Help! Is avoiding committee bad?

[Rubberpulp]

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My schools committee process can take a long time to finally get the letter complete. I was thinking of not using committee and sending my own LOR. The individual LOR are excellent because I know the professors and dentist personally. Also I am worried the committee will make my app late. The problem is that my schools committee director says that if we don't use her that the schools will call her and "ask why didnt (name) go through the committee? I don't think any of the newer private schools would do this.

So should I finish up with committee and hope my app is early? Or just use my own LOR.
I have read older post and most say it doesn't matter if you use LOR over committee but the posts were out dated.

 

[ATG20]

I went to a large UC, in which committees took months to do these things. I applied on my own, using individual letters, and in all of my interviews, it wasn't even mentioned. I honestly think schools don't even care. It's my opinion that these committees and pre-health advisory clubs push their importance on undergrads to justify their budgets and presence. Do yourself a favor and just send your own letters.

 

[Rubberpulp]

I went to a large UC, in which committees took months to do these things. I applied on my own, using individual letters, and in all of my interviews, it wasn't even mentioned. I honestly think schools don't even care. It's my opinion that these committees and pre-health advisory clubs push their importance on undergrads to justify their budgets and presence. Do yourself a favor and just send your own letters.

I was thinking the same thing. My school is always saying how important committee is. What is awesome you did it on your own. I hate having to rely on other people for my future!😡 And I think youre right about them having to justify their presence and funding. Thanks for the advice!

 

[518590]

I think it is just convinient in many ways.
You only need one committee letter where you have specific combinations of requirements if you do individual letters.
Also I can submit one committee + one additional letter, so I liked that part.
It explains my school curriculum and everything so though I did not enjoy paying additional 100 bucks, I think it still has some positives.

There is no harm in going with either way I think.

 

[Glimmer1991]

My itty-bitty university doesn't even HAVE a committee. I don't think this will be an issue. Plus, I'd rather have individual letters.

 

[Upperbyte]

I too, heard that if you don't use a committee, dental schools will want to know why. But I do not believe this. I was accepted to one school, and wait listed at another. With no composite committee letter. My pre-dental committee refused to write me a letter, until I took and successfully passed organic chemistry. I was going to have to wait an entire year for that course to be done by the time they would write it. I immediately called the dental schools and they said that sounded ludicrous, and that you often have coursework to complete at the time of application. So, I decided to not go with the committee, and use my own letters. My choice dental schools were private, also.

 

[UCSFx2017]

Didn't do it and I'm glad I didn't. Why jump through more hoops than is needed? I did perfectly fine without using my committee and the topic didn't even come up at any of my interviews.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

i didn't do it and i'm glad as well. i was asked about it at a few interviews. i was honest with them about why i chose not to use it and they seemed happy with my justification.

 

[UCSFx2017]

i didn't do it and i'm glad as well. i was asked about it at a few interviews. i was honest with them about why i chose not to use it and they seemed happy with my justification.

My justification, in case they asked me, was that I had heard horror stories of the admissions committee failing to send the application on time after the student did his/her part. Happened to a premed friend/lab-mate of mine and even my PI discouraged me from using them. The committee also required me to have a DAT score by some ridiculous date like January and I was planning to take it in June.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

My justification, in case they asked me, was that I had heard horror stories of the admissions committee failing to send the application on time after the student did his/her part. Happened to a premed friend/lab-mate of mine and even my PI discouraged me from using them. The committee also required me to have a DAT score by some ridiculous date like January and I was planning to take it in June.

yea thats pretty much what i said. my school's committee is extremely incompetent when it comes to dental school admissions

 

[Rubberpulp]

Thanks for the responses! I totally agree with why jump through more hoops. I don't think a committee letter will make or break my chances. My stats are average and I have good volunteer. Maybe for the older state schools it might be a problem but I want to go to ASDOH or lecom or something like that

 

[Longcatislong]

My schools committee process can take a long time to finally get the letter complete. I was thinking of not using committee and sending my own LOR. The individual LOR are excellent because I know the professors and dentist personally. Also I am worried the committee will make my app late. The problem is that my schools committee director says that if we don't use her that the schools will call her and "ask why didnt (name) go through the committee? I don't think any of the newer private schools would do this.

So should I finish up with committee and hope my app is early? Or just use my own LOR.
I have read older post and most say it doesn't matter if you use LOR over committee but the posts were out dated.

I doubt it'll be an issue, as others have said. I have a committee available at my school, but I'm not going to use their service. They take FOREVER. Doing it on my own, I'll have all my letters ready to go by June 3rd (barring one, I'm still waiting on. But hopefully she'll get her act together soon 😉 )