How much does it hurt an applicant to have two generic LORs?

[bears1992]

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I currently have four LORs but I am still missing my two science professor letters. I asked two of my science professors if they would write me a letter for my medical school app and they both said yes. This was back in January. I sent them an Interfolio link with a due date in late April. After the due date passed, I asked each professor if they were still able to write my letter and they both said yes and to resend the link. I did and the June 20th due date went and passed. Both professors again said they forgot about it and to resend the link.

At this point, I just need the letters two satisfy my two science letter requirement. I am thinking about printing out a generic form where you fill in a few blanks (Name, grade, courses...) and giving them to each professor (different forms for each professor). Obviously this would the definition of a generic letter but I don' think I can delay my application another month by asking another two science professors for letters. Has anyone ever been hung up on a professor dragging their feet on a letter?

 

[BigBoss]

As long as they're not negative, adcoms don't care about LORs. Your stats and ECs are more important.


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[Goro]

As long as they're not negative, adcoms don't care about LORs. Your stats and ECs are more important.


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And you know this how?
People who have really good LORs get it noted in Adcom meetings.

Bad LORs will prevent you from ever becoming a doctor.

 

[bears1992]

And you know this how?
People who have really good LORs get it noted in Adcom meetings.

Bad LORs will prevent you from ever becoming a doctor.

But what about letters that basically just say "Bears1992 was a student of mine for x class and received an A. He was a good student."

Would that letter hurt an applicant? I'm kinda stuck in a situation where I might have to settle for two of those types of letters if I want to apply in the next week.

 

[TheBiologist]

As long as they're not negative, adcoms don't care about LORs. Your stats and ECs are more important.


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actually I disagree; I know several of the schools I am applying to that put letters of evaluation of higher priority and often put EC's behind everything else

 

[Goro]

But what about letters that basically just say "Bears1992 was a student of mine for x class and received an A. He was a good student."

Would that letter hurt an applicant? I'm kinda stuck in a situation where I might have to settle for two of those types of letters if I want to apply in the next week.

One meh letter won't hurt. It doesn't help. If ALL of your LORs are like that, it will hurt.

 

[honey0102]

I currently have four LORs but I am still missing my two science professor letters. I asked two of my science professors if they would write me a letter for my medical school app and they both said yes. This was back in January. I sent them an Interfolio link with a due date in late April. After the due date passed, I asked each professor if they were still able to write my letter and they both said yes and to resend the link. I did and the June 20th due date went and passed. Both professors again said they forgot about it and to resend the link.

At this point, I just need the letters two satisfy my two science letter requirement. I am thinking about printing out a generic form where you fill in a few blanks (Name, grade, courses...) and giving them to each professor (different forms for each professor). Obviously this would the definition of a generic letter but I don' think I can delay my application another month by asking another two science professors for letters. Has anyone ever been hung up on a professor dragging their feet on a letter?

I'd hold off on sending the forms-email them again and see what they say. Professors can be really busy with research, grants, etc-I knew a professor well and also did well on his class, but he still did this kind of thing when I asked for a letter: agreed, didn't get it in by the deadline I told him, didn't reply to my reminder e-mails for a long time, but got them in finally, in time for secondaries. My friends have also had professors who dragged their feet with regards to writing letters. One professor even indicated to me ahead of time that he may not have it in before X deadline (was still before the secondaries' deadline). So I wouldn't take them dragging their feet to necessarily meant that they won't do it-especially if they agreed via e-mail which is written proof. It's entirely possible that they know letters are not seriously required, in most cases, until secondaries are due, and are holding off until then.

I'd resend the link and politely tell them you plan to submit secondaries soon and that letters are a crucial requirement for that, see what they say.

 

[bears1992]

One meh letter won't hurt. It doesn't help. If ALL of your LORs are like that, it will hurt.

What if two are fantastic and two are just 3 sentences?

 

[Goro]

What if two are fantastic and two are just 3 sentences?

The rest of the app will determine the applicant's fate.

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

What if two are fantastic and two are just 3 sentences?

A professor will write a recommendation letter with just 3 sentences? HOLY...... That's horrible.

 

[bears1992]

The rest of the app will determine the applicant's fate.

Glad to hear that. At this point I'm just trying to get anything out of those two science professors so I can satisfy my LOR requirements just so I can apply.

