A prof of mine who i feel probably wrote me a great letter of rec, wrote one right before she had an unexpected medical emergency and took off the rest of the semester, she had submitted it to interfolio before she took off and notified me. When i asked interfolio to check all my letters for letterhead and signatures, they all had signatures, hers contained no letterhead. Right now she is MIA (and really i don't want to bug her until i know she is recovered, so far no one has really heard from her). My question is, if the time rolls around for me to submit my letters, should i use hers? or should i try and get another letter from another prof that doesn't know me as well... i figured that although letter head is nice because it is official but at least there still is a signature... if they really questioned the validity of the letter they could jus contact the university. What does everyone else think about possibly using a letter that isn't on letterhead? Maybe i can explain the situation? Are letterhead for letters of rec absolutely necessary for submission? any Adcom members opinion/advice would be greatly appreciated too.
Do letters of rec have to be on official letterhead?
- Thread starter zebalong
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I am curious as well. I am also using interfolio and I know that many of my writers are busy so they appreciated the online submission. However, letter head is usually printed beforehand and isn't loaded into the comp...sooo I probably don't have official letterhead on many of my recs...which I hope doesn't hurt.
OP...did you just call interfolio to check your letters?
OP...did you just call interfolio to check your letters?
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I used interfolio and all my writers used the direct upload of word doc and added the sig with the online program.... I had one medical school that sent an email about one of them (while I know none were on letterhead) not being on letterhead... I called the school and they ended up saying it was there fault and not to worry...
I didn't have any problem- though a couple schools asked for letters to be sent in and wouldn't accept interfolio (MCG and I believe TMDSAS)
I didn't have any problem- though a couple schools asked for letters to be sent in and wouldn't accept interfolio (MCG and I believe TMDSAS)
I think they are preferably to be on a letter head for professional reason and also to show that it is legit. One of my letters wasn't on a letter head and I asked the prof to reprint it again, I know your prof is presently MIA. Some schools require the letters to be on official letterhead dont remember which ones. Some people might not take the letter as seriously since they will see your packet of letters and while reading thru them it will be weird to have all of them on letterhead and one that isnt, just a thought.
As for explaining the situation, I think that's kind of awkward. They might wonder why you know it's not on an official letter head. Of course you can say interfolio told you but you never know where an adcom's head wanders 'has the student seen his letters?'
It would be nice to have LizzyM comment on this. Maybe you should PM lizzyM, an adcom member.
Good luck.
As for explaining the situation, I think that's kind of awkward. They might wonder why you know it's not on an official letter head. Of course you can say interfolio told you but you never know where an adcom's head wanders 'has the student seen his letters?'
It would be nice to have LizzyM comment on this. Maybe you should PM lizzyM, an adcom member.
Good luck.
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Its preferable to have on letterhead, but given your situation I would think its not going to hurt you.
Personally, there is no point in letterhead due to its availability on campus. They would have to call all writers to verify the accuracy and legitimacy of letters.
Personally, there is no point in letterhead due to its availability on campus. They would have to call all writers to verify the accuracy and legitimacy of letters.
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This year I saw many letters through Interfolio that were not on letterhead. Many people don't have electronic letterhead for when they submit electronically (some do!). Don't worry about it if you are using Interfolio or a similar electronic service.
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How did you do this? Is there a procedure for asking this question? Email, phone call?
super easy, just email from the contact email on your interfolio and ask for them to review your letters and say which is on letterhead and which isn't. they responded to me in one day and broke it down for me no problem. 
thanks lizzy for your opinion!!
k now to stop sweating that.. as application season comes closer and closer i keep getting worried that something isn't lined up.. must be the old age.. makes me worry =(
thanks lizzy for your opinion!!
k now to stop sweating that.. as application season comes closer and closer i keep getting worried that something isn't lined up.. must be the old age.. makes me worry =(
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so, does the school/recommender need to have their own interfolio account to upload them?
I'm going to have 1-2 letters this year from my volunteer and research supervisors. So, I won't be submitting them through a school. I just want to make it easy on them by having them upload it once so that way I can send it to as many schools as I want without having them to mail dozens of letters. Do I need to make them an account? Do they upload through my account or what?
Thanks!
I'm going to have 1-2 letters this year from my volunteer and research supervisors. So, I won't be submitting them through a school. I just want to make it easy on them by having them upload it once so that way I can send it to as many schools as I want without having them to mail dozens of letters. Do I need to make them an account? Do they upload through my account or what?
Thanks!
i did some research on this before i signed up. it SEEMS.. please anyone correct me if im wrong:
A. all schools will accept some version of interfolio, either electronic or paper. Most if not all accept the paper version of interfolio letters and a good majority accept the electronic version.
B. most schools will void their submission forms if you use a "letter service" such as interfolio or virtualeval, so you don't have bug your prof after they have submited your letter (wake comes to mind in specifically mentioning this on their website). It seems the big issue is confidentiality, which is secured by letter services so an extra form isn't useful.
A. all schools will accept some version of interfolio, either electronic or paper. Most if not all accept the paper version of interfolio letters and a good majority accept the electronic version.
B. most schools will void their submission forms if you use a "letter service" such as interfolio or virtualeval, so you don't have bug your prof after they have submited your letter (wake comes to mind in specifically mentioning this on their website). It seems the big issue is confidentiality, which is secured by letter services so an extra form isn't useful.
i did some research on this before i signed up. it SEEMS.. please anyone correct me if im wrong:
A. all schools will accept some version of interfolio, either electronic or paper. Most if not all accept the paper version of interfolio letters and a good majority accept the electronic version.
B. most schools will void their submission forms if you use a "letter service" such as interfolio or virtualeval, so you don't have bug your prof after they have submited your letter (wake comes to mind in specifically mentioning this on their website). It seems the big issue is confidentiality, which is secured by letter services so an extra form isn't useful.
A. all schools will accept some version of interfolio, either electronic or paper. Most if not all accept the paper version of interfolio letters and a good majority accept the electronic version.
B. most schools will void their submission forms if you use a "letter service" such as interfolio or virtualeval, so you don't have bug your prof after they have submited your letter (wake comes to mind in specifically mentioning this on their website). It seems the big issue is confidentiality, which is secured by letter services so an extra form isn't useful.
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Not totally true. A handful of schools (e.g., UVA) will only accept letters from the new AMCAS service - you submit the interfolio letters to AMCAS, and then they get sent on, but it is an extra step for the applicant.
AMCAS appears to be trying to edge into the Interfolio market. Not sure why.
