General App Questions

[deleted936268]

Hi everyone, I'm getting ready to apply this coming cycle and want to be able to submit primaries as early as possible (I think 05/28).

Just some questions that have popped up that I was hoping to get consensus on:

1. My school does a letter packet system. I know that with committee letters, it is frowned upon by adcoms to not go through the school and get that. Is the same true for letter packets?

2. I know it's been answered before but still a bit confused - if a school wants 5 LORs and my letter packet has 6, that's fine right? I'm just hoping to hit the 'least common denominator' amount of LORs which seems to be 6 but some schools want 5 and I'm not sure how that works.

3. When should I be taking CASPER to submit my app earliest possible date?

Thanks in advance!

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[Morningnight]

. When should I be taking CASPER to submit my app earliest possible date?

You can submit your primary app without completing the CASPER. CASPER is needed for your entire application to be complete at schools that require CASPER. Available dates for testing will come out sometime in April 2022 (I believe) -- I took it in one of the early dates in May.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

1. My school does a letter packet system. I know that with committee letters, it is frowned upon by adcoms to not go through the school and get that. Is the same true for letter packets?

Short answer: yes in my opinion. Institutional letter packets and committee letters are synonymous in terms of delivery and ease of having all of your references be available at once. The majority of applicants do not use institutional letters, but as a result, many applicants risk getting their applications held because a required LOR has not been submitted if they are not on top of things with letters.

2. If a school wants 5 LORs and my letter packet has 6, that's fine right? I'm just hoping to hit the 'least common denominator' amount of LORs which seems to be 6 but some schools want 5 and I'm not sure how that works.

Your schools will have the answer. Some schools will read all the letters anyway, others just randomly pick letters, others will look for the most useful required letters (professors, professionals, etc.). It's your homework to know what the LCD is.

3. When should I be taking CASPER to submit my app earliest possible date?

As noted, you need to know which schools require CASPER as early as possible (and some schools may add or drop that requirement in the spring so be flexible). Sometimes test dates are available before you submit an application. You should make sure you find out the specific steps from each school and try to take your CASPer as early as possible if you are really serious about a specific school. Treat it as if it were a part of your supplemental application.

I also anticipate hearing about schools that will require the AAMC SJT by April.

 

[deleted936268]

Short answer: yes in my opinion. Institutional letter packets and committee letters are synonymous in terms of delivery and ease of having all of your references be available at once. The majority of applicants do not use institutional letters, but as a result, many applicants risk getting their applications held because a required LOR has not been submitted if they are not on top of things with letters.



Your schools will have the answer. Some schools will read all the letters anyway, others just randomly pick letters, others will look for the most useful required letters (professors, professionals, etc.). It's your homework to know what the LCD is.


As noted, you need to know which schools require CASPER as early as possible (and some schools may add or drop that requirement in the spring so be flexible). Sometimes test dates are available before you submit an application. You should make sure you find out the specific steps from each school and try to take your CASPer as early as possible if you are really serious about a specific school. Treat it as if it were a part of your supplemental application.

I also anticipate hearing about schools that will require the AAMC SJT by April.

Appreciate it! From an adcom point of view, does it look bad to not go through letter packet? I'm confident I can keep up with the LORs and where they need to be sent and my writers are good about submitting everything on time and to everywhere, I just don't really want to go through my school unless I really have to.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What matters is getting your letters delivered. If you don't use a prehealth office to send letters, it's not a problem unless the admissions staff want to verify you were in fact a student at that school. Those offices do help whenever there needs clarification on things like grading and teaching during the pandemic if the send a cover letter addendum to the packet or letter. But otherwise you should be okay in most cases.

Just make sure you don't overlook any "required" letters and they are sent early.

 

[candbgirl]

Appreciate it! From an adcom point of view, does it look bad to not go through letter packet? I'm confident I can keep up with the LORs and where they need to be sent and my writers are good about submitting everything on time and to everywhere, I just don't really want to go through my school unless I really have to.

Does your school attach a letter summarizing your individual letters or any kind of letter from your premed office? If your school offers a letter many med schools want that letter. So you need to find out what exactly is sent with your “letter packet” before deciding to handle your LORs yourself or not.

 

[deleted936268]

Does your school attach a letter summarizing your individual letters or any kind of letter from your premed office? If your school offers a letter many med schools want that letter. So you need to find out what exactly is sent with your “letter packet” before deciding to handle your LORs yourself or not.

The only thing attached is a general cover letter by the institution explaining that we have "minor grade deflation" etc and giving background to how grades and stuff work at our school, nothing insanely special. Other than that, they keep the letters in the order you want with the same letterheads, unaltered. @Mr.Smile12 would that change anything about your response?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The only thing attached is a general cover letter by the institution explaining that we have "minor grade deflation" etc and giving background to how grades and stuff work at our school, nothing insanely special. Other than that, they keep the letters in the order you want with the same letterheads, unaltered. @Mr.Smile12 would that change anything about your response?

Looking at your WAMC, it doesn't change my response. If an admissions committee wants you, the lack of an institutional letter or endorsement will be overlooked easily. But it is important that all your letters arrive and you don't have any stragglers.

 

[deleted936268]

Looking at your WAMC, it doesn't change my response. If an admissions committee wants you, the lack of an institutional letter or endorsement will be overlooked easily. But it is important that all your letters arrive and you don't have any stragglers.

Appreciate it