 

[SterlingMaloryArcher]

Do you have any other professors you think will write you a good letter?

 

[bears1992]

Do you have any other professors you think will write you a good letter?

I have one that would write a good letter and another that would probably write a more generic letter. I'm just worried about delaying my app for the quality of these two letters.

 

[Tenk]

A bad letter is really bad. Like kill your chances bad. These are rare.

A great letter is good. May push a borderline candidate to acceptance. Will do nothing for a terrible candidate or an amazing candidate. These are rare.

Most letters are generic and do very little plus or minus.

In summary, letters are most important in the sense that a bad letter can literally tank your chances of getting into medical school, therefore you should take them seriously. The vast majority of them, however, are very similar because doctors are lazy.

 

[SterlingMaloryArcher]

I voted ask two other professors. I wonder how it would come across if you emailed the original professors that because of the deadline you may have to ask another professor. Maybe you might receive an email back saying they'll actually do it soon.

 

[SterlingMaloryArcher]

However if I specifically saw the back and forth dialogue over this HUGE span of time, I bet I could accurately gauge how much they actually intended to write a letter all along.

 

[SterlingMaloryArcher]

Did you just get an A in their class? Did you just take 1 class with them? What class? How many people were in your class? Did you ever talk to the professor?

 

[MCATISEZ]

It seems like a good portion schools ask for 3 letters. I think it's very dependent on the schools you are applying to. Getting these letters is pain, you have to politely bug your professors (I know it doesn't seem right to do so).

If a student is persistence and a professor agrees to write a letter, I think it's rare the letter never gets written. I would have gotten no where with a lot of professors by email. I recommend dropping by their office and speaking to them about the dilemma you are having in person (or scheduling an appointment to do so... depending on the professor).

Face to face communication gets things done a lot faster. It's much more likely your professors are just busy rather than malicious. Your letter is pretty low on the totem pole, so you need to make a point.

I'd use my efforts to get the "good" letters (that it sounds like you've earned) rather than scope for "generic ones". BUT if you have time, why not just get both as a security?

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[Goro]

A professor will write a recommendation letter with just 3 sentences? HOLY...... That's horrible.

I have seen this happen, and seen even worse, like "UBLI-EINSTEIN was a student in my Physics class...s/he received an A"

 

[bears1992]

Did you just get an A in their class? Did you just take 1 class with them? What class? How many people were in your class? Did you ever talk to the professor?

I got an A an all of their classes. I did my senior design project under professor 1 and I took three Chem classes last year with professor 2. Both gave me an "absolulety" type answer when I asked them in January and have said the same thing when I've checked in after the due dates passed. I would be frustrated if they originally just said no, it's that they keep saying yes and then don't write it with a 7 month deadline.

 

[asw95]

I have seen this happen, and seen even worse, like "UBLI-EINSTEIN was a student in my Physics class...s/he received an A"

So what are your thoughts on an applicant that has a letter like that?

 

[@Hazel-rah]

I got an A an all of their classes. I did my senior design project under professor 1 and I took three Chem classes last year with professor 2. Both gave me an "absolulety" type answer when I asked them in January and have said the same thing when I've checked in after the due dates passed. I would be frustrated if they originally just said no, it's that they keep saying yes and then don't write it with a 7 month deadline.

Time to call or go see them in person. Offer to take them out to lunch or take by a big wad of cash.

 

[bears1992]

Time to call or go see them in person. Offer to take them out to lunch or take by a big wad of cash.

Lol. I imagine having a letter that ends with "bears1992 paid me $50 to write this" would kill my app.

 

[Goro]

So what are your thoughts on an applicant that has a letter like that?

We question their judgement but by itself, it won't be lethal. Some professors are just damned lazy.

This raises a teaching moment. SDNers should NOT ask for a LOR unless they have a good relationship with the professor, and should always ask something like "Professor X, do you know me well enough to write me a good LOR for my app to med school?"

 

[SterlingMaloryArcher]

I got an A an all of their classes. I did my senior design project under professor 1 and I took three Chem classes last year with professor 2. Both gave me an "absolulety" type answer when I asked them in January and have said the same thing when I've checked in after the due dates passed. I would be frustrated if they originally just said no, it's that they keep saying yes and then don't write it with a 7 month deadline.

With that information I agree I think you should see them in person if possible.