Is not having a pre-med committee an advantage or disadvantage for LORs?

[HoboCommander]

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My undergrad institution, UCSD, does not have a pre-med committee to include a committee letter with your LORs, so I must gather all LORs individually. Is this an advantage or disadvantage? Are there any schools that absolutely require a committee letter?

Most of the pre-med prereqs at my college also curve based on a C+ average. Is this standard amongst schools, or do I go to a particularly anal school?

 

[Jolie South]

if your school doesn't have a committee, that's ok. most med schools only require a committee letter if your school can do one.

i wouldn't worry about it. there's nothing you can do about. just get your letters and have them sent to interfolio. you'll be fine.

also, a lot of admissions offices are familiar with grading systems at certain undergrad schools. if your school has a reputation for being tough, that info is probably already out there.

 

[SirGecko]

Well it is probably not an advantage; there is a reason schools prefer the committee letter. But if you don't have a committee it probably won't hurt you either. (its just less convenient because your school isn't organizing your letters for you) As was said above, there is nothing you can do about it so don't worry.

 

[URHere]

I think not having a committee letter may be a slight disadvantage in the eyes of the schools you are applying to, mainly because they won't have that "overall recommendation" that most committees provide. However, if your school doesn't have one, they won't hold you accountable for that.

I do think not having a committee may be a slight advantage to you when you are applying because it gives you more control over your LORs and allows you to keep track of all of them yourself. Using a letter service, you can learn when each one is submitted and, in the event that you need another last minute letter, it won't take nearly as long to get rolling as it would if you were going through a committee.

Either way, you'll be fine.

 

[bUBBA gUMP]

hi all--

i thought i might add to this thread by saying that, as a former underachiever in undergrad, i have been held--while in my current postbacc program--to a strict standard that requires me to obtain a certain number of good grades and a specific mcat score in order to be granted the committee's written support. this enables the advisory committee and the school that it reps to have a high acceptance rate of its supported students.

i am unfortunately in a position now where, although i've re-taken the mcat several times, i feel as if i will not quite get the mcat score they want.

that being said, this school also performs a service whereby it sends your letters for you, even if you do not meet the standards for receiving their supportive letter. it kills me that i've worked so hard (evidently not enough, but i worked hard--believe me) but may still not get their much desired support.

i hope that you previous folks on this thread are right. however, i think that this committee letter could very well have been a make or break thing for my entry success.

care to share your thoughts or commiserate?

 

[URHere]

hi all--

i thought i might add to this thread by saying that, as a former underachiever in undergrad, i have been held--while in my current postbacc program--to a strict standard that requires me to obtain a certain number of good grades and a specific mcat score in order to be granted the committee's written support. this enables the advisory committee and the school that it reps to have a high acceptance rate of its supported students.

i am unfortunately in a position now where, although i've re-taken the mcat several times, i feel as if i will not quite get the mcat score they want.

that being said, this school also performs a service whereby it sends your letters for you, even if you do not meet the standards for receiving their supportive letter. it kills me that i've worked so hard (evidently not enough, but i worked hard--believe me) but may still not get their much desired support.

i hope that you previous folks on this thread are right. however, i think that this committee letter could very well have been a make or break thing for my entry success.

care to share your thoughts or commiserate?

That's rough Bubba, but it really isn't the end. Many schools that "require" a letter from a pre-med committee (if one exists at your school) do give you space to explain your unique situation if you do not have one. In your case, since you didn't do anything that directly caused you to be without a committee letter (no missed deadlines, etc), I doubt they will hold it against you. Just make sure that the LORs you do have are strong - ask people who know you very well and can vouch for how hard you work, how devoted you are, etc.

If you've already done your best with respect to the MCAT, then it's time to focus on the things you can still improve. Good luck!

 

[WinterLights]

Schools that "require" a committee letter are not worth applying to anyways.

 

[bUBBA gUMP]

something to think about - tks for your thoughts.😉

 

[aamna0601]

Im going to hijack the thread for a second with my qs...sorry to interrupt. I have a committee too but they are not backing me up or writing me a letter. I have a 3.98 and a 31 S but they dont want me to apply this year because they think I should next year after I have my ochem. However I want to apply this year, since I only have two semesters of coursework left.... I am thinking I will apply anyway and give LORs from my profs is this a bad idea? please help.😕

 

[PediatricMedic]

Most of these folks are saying similar things but I'll add my opinion...

My undergrad school did not have a premed committee. Instead, individual letters were sent to a central office where they were compiled and my advisor wrote a letter based on those compilings to serve as a "cover letter". I did not feel disadvantaged.

