How important is committee letter?

[medicalmnt]

I'm currently a senior taking a gap-year upon graduation. The dilemma I have now is whether to go for the committee letter or not.

I spent two years at a school which did not offer a committee letter, but transferred to my current school. This school offers a committee letter but since I have not been here for long at all I am not sure whether this would be a valid reason for not asking for a letter. I realize some schools highly prefer a committee letter but I was wondering how this would effect my candidacy for my application cycle (2016-2017).

Freshman year: school G (no committee letter offered)
Sophomore year: school G (no committee letter offered)
Junior year: school V (committee letter offered)
Senior year: school V (committee letter offered)
Gap year: (looking for part time scribe and NIH postbacc)

During my gapyear I will be far from my current school.

My cGPA is around ~3.58 and sGPA is around 3.6 (strong upward trend beginning sophmore year ~3.7)
1year of undegraduate research
2summers of NIH research
~100 hospital and ~50 shadowing hours
president/vicepresident of clubs at school
~tons of campus work hours

I plan to focus on VA schools for in-state preference..

Do you have any suggestions about the importance of a committee letter in my case?
Do you personally or know anyone who has had experience of opting to go without a committee letter?
Was the committee letter mentioned at all in your MD school interview?

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[XxThaDoggxX]

Plenty of threads have been made about this exact question. Use search feature and you will find what you are looking for.

 

[Berkboy]

Frick, here it goes:

Generally, committee letters are somewhat akin to pre-professional programs/schools electing to advocate for students that they deem as "reasonably good" candidates for medical school. However, some schools give letters to all who apply, while others are very selective, and give letters to students who they believe have the "best" chances. Medical schools/adcoms generally know which schools are involved in which practice.

You will find people that did not have one, and it was not brought up. You will find people without a letter, where it WAS brought up. Not having a committee letter from a school that provides a letter raises questions, including : Why did the school not elect to advocate for this applicant? Did this applicant simply not know about the letter (which leaves room for speculation of ignorance, lack of research on the part of the applicant, or perhaps avoidance of the committee by the applicant because they knew they would not be "sponsored")?

Some schools will require a good reason for not having one. Others may not mind as much. Being a nontrad is a common reason, as individuals who are years removed from school do not know the committee, although you may be asked about why you don't have one despite being at the university for over two years (ie shouldn't that be enough time to meet with them/learn that you need one and apply), and not far removed (not >1 year at time of application).

There's often little reason in not asking for a letter since, at many undergrads, the letter is simply a composite of all your LORs, and re-written in conjunction with grades, university involvement, etc. to create a well-rounded picture of "you". The original letters are "attached" to the end of the committee's composite letter. Thus, often, the committee doesn't need to know "you". Mine didn't, as they cycled between members frequently. I was often complemented on my letters, because the committee highlighted the strengths of what the original ones said. If you do not have the LORs in the first place, there's your starting problem.

Thus, figure out how the committee writes the letters in the first place. If it's just a composite of your original LORs, go for it. If they need to know you, then perhaps you avoid a bad generic letter, or start now in getting to know them/getting involved. However, remember that a committee letter is "one" letter; you can add more (although at some schools it's frowned upon --> "send ONE committee letter, OR three individuals", etc.).