Letter packet until Committee Letter comes in?

[stormcloakdoctor]

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[Cheezin]

You may want to request your individual letter writers upload to AMCAS themselves. This would allow you to have some letters and you can apply normally -- I believe most schools understand the difficulty in obtaining a committee letter. A downside would be that you would not have any feedback as to if the letters are actually good, because committees remove any letters that would hurt you.

 

[stormcloakdoctor]

You may want to request your individual letter writers upload to AMCAS themselves. This would allow you to have some letters and you can apply normally -- I believe most schools understand the difficulty in obtaining a committee letter. A downside would be that you would not have any feedback as to if the letters are actually good, because committees remove any letters that would hurt you.

The office can still upload the letters they have on my file as a letter packet (5). I am wondering if it would be disadvantageous to use this letter packet before the committee letter comes in. That is, admissions committees may review my completed application before I get a chance to submit the committee letter.

I can also submit the secondaries with no letters, then upload the committee letter in August, and be considered 'complete' in August.

 

[LizzyM]

As long as your application is complete with MCAT scores and committee letter by Labor Day (or September 7th), you'll be fine. Really.

 

[stormcloakdoctor]

As long as your application is complete with MCAT scores and committee letter by Labor Day (or September 7th), you'll be fine. Really.

So, just to clarify:

I SHOULDN'T send my letter packet to schools, until my committee letter comes in?

Thanks for your input.


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[Moko]

So, just to clarify:

I SHOULDN'T send my letter packet to schools, until my committee letter comes in?

Thanks for your input.


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That is correct

 

[Moko]

Due to the extreme incompetence of my prehealth office, with both communication and scheduling, it looks like I won't be able to schedule a committee interview until late July, to receive it early August. ... Thank you. It kind of sucks because this whole ordeal wasn't really my fault. I was waiting on a letter from an ER doc who was dealing with the pandemic, so I didn't want to rush him... missed my opportunity at scheduling the interview without a score. MCAT was cancelled twice and still no sympathy from my pre-health office.

Some words of advice: life isn't fair and pity parties do not reflect well on an individual. This is an unprecedented time and your pre-health committee attempted to accommodate those adversely affected by this crisis. It is okay to feel disappointed, but do realize that you will be relying on them to help achieve your goal. Go into your interview with this 'you screwed me' attitude, and your committee letter will suffer for it. Just my thoughts.

 

[stormcloakdoctor]

Some words of advice: life isn't fair and pity parties do not reflect well on an individual. This is an unprecedented time and your pre-health committee attempted to accommodate those adversely affected by this crisis. It is okay to feel disappointed, but do realize that you will be relying on them to help achieve your goal. Go into your interview with this 'you screwed me' attitude, and your committee letter will suffer for it. Just my thoughts.

I'm well aware, you make a very valid point and I wouldn't dare to walk in there with any inclination of that attitude. Life indeed isn't fair and that's why I didn't complain to them/make a big deal when they informed me of their sudden policy change.

I know that we have to take these kinds of things straight as future/current medical professionals, but in that same light, I don't think it proper to offer some students fruitful treatment and not others who are going through the same circumstances. I maintain that I was dealt a bad hand, but it is what it is, and the only thing I can do is push forward now.

Thank you again for your help.

 

[stormcloakdoctor]

Rule One: Take a Breath.
1) Traditionally, Committee letters do not get sent until after the beginning of the Fall term. Medical schools know this and will wait if you noted that you have listed a committee letter as your LOR (ie assign to school)

Thank you for the wake up call! I really appreciate your reply.

I was wondering- should I not designate the potential committee letter to schools, given that there's no guarantee the committee will write it for me? They have been known to deny people post-interview.

Or do I need to have something "future" designated, so schools know to wait?


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[stormcloakdoctor]

Since I do not know the general reputation / impact of your premed committee, the impact it may have on specific medical schools, or the likelyhood they will deny or write you less than a strong letter, it is hard to give my opinion. If you go to a well-known premed powerhouse it can be a higher risk not having a committee letter.

However, not letter is better than a bad or weak letter. If you have good letters in the packet, then I would go solely with that

Right. Our school's committee tells us if they don't like us, so there's no risk at a potentially weak letter.

I am wondering if I should designate the 'letter packet' to schools, have them wait for it since my application would still be 'incomplete', then upload the committee letter IF I receive it. This way, there is no risk of having to mark "I am no longer receiving this letter" if the committee turns me down.

Am I trying to play with AMCAS too much?


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[stormcloakdoctor]

You dont have to designate any letter at all, and your application would still be incomplete. They wait for the committee letter or not. Will the committee give you BOTH a letter packet (now) and a committee letter (later)? If so, get the letter packet into AMCAS and wait to assign it. It only takes a day for the letter to go from AMCAS to schools. That way your backup is ready to go

Yes, the committee gives both a letter packet now and a committee letter later. I'll get that into AMCAS without designating it. I won't designate any letters until I have final word on the committee letter in August.

Thank you so much for your help!

And sorry for my neuroticism.

 

[stormcloakdoctor]

You dont have to designate any letter at all, and your application would still be incomplete. They wait for the committee letter or not. Will the committee give you BOTH a letter packet (now) and a committee letter (later)? If so, get the letter packet into AMCAS and wait to assign it. It only takes a day for the letter to go from AMCAS to schools. That way your backup is ready to go

Hi, wanted to update to make sure I'm still doing this right.

My committee interview is scheduled for August 17th, and if they agree to write me one, I will get it into AMCAS a week later, on August 24th.

I have only applied to two schools so far since I am waiting on my second MCAT score to come back on the 18th. I have completed the secondaries for the two schools that I applied to.

Should I assign the letter packet to them, or wait till the 24th to just assign the committee letter?

Thank you