How should older students submit letters?

[SchrutesBeets]

I will apply in 2018 in order to enter school in 2019. Having graduated in 2015, I will have been 3 years out of school, meaning my courses may expire and getting letters may be difficult. I do have 2 professors (1 science + 1 non-science) who agreed to write me letters when the time to apply comes. However, since these professors will be "old", are these letters even worth submitting?

To those who applied years after finishing college, what did you do? Did you enroll in classes again to be competitive? Did you submit letters written by your undergraduate professors? Did you have to submit a committee letter even though you haven't been in school for a while? Did you use letters from employers instead? Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

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[rhemsley]

"However, since these professors will be "old", are these letters even worth submitting?"
I don't think their age would matter.

I graduated in 2015 and applied last year and nobody said anything negative about my letters. Most schools require you have letters from teachers and/or a dentist so I'd try to get at least your 1 science, 1 non-science, and 1 dentist, and the fourth can be whatever you think helps you most/what schools want. However, most schools will definitely want a committee letter if your school has a pre dent committee. Mine didn't have a committee so i didn't have that letter.

 

[SchrutesBeets]

"However, since these professors will be "old", are these letters even worth submitting?"
I don't think their age would matter.

I graduated in 2015 and applied last year and nobody said anything negative about my letters. Most schools require you have letters from teachers and/or a dentist so I'd try to get at least your 1 science, 1 non-science, and 1 dentist, and the fourth can be whatever you think helps you most/what schools want. However, most schools will definitely want a committee letter if your school has a pre dent committee. Mine didn't have a committee so i didn't have that letter.

I should've been clearer. When I said "old", I meant ~5 years would have passed since I've taken the course taught by the professor who is writing the letter for me.

Regarding committee letters, applying this past cycle is a bit different than if you were to apply in 2018 since you were only 1 year out of school. Although 1 year and 3 years is not a big of a difference, it may be in terms of application cycles and the ability to get letters.

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

I should've been clearer. When I said "old", I meant ~5 years would have passed since I've taken the course taught by the professor who is writing the letter for me.

Regarding committee letters, applying this past cycle is a bit different than if you were to apply in 2018 since you were only 1 year out of school. Although 1 year and 3 years is not a big of a difference, it may be in terms of application cycles and the ability to get letters.

SchrutesBeets lol love it..

Doesn't matter. Submit them. Good luck!

 

[ncide]

I was 2 years out of school before I decided to apply, meaning I matriculated 3 years after undergrad. The only issue I had was actually getting certain letters of recommendation, but I don't think I had issues with them after they were written. I had around 7 or 8 interviews.

You've got some professors willing to write you letters so you'll be fine.

 

[phillydon]

I graduated in 2012 and applied in 2016. I got 4 interviews with recs from undergrad. you can do it

 

[PJDoe]

Well consider this. When the professors write the letter for you, in my opinion, the only thing that really matters is the date on which the letter is actually written. Based on your post, I assume you haven't gotten the letters yet. Therefore, I would highly recommend getting those letters ASAP. Don't wait for "when the time to apply comes." During that time they may have forgotten all about you.

Leaving undergrad, I had a total of five LOR (3 professors, 1 Dentist, 1 Volunteering). When I graduated, I enrolled in an SMP. Therefore, I managed to get a LOR from one of the professors from the program. I contemplated which person would have written the best letter for me and narrowed the selection down to four. Because the four letters from undergrad were getting a bit dated, I kindly requested each person to resubmit an updated copy (with the present date). They happily obliged.

Side Note: My undergraduate Health Profession Office keeps our LOR for 5 years upon graduation. So all the updates were sent to them. Although I had the opportunity to obtain a committee letter, I failed to meet the deadline so I proceeded through the application cycle without one (none of the the school's I interviewed at asked about why I did not have a committee letter).

To conclude, your best bet is to get those letters from your professors. Perhaps get an additional letter from a dentist you have been shadowing or working for? Good luck!

 

[Dr5paceman]

I was 3 years out when I applied - used the committee letter, 2 profs, 1 employer, 1 dentist

 

[C_BryantDDS]

I will apply in 2018 in order to enter school in 2019. Having graduated in 2015, I will have been 3 years out of school, meaning my courses may expire and getting letters may be difficult. I do have 2 professors (1 science + 1 non-science) who agreed to write me letters when the time to apply comes. However, since these professors will be "old", are these letters even worth submitting?

To those who applied years after finishing college, what did you do? Did you enroll in classes again to be competitive? Did you submit letters written by your undergraduate professors? Did you have to submit a committee letter even though you haven't been in school for a while? Did you use letters from employers instead? Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I was in a similar situation. I applied in 2016 but graduated undergrad in 2013 and graduate school in 2016. There was one professor that I had been close to in undergrad - I had taken 2 biology classes with her and she was my advisor, so I emailed her to ensure that she remembered me and to inform her of my dental school aspirations and my intention to ask her for a recommendation. We arranged a meeting and at the meeting I told her what I had been doing for the last few years and gave her updated copies of my transcripts and a copy of my thesis. So she covered my undergrad and biology recommendation. While doing my masters I had taken a couple of chemistry courses so asked one of those professors to write a recommendation to cover a more recent science course and a chemistry course. I also got recommendations from a dentist I had shadowed for a few years and a professor who had been on my thesis committee and whom I had taken 2 classes with in grad school. So I would definitely get one from professors in undergraduate science classes and if possible from professors from more recent classes. I don't think it would hurt though to get an additional one from an employer if that's what you've been doing for the last few years.

 

[SchrutesBeets]

I was 3 years out when I applied - used the committee letter, 2 profs, 1 employer, 1 dentist

How did you submit all of the letters? Isn't there a limit (1 committee letter + 1 additional letter)?

 

[Dr5paceman]

How did you submit all of the letters? Isn't there a limit (1 committee letter + 1 additional letter)?

sorry, I should have clarified. I submitted all of my letters to my undergrad's prehealth office and they attached them to their committee letter, so just one letter to my aadsas