Jefferson Letter of Recs

[Lacynica]

I don't know if this has been posted...I couldn't find it through the search function. Does anyone know how stringent the requirements for letters of recommendation are? I know that they prefer you to have bio, chem, physics, and humanities..but if I only had bio, chem, and humanities..should I just send those in? Can I supplement that with a letter from my boss? I tried calling them, but they sent me around in circles. So I am a little pissed right now. Thanks for any info.

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[Boogsie]

I asked my prehealth advisor about this a few months ago. According to her experience over the past few cycles, they are pretty strict about it unless you have a really good reason...out of school for ten years and cannot contact your biology prof or something. She said that she suggest to her students that they not apply if they don't have all the letters. As a result, I did not apply since I would be missing biology and my physics letter won't be awesome.

I hope this helps a little. I suggest you contact them again if you really want to go there. They may make an exception for people in your situation.

Good luck!

 

[smq123]

I don't know if this has been posted...I couldn't find it through the search function. Does anyone know how stringent the requirements for letters of recommendation are? I know that they prefer you to have bio, chem, physics, and humanities..but if I only had bio, chem, and humanities..should I just send those in? Can I supplement that with a letter from my boss? I tried calling them, but they sent me around in circles. So I am a little pissed right now. Thanks for any info.

They're fairly strict about it. A few days before my interview, they called me because they hadn't received a physics LOR yet. (One of them was coming - my letter writer had the letter and had sent it the day before.)

Send in what you have now, but include a note (or a phone call or an email) that you will be sending in the last one soon. If you have a good reason why you don't have a physics letter (i.e. been out of school for over 2 years, etc.) then tell them why.

Whatever physics letter you can send - send it. It doesn't really matter if it's a form letter, just send it. You can send additional letters if you want, to make up for the non-commital physics letter, if you want.

 

[PermanentWaves]

I e-mailed them telling them that I did not have a chemistry LOR. I did indicate to them that I had other letters (from my Neuroscience PI, another biology LOR, a physics LOR and a non-science LOR), but did not specifically have a chemistry LOR. I didn't even give them a reason as to why. I received an email response later that day saying that it was fine, and that only two science LORs are required (I have the email saved, in case someone there tells me differently).

I realize this conflicts with what you've heard from the other posters in this thread, and I have no idea why. This is just my experience.

 

[xxbruinxx]

maybe i misunderstood, but when I submitted the secondary, i thought they said they required a certain number of LORs from bio, chem, physics, etc....NOT necessarily one from each...

can someone clarify/find where the requirements are listed?

thx

 

[Lacynica]

Here's the link: http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/procedure.cfm

And for those too lazy to click I will copy and paste

" We prefer to receive a recommendation from a preprofessional committee. If
there is no such committee, letters should be provided by individual faculty
members (one letter each from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Humanities, if
possible). Applicants who have been involved in graduate programs are
encouraged to provide additional letters from their graduate schools. The
deadline for the receipt of letters of recommendation is January 1."

Yeah, I just sent them an email telling them I do not have physics LOR. The thing about getting one is that it's been two years since i graduated and my physics professors have actually left my undergrad. Also, i don't know any of them that well since I did well and did not attend any office hours.

 

[mynamewastaken]

Do you all not have a pre-health committee? I've been under the impression their stringent policies only applied to those not using a pre-health committee letter. Can someone help clarify please? Thanks.

 

[87138]

Do you all not have a pre-health committee? I've been under the impression their stringent policies only applied to those not using a pre-health committee letter. Can someone help clarify please? Thanks.

You are correct. A pre-health/med committee LOR covers their requirements, regardless of what areas your science LORs were from. But there are plenty of people without committees.

 

[WHR]

I haven't received a secondary application invite from Jefferson yet but I emailed them a while ago to tell them that I don't have any specific Bio, Chm, Physics, Humanities LOR. I told them that I have LOR from faculty that taught my graduate courses (neuroscience, research theory, etc) along with LOR from my supervisor. They replied saying its acceptable.

 

[xxbruinxx]

You are correct. A pre-health/med committee LOR covers their requirements, regardless of what areas your science LORs were from. But there are plenty of people without committees.

You're right...
additionally, school letter services, where a packet of letters are sent, also covers their LOR requirements

here's what their FAQs states:
Q. What letters are required and are exemptions made on the required letters of recommendation? My physics professor from last year is no longer with the university. Could I send in two recommendations from chemistry professors instead?

A. Generally JMC prefers a composite letter written on behalf of the applicant by the college or university's pre-health committee, if there is one. Some schools do not provide this service but offer to collect individual letters of recommendation and mail them to the medical schools. If individual letters are sent, we prefer one biology, one chemistry and one physics and one humanities. You may direct exemption requests to the Committee on Admissions using the optional information section on the Secondary Application.


Also, take a look at the Hard copy secondary app found here
http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/appforms.cfm

on the pdf document, it states the following:
I. Letters of Recommendation: (Please read this section of the “Information for Prospective Students” brochure.)
The following type of recommendation letter (s) will be sent:
A.
Health Professions Committee letters from College/University.
B.
Recommendation Packet compiled by (Pre-Med) Advising Office
C.
Individual Faculty letters (one letter from each required) 1-Biology, 1-Chemistry, 1-Physics, 1-Humanities)

this implies that if you use choice A or B, this strict requirement doesn't necessarily apply. I attended UCLA, which has a career center that compiles my letters....so i think i'm ok, but i might call them just to be on the safe side.

