 22]

You can keep them for next cycle. Many people store rec letters from undergrad for a year or two due to taking time off between undergrad and applying. Not sure when the letters "expire" or become too old, but I'd say if you apply next cycle, it's fine.

Perfect! Does this mean I don't have to nag them to resubmit the letters online with new dates?

The reason I'm paranoid is because my girlfriend did this with all of her professors and recommended I do the same (although I saw no point).

 

[FirstAndFinal]

At my undergraduate institution recommenders get instructions not to mention any application cycle in the letter (or schools you're aiming for or basically anything that would make the letter too narrowly focused). They probably do date the letter but I've never heard that being an issue. Your journey to med school doesn't begin right before you submit the AMCAS so of course it's natural to have letters that have a different date. In fact, a lot of places recommend getting letters right after you finish a course because you're fresh in the professor's mind.

Edit: The only time I would consider revamping a letter is if you plan on continuing work with one of your letter writers. That is, if you will interact with them this year (research, TA, etc.) then before you apply you can ask for an updated letter. Not because it will have a new date but because they may have more to say about you.

 

[USC 22]

At my undergraduate institution recommenders get instructions not to mention any application cycle in the letter (or schools you're aiming for or basically anything that would make the letter too narrowly focused). They probably do date the letter but I've never heard that being an issue. Your journey to med school doesn't begin right before you submit the AMCAS so of course it's natural to have letters that have a different date. In fact, a lot of places recommend getting letters right after you finish a course because you're fresh in the professor's mind.

Edit: The only time I would consider revamping a letter is if you plan on continuing work with one of your letter writers. That is, if you will interact with them this year (research, TA, etc.) then before you apply you can ask for an updated letter. Not because it will have a new date but because they may have more to say about you.

That's great advice, thank you sir!

 

[eggs13]

i was planning on applying last cycle but got my MCAT score and decided to retake it the following spring and take a gap year. I used all the same ones i had from the previous and got an extra one from a doctor I had shadowed in the past year. i have three II's now so I dont think that year old letters are a problem

 

[USC 22]

i was planning on applying last cycle but got my MCAT score and decided to retake it the following spring and take a gap year. I used all the same ones i had from the previous and got an extra one from a doctor I had shadowed in the past year. i have three II's now so I dont think that year old letters are a problem

That's literally exactly what I'm going through. I have a pretty decent GPA and ECs so I was planning on applying this past cycle. I was disappointed with my MCAT result so I decided to apply next cycle.

Looks like I won't be bugging my professors after all! Thanks guys.

 

[Dires]

Interfolio is awesome. Use it if your school doesn't have a letter service.

 

[MedPR]

You'd have to use your UG or Interfolio, right? AMCAS won't store letters for you as far as I know.

 

[Praefectus]

👍 Interfolio.

 

[USC 22]

You'd have to use your UG or Interfolio, right? AMCAS won't store letters for you as far as I know.

Correct, I used Interfolio. I didn't send them in so that's not an issue. So you agree with everyone else - don't bother emailing my professor for a new letter?

 

[MedPR]

Correct, I used Interfolio. I didn't send them in so that's not an issue. So you agree with everyone else - don't bother emailing my professor for a new letter?

Yup, don't ask for a new letter unless you maintain your relationship with the person. The letter they wrote you this year is presumably based on your recent interactions.. Compare that to a letter they try to write a year later based on their memory of you. It's likely that the existing letter is better than one they would re-write next year.

 

[USC 22]

Yup, don't ask for a new letter unless you maintain your relationship with the person. The letter they wrote you this year is presumably based on your recent interactions.. Compare that to a letter they try to write a year later based on their memory of you. It's likely that the existing letter is better than one they would re-write next year.

Hey man, thanks for the advice. I wasn't going to ask for a new letter anyway. I was just going to ask them to update the date the letter was written on, or make sure they didn't say anything like "this upcoming 2012 cycle" but I think that's the neurotic pre-med side of me just being paranoid.

 

[MedPR]

Hey man, thanks for the advice. I wasn't going to ask for a new letter anyway. I was just going to ask them to update the date the letter was written on, or make sure they didn't say anything like "this upcoming 2012 cycle" but I think that's the neurotic pre-med side of me just being paranoid.

They might have dated the letter. Three of my letter writers sent a copy to me and all three dated it.

I don't think it'll matter though. Most schools I've applied to either said "letters within the last year" or didn't specify at all.

 

[LPpostbacc]

I have 3 letters of recommendation ready to be delivered in Interfolio. I was planning on applying this cycle but figured I could be a much stronger applicant next year. What should I do about my letters of recommendation? Can I send them out next cycle or do I have to email my letter writers and ask them to rewrite it and change the date? (ie do med schools care when the letter was written/what year)

Thanks for the help guys.

Freeze them in Carbonite.

 

[USC 22]

They might have dated the letter. Three of my letter writers sent a copy to me and all three dated it.

I don't think it'll matter though. Most schools I've applied to either said "letters within the last year" or didn't specify at all.

Thanks a lot bro! That helped a lot

 

[USC 22]

Freeze them in Carbonite.

I'll take that into consideration bro. Thank you!

 

[Camy99]

I was wondering, if you're a reapplicant can you use the same LORs? Or perhaps the same people but updated?

 

[USC 22]

I was wondering, if you're a reapplicant can you use the same LORs? Or perhaps the same people but updated?

You shouldn't use the same letters.

I called 4 med schools and 3 of them said I should email my professors and have them write a new one because they prefer "letters that are less than 1 year old."

Annoying!