Letters of Rec

[svayl]

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Hello all!

I will be applying next summer for the 2012 cycle. I have several people who are willing to write me letters of rec since I already graduated last May. If I hold on to the sealed letters and mail them next May when the application is open, will they be legit, since they were dated in Oct/Nov 2010?

I really don't want to wait until May to come back and ask for letters. What else can I do if that option does not work?

Thanks!

 

[EdLongshanks]

Hello all!

I will be applying next summer for the 2012 cycle. I have several people who are willing to write me letters of rec since I already graduated last May. If I hold on to the sealed letters and mail them next May when the application is open, will they be legit, since they were dated in Oct/Nov 2010?

I really don't want to wait until May to come back and ask for letters. What else can I do if that option does not work?

Thanks!

https://www.interfolio.com/index.cfm

Pay the little bit of money ($30) and get them sent now. If I had got my letters early, I would, today, know whether I was going to get into my preferred school. Because I waited, I am waiting.

 

[MCAT guy]

https://www.interfolio.com/index.cfm

Pay the little bit of money ($30) and get them sent now. If I had got my letters early, I would, today, know whether I was going to get into my preferred school. Because I waited, I am waiting.

I used interfolio and ended up not necessarily needing their service (could have just used AMCAS).

With that said, they were great and spending a few dollars extra in a process that I'm moving towards a total of 5-6 grand was worth it.

Flights + hotels + cab fare/transportation = expensive

Interfolio was pretty awesome.

 

[accidentprone]

If you go the AMCAS route (and not interfolio) you can have them write their letters now and save them on their computers. Then once you've filled out the letters portion of your AMCAS app, you'll be able to print the AMCAS letter request forms, and send them to your letter writers (or just email .pdfs of these if you prefer). They attach their letters to these forms and mail them directly to AMCAS (snail mail).

 

[MCAT guy]

If you go the AMCAS route (and not interfolio) you can have them write their letters now and save them on their computers. Then once you've filled out the letters portion of your AMCAS app, you'll be able to print the AMCAS letter request forms, and send them to your letter writers (or just email .pdfs of these if you prefer). They attach their letters to these forms and mail them directly to AMCAS (snail mail).

Having attempted to get 5 letters now, I would advise against this.

You want to go from start to completion ASAP after you ask them. This means to give them a deadline and clear instructions in a short time frame (under 4-6 weeks is probably good). If you ask in November, then ask again in May, some professors will be procrastinators or they won't even do it in November because the deadline is so far away. Then you've established a precedent of you asking for something and them not following through.

If I did use AMCAS, I would just wait until May and then ask to write then. You can always ask end of semester but wait to send over a request until May of the application year.

 

[MacVA]

With that said, they were great and spending a few dollars extra in a process that I'm moving towards a total of 5-6 grand was worth it.

Flights + hotels + cab fare/transportation = expensive

Interfolio was pretty awesome.

$5K just to apply to medical schools??

 

[accidentprone]

Having attempted to get 5 letters now, I would advise against this.

You want to go from start to completion ASAP after you ask them. This means to give them a deadline and clear instructions in a short time frame (under 4-6 weeks is probably good). If you ask in November, then ask again in May, some professors will be procrastinators or they won't even do it in November because the deadline is so far away. Then you've established a precedent of you asking for something and them not following through.

If I did use AMCAS, I would just wait until May and then ask to write then. You can always ask end of semester but wait to send over a request until May of the application year.

That's a good point.

What I really wanted to express was that you'll have to start the AMCAS process to get the letter request form, and I'm not sure when AMCAS opens up for people to start filling it out. Having a letter sealed in an envelope probably won't work with the AMCAS system since it needs to get attached to the AMCAS form. I'm not sure how interfolio works.

Ironically my most difficult letter came from someone who I asked the earliest: in late April or early May with a deadline of the end of June and periodic reminders. It was a committee letter that was already almost fully completed but once May term hit, the profs were slammed with grading, then summer vacations and a retirement happened. So this letter didn't get finalized until August.

 

[MCAT guy]

That's a good point.

What I really wanted to express was that you'll have to start the AMCAS process to get the letter request form, and I'm not sure when AMCAS opens up for people to start filling it out. Having a letter sealed in an envelope probably won't work with the AMCAS system since it needs to get attached to the AMCAS form. I'm not sure how interfolio works.

Ironically my most difficult letter came from someone who I asked the earliest: in late April or early May with a deadline of the end of June and periodic reminders. It was a committee letter that was already almost fully completed but once May term hit, the profs were slammed with grading, then summer vacations and a retirement happened. So this letter didn't get finalized until August.

AMCAS opens up in May, you can't get the letter ID until May. With Interfolio you can get your letter sent to them anytime, then send it to AMCAS in May.

Either system works but Interfolio was very convenient for me and cost less than 50 bucks or something.

$5K just to apply to medical schools??

Yeah bro. It costs around 100-130$ per application, then you add $300 plane tickets, hotels, cabs, etc. If you apply to 15-20 schools then go on 5+ interviews it all adds up.

 

[EdLongshanks]

$5K just to apply to medical schools??

MCAT prep $1500 , practice tests 300, MCAT registration 300. AMCAS registration $200 , AACOMAS registration $200 , $100 /school secondary fee * 12 schools = $1200, 5 interviews * $400/interview = $2000.

Total $5700.

 

[sgtbrushes]

Definitely ask for letters now. They are, hands down, legit. In fact, most people applying will probably have letters older than those.

And yeah, since the cost of Interfolio is equivalent to about 0.1 credit hours, pay it gladly.