 

[MDhopeful6891]

You're right...
additionally, school letter services, where a packet of letters are sent, also covers their LOR requirements

here's what their FAQs states:
Q. What letters are required and are exemptions made on the required letters of recommendation? My physics professor from last year is no longer with the university. Could I send in two recommendations from chemistry professors instead?

A. Generally JMC prefers a composite letter written on behalf of the applicant by the college or university's pre-health committee, if there is one. Some schools do not provide this service but offer to collect individual letters of recommendation and mail them to the medical schools. If individual letters are sent, we prefer one biology, one chemistry and one physics and one humanities. You may direct exemption requests to the Committee on Admissions using the optional information section on the Secondary Application.


Also, take a look at the Hard copy secondary app found here
http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/appforms.cfm

on the pdf document, it states the following:
I. Letters of Recommendation: (Please read this section of the “Information for Prospective Students” brochure.)
The following type of recommendation letter (s) will be sent:
A.
Health Professions Committee letters from College/University.
B.
Recommendation Packet compiled by (Pre-Med) Advising Office
C.
Individual Faculty letters (one letter from each required) 1-Biology, 1-Chemistry, 1-Physics, 1-Humanities)

this implies that if you use choice A or B, this strict requirement doesn't necessarily apply. I attended UCLA, which has a career center that compiles my letters....so i think i'm ok, but i might call them just to be on the safe side.

If you could tell us what they say when you ask, that would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[xxbruinxx]

hey guys
i called the admin office as promised

They said that if letters are coming from a career center/letter service...they consider that as a committee letter and it doesn't have to be in the "1 letter per bio/chem/physics dept" format

Though if you ask me, this doesn't make sense. Also, if you're using something like interfolio, i wonder if that excludes you from this as well.

i think the issue is that they are simply trying to make it easier for you if you are using a letter service since your letters are already submitted. If you were going about asking individual writers at the time of application, then they suggest asking prof. from each of these depts. <-- this is just my interpretation.

in any case, hope this helps

 

[Lacynica]

Thanks xxbruinxxx......I guess I will send my letters there since I paid the secondary fee already anyways. thanks!

 

[Ookluh]

What a coincidence- I went to UCLA and had the same question for them. They told me pretty much the same thing they told you, which is a relief. Hunting down professors has been a pain lately. I got semi-lucky- the first two I asked agreed. All of the others have been unreachable or not interested in helping.

 

[emquiksilver]

You're right...
additionally, school letter services, where a packet of letters are sent, also covers their LOR requirements

here's what their FAQs states:
Q. What letters are required and are exemptions made on the required letters of recommendation? My physics professor from last year is no longer with the university. Could I send in two recommendations from chemistry professors instead?

A. Generally JMC prefers a composite letter written on behalf of the applicant by the college or university's pre-health committee, if there is one. Some schools do not provide this service but offer to collect individual letters of recommendation and mail them to the medical schools. If individual letters are sent, we prefer one biology, one chemistry and one physics and one humanities. You may direct exemption requests to the Committee on Admissions using the optional information section on the Secondary Application.


Also, take a look at the Hard copy secondary app found here
http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/appforms.cfm

on the pdf document, it states the following:
I. Letters of Recommendation: (Please read this section of the “Information for Prospective Students” brochure.)
The following type of recommendation letter (s) will be sent:
A.
Health Professions Committee letters from College/University.
B.
Recommendation Packet compiled by (Pre-Med) Advising Office
C.
Individual Faculty letters (one letter from each required) 1-Biology, 1-Chemistry, 1-Physics, 1-Humanities)

this implies that if you use choice A or B, this strict requirement doesn't necessarily apply. I attended UCLA, which has a career center that compiles my letters....so i think i'm ok, but i might call them just to be on the safe side.

Where would I fall under if I have a committee letter and additional letters, but they are not compiled by my school's advising office because they don't such a service. I'll be using Interfolio.

Just check off A?

 

[jlq3d3]

Brianlh, what was your question for UCLA and what was their answer. I didn't know they had anything similar to Jeffersons letter request/requirement.

 

[xxbruinxx]

Brianlh, what was your question for UCLA and what was their answer. I didn't know they had anything similar to Jeffersons letter request/requirement.

I think he just meant that he attended UCLA as well and probably also uses the letter service...not that ucla also has some stringent LOR requirements

 

[Ookluh]

xxbruinxx is right - I'm a UCLA Alumni, who asked Jefferson pretty much the same question that he did.. and got pretty much the same response, so I just posted as a confirmation of what he said.

 

[Jsmooth]

does anybody know how good the experience at jefferson is?? i'd love to hear some thoughts from ppl who have visited or who currently go there..thanks in advance.

 

[smq123]

does anybody know how good the experience at jefferson is?? i'd love to hear some thoughts from ppl who have visited or who currently go there..thanks in advance.

There's a JMC class of 2011 thread that has a lot of info from current students: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=359504

SDN is also trying to get representatives from all med schools to answer "31 questions" from the AAMC website. I was asked to do it, and I'm trying to get it done - it's just harder now that I'm on rotations. I'm getting to it, I'm getting to it....

As always, feel free to PM if you have any specific questions.