LETTERS and More LETTERS!!!

[irishlaydi]

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Hi all. So here's the thing: I have started to receive secondaries from schools, only a few so far, but am hoping to receive the rest within a week or two. I have already contacted my recommenders about writing letters for me. By the time they get the letter sent out that's another week or so. I was planning to wait to have them send letters until I actually receive the secondaries from schools, and therefore the request for LORs. Did anyone send letters to schools before they were asked to submit a secondary??? I thought it was a bad idea, in case I don't receive secondaries from some schools. But I have been checking out SDN about it, and some people sent letters to schools before getting the secondary! What do you all think??? Are there some schools this is ok, and some not?? Should I go ahead and have letters sent or wait til I receive secondaries???
THANKS 🙂

 

[JohnDO]

Send them now!! You have to account for the fact that your letter writers may not send them according to your time schedule. You also want schools to be able to make a decision as quick as possible, instead of having to wait for your letters. GOOD LUCK!

 

[pem8erly]

Hi all. So here's the thing: I have started to receive secondaries from schools, only a few so far, but am hoping to receive the rest within a week or two. I have already contacted my recommenders about writing letters for me. By the time they get the letter sent out that's another week or so. I was planning to wait to have them send letters until I actually receive the secondaries from schools, and therefore the request for LORs. Did anyone send letters to schools before they were asked to submit a secondary??? I thought it was a bad idea, in case I don't receive secondaries from some schools. But I have been checking out SDN about it, and some people sent letters to schools before getting the secondary! What do you all think??? Are there some schools this is ok, and some not?? Should I go ahead and have letters sent or wait til I receive secondaries???
THANKS 🙂

it depends on the school. i think the consensus is that if you are applying to NYCOM then you should just send the letters since they won't be sending out secondaries. For the others I would ask letters to be sent as soon as you've received word from the admissions office. You should also consider what's more convenient for your LOR writers; to give them a full list to send out or if they prefer a few at a time. I have a committee letter so I feel no guilt about putting requests one at a time as it is their job to send out letters.

 

[Peace&Health]

My pre-med advisor told me not to send letters before secondaries are received. Some schools would throw them away only. So unless they specify otherwise, don't send letters until you receive your secondaries. And you don't need to wait until your letters are sent to turn in your secondaries.

Are you using a letter service?

 

[irishlaydi]

My pre-med advisor told me not to send letters before secondaries are received. Some schools would throw them away only. So unless they specify otherwise, don't send letters until you receive your secondaries. And you don't need to wait until your letters are sent to turn in your secondaries.

Are you using a letter service?

Hi & thanks. that's what I was worried about (them throwing the letters away, or it looking bad). I don't have a committee or a letter service, so I have individual recommenders who are writing the letters. I am providing most with pre-addressed and stamped envelopes. I think its the easiest for them if they get one whole list/packet of envelopes from me, and can send the letters all at once. So, I wasn't sure what to do b/c I have received 3 secondaries/and NYCOM info so far, but am waiting on more. I want to get each app complete ASAP.

 

[Nate]

Send them now!

I applied to 31 medical schools, 9 of them DO, and I am complete, verified, at every single one. My LORs were sent out by my undergrad to all schools at once a month before I received most secondaries, in July. I also received 7 interviews so far. One of the most important factors in this application game is to be as early as possible. I think it is rediculous to think a school is going to "throw out" your letters.

 

[pem8erly]

Send them now!

I applied to 31 medical schools, 9 of them DO, and I am complete, verified, at every single one. My LORs were sent out by my undergrad to all schools at once a month before I received most secondaries, in July. I also received 7 interviews so far. One of the most important factors in this application game is to be as early as possible. I think it is rediculous to think a school is going to "throw out" your letters.

I don't know about osteopathic schools but I definitely know of allopathic ones that specifically ask no letters be sent prior to being requested to do so by them. I think its just safer and prevents future setbacks to check before you send the letters. Its enough hassle asking recommenders to resend letters when the post office or admissions office loses them, why add to the stress?

 

[smc927]

One of my letters of recommendation, from a very proactive professor, arrived at the school before I had even received a secondary, let alone completed it.

Another professor just sent the letter this week, two full months after the first. And he is all I was waiting on. Knowing most professors, etc, won't feel quite the sense of urgency you will you might want to get them going ASAP!

 

[vimal98]

Hi all. So here's the thing: I have started to receive secondaries from schools, only a few so far, but am hoping to receive the rest within a week or two. I have already contacted my recommenders about writing letters for me. By the time they get the letter sent out that's another week or so. I was planning to wait to have them send letters until I actually receive the secondaries from schools, and therefore the request for LORs. Did anyone send letters to schools before they were asked to submit a secondary??? I thought it was a bad idea, in case I don't receive secondaries from some schools. But I have been checking out SDN about it, and some people sent letters to schools before getting the secondary! What do you all think??? Are there some schools this is ok, and some not?? Should I go ahead and have letters sent or wait til I receive secondaries???
THANKS 🙂

My advisor sent out all letters as soon as my AACOMAS application was processed and mailed to schools. Sometimes schools won't take your letters if they don't have file for you. But once they have AACOMAS application they will make one file for you and will keep whatever you send in that file.

 

[stretch210]

I too was told not to send them before you receive a request for a secondary! My pre-med advisor advised heavily against it, and I'm only applying to DO schools. It should only be a difference of about a week, as soon as you get a secondary send the letters. Good luck!

 

[drbeesh]

yeah definately send them as soon as u can...my problem was that all of my schools needed a letter from a D.O. so the letter couldnt be complete unless i do the rotation/shadow a D.O. which i just completed this week..thank god....but that still didnt stop me from sending the other letters to the schools....i had my academic advisor, science professor, and dean all write and send letters from the moment i received secondaries....and i am having both the D.O.s whom i shadowed write me reference letters to the schools which i am applying for now....ofcourse i have a bit of an advantage that both physicians teach at one of the schools that im applying to..so their letters will be there a bit earlier thank god.....

but morale of the story...apply early...have ur file COMPLETE early...u increase ur chances of acceptance...simple as that....

 

[Doc 2b]

Most people will give them to you in a sealed envelope signed across the opening. I did this and got a letter for every school I applied to. When my secondary came in, I just filled it out, and sent them in the mail together. Worked for me.

 

[v-lander]

Send them now!

I applied to 31 medical schools, 9 of them DO, and I am complete, verified, at every single one. My LORs were sent out by my undergrad to all schools at once a month before I received most secondaries, in July. I also received 7 interviews so far. One of the most important factors in this application game is to be as early as possible. I think it is rediculous to think a school is going to "throw out" your letters.

31 schools...whew, that's a lot of cash!!!

 

[kaikai128]

Most people will give them to you in a sealed envelope signed across the opening. I did this and got a letter for every school I applied to. When my secondary came in, I just filled it out, and sent them in the mail together. Worked for me.

I did something very similar. I did not send them in the same package, but I had one writer who gave me the letters in sealed envelopes signed acrossed the back and I then proceeded to mail them when they were needed.