Do schools contact letter writers?

[moto_za]

Just wondering if schools contact letter writers? Also will schools contact a letter writer who happens to work at the med school?

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[MiniMoo]

One of my letter writers told me she was contacted, so it definitely does happen. Make sure your letter writers include their contact info on LORs.

 

[deedave33]

With the volume of applications they receive, I think it rarely happens. Maybe an adcom can give you a better idea?

 

[OhioDoc]

Just wondering if schools contact letter writers? Also will schools contact a letter writer who happens to work at the med school?

As the above poster said, given the large volume of application most schools receive (for ex - G. Town gets > 10K apps a year), I doubt schools routinely contact letters. At the same time, it's quite apparent that letter writers are sometimes contacted. Remember, you want to have letter writers that know you very well both personally and professionally so that they can easily defend anything they put in their recommendation.

 

[gator13doc]

One of the schools I applied to contacted the professor I do research under and asked him to write me an additional letter. So I would assume in some instances they contact the letter writers as well.

 

[afkari]

One of the schools I applied to contacted the professor I do research under and asked him to write me an additional letter. So I would assume in some instances they contact the letter writers as well.

A school asking your professor to write you another letter? Wow, haven't heard of that happening before?!

 

[LizzyM]

With the volume of applications they receive, I think it rarely happens.

^ this

 

[Catalystik]

One of my letter writers told me she was contacted, so it definitely does happen. Make sure your letter writers include their contact info on LORs.

Letter writers sometimes include phrases like, "If you have any further questions, I encourage you to contact me personally." This can mean that there's more to tell, but the writer is not willing to commit it to paper. Those reading these letters regularly understand they maybe should contact the writer. It doesn't always mean the additional information is negative.

 

[ChiDO]

Letter writers sometimes include phrases like, "If you have any further questions, I encourage you to contact me personally." This can mean that there's more to tell, but the writer is not willing to commit it to paper. Those reading these letters regularly understand they maybe should contact the writer. It doesn't always mean the additional information is negative.

Um, no. I would say that is a very polite way to end any correspondence, whether it be a LOR, email to professor, letter to a business. I think you are reading WAY too much into that kind of statement if you think it means that you need to contact them because there is "stuff" that they wouldn't write.

I've seen quite a few LORs, from friends to my own, and everyone of them had a statement such as that at the end.

 

[illegallysmooth]

Just wondering if schools contact letter writers? Also will schools contact a letter writer who happens to work at the med school?

One of mine was contacted. He is an alum from one of schools I applied to, and they sent him a letter acknowledging his and stating it would weigh heavily in the admissions decision.

 

[LizzyM]

Getting an acknowledgement is a lot different from a f/u phone call. Many writers will close with a statement of how highly regarded the applicant is and how lucky we will be to have him in our program. It is a minority that end with the "call me" statement and, particularly if the letter is rather cool, it can be interpreted as "there are things I'd rather say on the phone". I'd guess that there are fewer than 1 in 1,000 that are followed up in that way but it does happen.

 

[afkari]

Haven't heard of schools contacting letter writers.

 

[AnthroMD]

I have always been under the impression that adcoms contact LOR writers if either they simply do have further questions or if something wasn't clear enough to the committee that it needs clarification.

 

[dw2158]

Getting an acknowledgement is a lot different from a f/u phone call. Many writers will close with a statement of how highly regarded the applicant is and how lucky we will be to have him in our program. It is a minority that end with the "call me" statement and, particularly if the letter is rather cool, it can be interpreted as "there are things I'd rather say on the phone". I'd guess that there are fewer than 1 in 1,000 that are followed up in that way but it does happen.

this is surprising to me. i close almost all business letters with some version of "if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to call me." and i was able to read the LOR that my boss wrote for me and he did it too. it seems like a fairly innocuous way to sign off.

 

[LizzyM]

this is surprising to me. i close almost all business letters with some version of "if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to call me." and i was able to read the LOR that my boss wrote for me and he did it too. it seems like a fairly innocuous way to sign off.

I think it is a common way to end a letter in a business setting and much less common in academia.

It is very uncommon for an admissions officer to take the writer up on his offer.

 

[njbmd]

I think it is a common way to end a letter in a business setting and much less common in academia.

It is very uncommon for an admissions officer to take the writer up on his offer.

Well, I contact quite a few letter writers, especially the ones that I know. I have also been contacted more than a few times about people for whom I have written letters. Pehaps, I am in an "uncommon" position.

 

[LizzyM]

Well, I contact quite a few letter writers, especially the ones that I know. I have also been contacted more than a few times about people for whom I have written letters. Pehaps, I am in an "uncommon" position.

It may reflect differences in our institutions... my school tends to draw from a very wide area in terms of state residence and schools attended. It is rare for us to see letters from people we know other than pre-med advisors we've hosted at "get to know us" events.

It also may depend on the volume you deal with. I review about 50 applications per week during the season and I couldn't begin to start making phone calls given the work load.

 

[dw2158]

I think it is a common way to end a letter in a business setting and much less common in academia.

It is very uncommon for an admissions officer to take the writer up on his offer.

sorry, not buying that. especially since i'm not sure i work in what one would consider a "business" setting. "feel free to call me with any questions" just seems like such an innocuous thing to toss in at the end of a letter.

 

[mymembernames]

.

 

[kjhherg]

No.