Do adcoms REALLY read the PS, EC's, LORs?

[teenmachinery1]

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So "my friend's" old PI (at yale) told me that when he was doing admissions for Yale, he'd just quickly peruse the PS and basically just do a pretty surface assessment as he threw them into different piles.

My question is: Do you guys think adcoms REALLY read the PS and ESPECIALLY the LORs?

Or do they just peruse them to get to through the stack?

I understand that there's probably a little of both going on but what do you guys think is what's going on OVERALL?

gracias!

 

[njbmd]

Yes, at my two schools, every word on every application is read and verified by someone (staff or committee member).

 

[Disinence2]

Yes, they will get read.

 

[Mattabet]

They definitely do, lack of 'medical ECs' nearly deep-sixed my application. Although, you're PI is probably right in the sense that LoR's and ECs are going to be used after the initial sort, rather than as an initial filtering criterion. But when it comes down to the wire, things like ECs and LoRs can make or break ya.

 

[BlueElmo]

Of course they'll get read, that's why schools require them.

 

[mechtel]

Yes, at my two schools, every word on every application is read and verified by someone (staff or committee member).

I think most things are on honor system. Except for grades and criminal background check, they expect you to be honest but don't verify every word in your descriptions of ECs, no?.

 

[brooklynblunder]

i think they are read. and to what extent, depends on each reviewer. i would guess that they get pretty lazy at times though.

 

[QofQuimica]

So "my friend's" old PI (at yale) told me that when he was doing admissions for Yale, he'd just quickly peruse the PS and basically just do a pretty surface assessment as he threw them into different piles.

My question is: Do you guys think adcoms REALLY read the PS and ESPECIALLY the LORs?

Or do they just peruse them to get to through the stack?

I understand that there's probably a little of both going on but what do you guys think is what's going on OVERALL?

gracias!

How do you think adcoms could possibly decide whether to admit you without having read your application? At my school, not only are they read, but they are read by multiple people. Any or all of your app can come up for discussion at the adcom meetings, including the PS and LORs.

 

[longhorn09]

I think they read them to make sure that you are at least a normal person.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I think they read them to make sure that you are at least a normal person.

If that's why they read apps, they certainly a pretty liberal notion of "normal."

 

[Naijaba]

I think after an interview when they're deciding whether or not to take you, they would probably read every word. I was told by an adviser that medical schools are looking for reasons to reject you simply because they get so many applications.

 

[JonathanMD]

I think there are different levels of cut-offs and weeding out. The first are GPA and MCAT (of course), from there, who knows, depending on the school. Eventually they get to the PS's, EC's, and LoRs. More and more people get weeded out.

So yes, I think they definitely do, as long as your application makes it past the first cuts.

 

[armybound]

they read them, but probably not in a ton of depth. they've got hundreds or thousands to go through, so they're not going to spend a ton of time on each one.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Your PS, ECs, and LORs will be major topics of conversation at many interviews.

Ironically, one of my Yale interviews was almost almost a line by line discussion of my PS.

 

[brooklynblunder]

yea i talked about my PS and ECs (not my LORs, but i dont know if my interviewer had them) a lot with the interviewer. However, does the interviewer always = adcom? i would guess not, idk

 

[BlueElmo]

yea i talked about my PS and ECs (not my LORs, but i dont know if my interviewer had them) a lot with the interviewer. However, does the interviewer always = adcom? i would guess not, idk

Of course not.

 

[Food]

I'm reasonably sure I didn't get an acceptance last year because a lack of compelling ECs...so yeah I think they read them.

 

[Substance P]

If they don't, then my application was sunk before it even left the dock...

I spoke to one of the adcom members and was informed that decisions to interview are based off stats(obviously), but then they also consider your PS, secondary essays, and LOR's. This might not be the case at every school, but it seems logical that if you're not eliminated based on stats then they would have to resort to other factors to decide on applicants (EC's, essays, LOR's).