Med schools do have a sense of what your school offers. And there's nothing you can do about it. Focus on making those letters the best damn letters in the world. Focus on MCAT, grades, essays and interviews..not on things that you can't control.

I have also applied to schools that "REQUIRE" a committee letter, but end up taking my letters anyway and gave me an interview. Dunno what was up with that, but don't stress out about it. I think I wrote in the special circumstances section of a 2ndary once that my school doesn't do committee letters...(shout out to URHere).

Bubba Gump -- That's too bad that your committee acts with such strict quantitative (and I think narrow-minded) guidelines. You've done your best, if you can appeal, appeal. If they are stubborn, don't let them kill your dream of becoming a doctor. Fight the good fight.

aamna -- I hate it with advisors don't support students... but props to them for caring about you and wanting you to do well. I think the only rationale would be that prerequisite classes are one basis in which schools compare students (bobby might major in art, sue in biology, but both have taken chem/bio/physics/etc). It's therefore a good idea to have letter grades for all those classes when you apply. You have solid stats though, and a stronger GPA than I had.
I would not apply behind their back. I would not be sneaky about it. Talk it over with friends, profs, advisors, etc, and if you truly decide to apply, tell your committee that you respect their advice but you sincerely believe you must apply now - be respectful. They should respect your drive and motivation. And I think you will succeed.
The only possible detriment is if your school offers committee letters and med schools know that (which they do), they might be suspicious as to why you don't have a committee letter in your file. Perhaps try to get the committee to endorse you without the OChem.

Good luck to all of you guys and gals.

 

[WinterLights]

wrong thread.

 

[ButImLETired]

Well, just in case winterlights here is wrong...I'll give the OP the benefit of the doubt!

I have a different perspective. My undergrad offers a very regimented committee letter to all the premeds. For this reason, I had to get all the LOR's to them, my resume, a copy of my PS, and then I had to go and schedule an interview with a professor, which lasted over an hour (which meant flying across the country to my campus). It was a huge pain, especially considering how long the process was. We only had a couple of weeks' window to get all the LORs in, which made it impossible for me to get a couple of doctors to write me a letter in time. The first draft of that PS was written on the plane ride to school- so that wasn't all that great either. In general, it was all kind of rushed, and still, I'll be lucky if they send that letter out before august, just cause of how long it takes to get everything together and written and stuff. I'd MUCH rather have sent out individual LOR's, then I could have been choosier (i.e. picked the best recommenders as opposed to the ones that just got the letters out fastest) and more in control of the process. Right now, I'm arguing with them about seeing if I can get another couple of letters added to the packet and they're being total pains.
So, trust me, you might actually be at an advantage.

 

[SirGecko]

My undergrad school did not have a premed committee. Instead, individual letters were sent to a central office where they were compiled and my advisor wrote a letter based on those compilings to serve as a "cover letter". I did not feel disadvantaged.

Ok, see now to me it looks like you just described a committee letter. Why is your "cover letter" not considered a committee letter? What makes it different? Is it because it was written by one person? (because my school does committee letters but you only meet with one dean and they draft the letter)

 

[foster033]

Well, just in case winterlights here is wrong...I'll give the OP the benefit of the doubt!

I have a different perspective. My undergrad offers a very regimented committee letter to all the premeds. For this reason, I had to get all the LOR's to them, my resume, a copy of my PS, and then I had to go and schedule an interview with a professor, which lasted over an hour (which meant flying across the country to my campus). It was a huge pain, especially considering how long the process was. We only had a couple of weeks' window to get all the LORs in, which made it impossible for me to get a couple of doctors to write me a letter in time. The first draft of that PS was written on the plane ride to school- so that wasn't all that great either. In general, it was all kind of rushed, and still, I'll be lucky if they send that letter out before august, just cause of how long it takes to get everything together and written and stuff. I'd MUCH rather have sent out individual LOR's, then I could have been choosier (i.e. picked the best recommenders as opposed to the ones that just got the letters out fastest) and more in control of the process. Right now, I'm arguing with them about seeing if I can get another couple of letters added to the packet and they're being total pains.
So, trust me, you might actually be at an advantage.

That is some dedication for a LOR. From what I've read, schools are much less strict about requiring committee letters from people who have been out of school for a couple of years for that reason, among others. I'm going to apply next year and won't have a committee letter from my ugrad since I don't have the time or money to fly back for the 3 required interviews, and my postbacc school doesn't have committee letters (and neither does the med school there accept them).