Forgoing Committee Letter As a Slightly Older Applicant

[altas]

Hi,

I am planning to apply to MD programs in the coming 2022 application cycle. I'm 26 and am curently in a graduate program. My undergraduate institution has offered to write me a committee letter and typically does so for recent alumni. I graduated three years ago.

Would I be given more slack than an undergrad applicant if I forgo the committee process and submit individual letters, considering my university is willing to write me one? Do admissions committees know which schools provide letters for alumni?

Thank you.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[medicaldoctor041815]

I think med schools prefer that committee letters be submitted if available so it might be beneficial to see if you can still get one. However, if unavailable and you are not able to able to get one, then you can go ahead and submit individual letters.

 

[Goro]

Hi,

I am planning to apply to MD programs in the coming 2022 application cycle. I'm 26 and am curently in a graduate program. My undergraduate institution has offered to write me a committee letter and typically does so for recent alumni. I graduated three years ago.

Would I be given more slack than an undergrad applicant if I forgo the committee process and submit individual letters, considering my university is willing to write me one? Do admissions committees know which schools provide letters for alumni?

Thank you.

If a UG school is a known feeder to med schools, they will know if they use committee LORS.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

My school requires a committee letter if such a committee exists.

 

[altas]

Thank you all for the helpful advice. I guess I will try my best to get the committee letter! I believe my undergrad school will accept letters from my current program but I will confirm.

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

This doesn't quite match up with what the adcoms are saying but I am a non-trad about your age and I didn't bother with the committee letter. It was $300 and I had a couple great LORs that I didn't want sent through the chop shop. Adcoms never asked me why I didn't have the committee letter.

 

[ChiDO]

My UG told me I wasn't competitive enough and refused to write a committee letter. Jokes on them and my $0 donations now.

So in my n=1, it doesn't matter.