Excuses for no committee letter?

[carson16666]

Hello, I don't have a committee letter and if I'm being honest it's just because I didn't think they mattered at all. Now some secondaries are asking why I don't have one.


Would it be okay to say that I would prefer individual letter writers because they can speak to my strengths better, due to our close relationship and all? Also I've emailed my pre-med advising office like three times all of undergrad lol. Thanks!

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[AJS59]

Hello, I don't have a committee letter and if I'm being honest it's just because I didn't think they mattered at all. Now some secondaries are asking why I don't have one.


Would it be okay to say that I would prefer individual letter writers because they can speak to my strengths better, due to our close relationship and all? Also I've emailed my pre-med advising office like three times all of undergrad lol. Thanks!

Is it possible for you to have the committee package the letters together and compile into a "committee letter?" At my undergrad the committee, along with the guidance of a "head letter writer" who you designate, compiled together the feedback of the other letter writers to create 1 unified letter. But unless you have a very fast moving pre-health office I'm guessing they won't be able to generate a letter for you by Labor Day.

In that case, I think what you wrote is best, there's not really much else you can do.

 

[sarcasmrules]

You don't quite understand how the committee letter works. The committee letter is a standardized letter that saves adcoms a lot of time in reviewing you. Many letter writers don't know what medical schools look for, so the committee letter takes the qualities that letter writers talk about that hit the mark while ignoring that doesn't. It also sometimes ranks applicants from undergrads that are known feeder schools so adcoms have an idea how that applicants compare to other applicants from that school. That's why it's worth it to get one even if it means your application won't be completed until September.

About 50 schools prefer or require a committee letter. Only a handful of schools ask why you don't have one because they've heard every BS excuse you can think of. More often than not, committee letters also include your individual letters (which is called a committee packet) for those rare schools that prefer individual letters to cover all your bases. The only one I can think of is UCI.

Medical Schools That Prefer Committee Letters (and Which Don't!)

Before you worry about procuring a committee letter, check out our list of medical schools that prefer applicants to submit one.

blog.accepted.com

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Eight Questions About the Pre-Health “Committee Letter” - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

If your university doesn't offer a committee letter, just say so. Be honest if you never knocked on your prehealth advisor office's door or if they have not been helpful or encouraging. Don't spin or embellish the truth. Most applicants don't have committee letters.

Would it be okay to say that I would prefer individual letter writers because they can speak to my strengths better, due to our close relationship and all? Also I've emailed my pre-med advising office like three times all of undergrad lol. Thanks!

We all know that individual letters can highlight your strengths more effectively, but prehealth committees can do a better job discussing how you compare with other applicants who graduated and got into medical school. Prehealth advisors should be able to discuss your prehealth competencies overall, which are highlighted in the combination of your individual letters. As noted above, they are meant to help adcoms find your specific strengths and fit with their program and can help streamline your review. Usually most individual letters don't understand the competency and admissions language as much as experienced prehealth advisors.

How to Assess Your Academic Competencies - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

How to Assess Your Pre-Professional Competencies - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[Goro]

Hello, I don't have a committee letter and if I'm being honest it's just because I didn't think they mattered at all. Now some secondaries are asking why I don't have one.


Would it be okay to say that I would prefer individual letter writers because they can speak to my strengths better, due to our close relationship and all? Also I've emailed my pre-med advising office like three times all of undergrad lol. Thanks!

Just tell the truth. It won't be a deal breaker to not have a committee LOR

 

[carson16666]

Got it, thank you everyone!