How important is the Premed committee letter?

[hillbelly]

The committee at my school has a notorious reputation for giving average recommendations. My advisor instructed me to contact her in February to set up an interview. I sent an email the last week of Feb, to which there has been no reply. I have since sent two more emails and have been unable to catch her at her office. It's possible that it is too late to schedule an interview, and if she should squeeze me in, I fear the fickle committee may question my commitment since I waited to the last week of February. I was planning on catching her after a class that she teaches, however I am questioning whether it is worth it to have someone so disinterested in helping her advisees evaluate my potential as a medical student. My letters of recommendation are good and I was thinking of just sending those in.

If I do have a committee interview, I would choose to view the letter before it is shipped off due to their reputation. I was told that the adcoms would see that I chose to view my recommendation and this would be looked down upon. Any thoughts? Any good experiences for those that had access to a committee, but chose not to use it? I will be applying to Texas schools for the most part.

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[aumed22]

I wish I could help you out, but in my case, our pre-med committee handles it all and we don't see a thing. I have no idea if our letters are good or not, they won't do the interview unless we sign saying we won't look at them. If I was you, I'd just try to get in touch with her again to set up an interview, but I don't know if that will be a good thing or a bad thing. Sorry for the lack of tangible advice, but good luck.

 

[Csv321]

I think it's a much bigger hassle to go through this process without a committee letter or using the committee. Most applications, I don't know about Texas specifically, ask why you didn't use the committee if you send in your own letters. Personally, for me, I found that the committee letter helped me in my interviews. Also, I was not allowed to view any of my letters but according to my interview, my committee letter helped them to see what kind of person I was.

 

[uptoolate]

I think its pretty important. I am ten years out of undergrad and currently a grad student. My grad school told me to get in touch with my undergrad committee as they're are the pre-med committee that follows you through life (outside of post-bacc, I assume). They handled everything, including mailing and packaging recommendation packages. I don't know what I would have done without them. I never saw any of my letters of rec. Additionally, many schools won't accept letters of recommendation that don't come directly from the writer or the pre-med committee- meaning you can't send them yourself.

 

[45408]

My school doesn't bother with the whole committee bit (which I think is pretty flawed anyways), but they do collect my LORs and send them out for me.

 

[Sparky Man]

The committee at my school has a notorious reputation for giving average recommendations. My advisor instructed me to contact her in February to set up an interview. I sent an email the last week of Feb, to which there has been no reply. I have since sent two more emails and have been unable to catch her at her office. It's possible that it is too late to schedule an interview, and if she should squeeze me in, I fear the fickle committee may question my commitment since I waited to the last week of February. I was planning on catching her after a class that she teaches, however I am questioning whether it is worth it to have someone so disinterested in helping her advisees evaluate my potential as a medical student. My letters of recommendation are good and I was thinking of just sending those in.

If I do have a committee interview, I would choose to view the letter before it is shipped off due to their reputation. I was told that the adcoms would see that I chose to view my recommendation and this would be looked down upon. Any thoughts? Any good experiences for those that had access to a committee, but chose not to use it? I will be applying to Texas schools for the most part.

Unfortunately, some schools require the committee letter. But I can understand your hesitation. Putting your future in the hands of some strangers is not funny. Is the committee letter based on other letters of rec from good people you know? I went ahead with the letter. I was late, much like yourself and it did not seem to hurt me. I think if your letters are anonymous, they are more significant.

 

[hillbelly]

Unfortunately, some schools require the committee letter. But I can understand your hesitation. Putting your future in the hands of some strangers is not funny. Is the committee letter based on other letters of rec from good people you know? I went ahead with the letter. I was late, much like yourself and it did not seem to hurt me. I think if your letters are anonymous, they are more significant.

The committee does take our LORs. I don't know that they compile them, however. They conduct an interview, where they ask you questions like, "how do you feel about abortion?" They then rank you as either one of the top candidates they have seen, in the upper quarter of candidates they have seen, average, etc.

 

[Queenshawtii]

So do you ask ALOT of professors to write you a LOR and forward it to the P-med committee? Then they choose the best ones to send?

 

[Sparky Man]

The committee does take our LORs. I don't know that they compile them, however. They conduct an interview, where they ask you questions like, "how do you feel about abortion?" They then rank you as either one of the top candidates they have seen, in the upper quarter of candidates they have seen, average, etc.

At my school, they write a "cover" letter, which is a letter summarizing the person and includes direct quotes from the "real" letters of rec, which are also included in the packet sent off to the medical school. I think this is a pretty good way to do it. I was really nervous about my committee letter. My interview was stressful, more stressful than any of the actual medical school interviews, and I thought I shot myself in the foot. But, it turns out that I was worried for no reason. My committee letter must have been just fine because I interviewed at some great schools. I think if your letters of rec are good, the committee will have a hard time writing a boring, unpromoting letter for you.

 

[lightnk102]

i would recommend that you choose the option to leave your committee letter private (as in, you don't read it). i think that in the eyes of the med schools, the integrity of the letter is compromised if you don't waive your right to view it, and it may raise a few eyebrows. Especially since the majority of applicants do waive their right to view it.

I had the same reservations you did about the committee letter. My undergrad committee was similarly reluctant to write me a letter. I ended up flying back there to sit down with them and make sure it got done. Worst case - they write you an average letter, but you should make sure to have other recommendations to make up for it (I had extra grad school recommendations on top of the committee letter). Most people who weren't super-stars will probably have average recommendations anyways, and they still get into medical school.

I think the committee letter is important, but I'm not sure if its given the huge weight that people think it has.

 

[singergirl18]

Many schools ask for a committee letter OR 3 letters of rec (2 science, 1 nonscience). If I have a committee letter, is that the only letter I should send then? I have been told to ONLY GIVE WHAT THEY ASK FOR, but I keep reading about people who are sending many LORS.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

Many schools ask for a committee letter OR 3 letters of rec (2 science, 1 nonscience). If I have a committee letter, is that the only letter I should send then? I have been told to ONLY GIVE WHAT THEY ASK FOR, but I keep reading about people who are sending many LORS.

Yes, just send the committee letter. Also, this thread is almost a decade old.