Letters of Recommendation Issue

[rewind100.24]

I am planning to apply this June-this works out with various factors in my life, and I want to make sure I still have another cycle where I can apply with my MCAT score, so applying now leaves me an extra cycle to apply if needed. The major problem with applying now is my letter of recommendation situation.

By the time I collect all of my letters and everything goes according to plan (who knows though I guess), I will most likely have

-One letter from a non-science professor with great knowledge of my personality, leadership skills, artistic hobby, etc.
-One letter from a science professor I got an A from (Neurobiology, hopefully that counts as "Biology" for the schools which require that) who is also the PI of a lab I have interned in for over a year
-One letter from a writing for sciences class professor who also knows my volunteer work well (Just recently thought it may be good to get their letter too, not sure what the harm of asking is)
-One MD letter from a manager at work
-One DO letter from a supervisor at work (This is my most iffy letter, but I heard this is required for some DO schools)

With all of that said, I realize I do not have two science faculty letters. I go to a very large public university, and just did not find myself ending up that close to any other professors. There were some students who seemed to suck up and ask questions just for the sake of asking questions, and I would HATE this as a professor so I didn't do it, but now I feel like I screwed myself over.

How much have I limited my options by not having a second science professor letter?

How seriously do schools take their letter requirements? Especially if I have multiple other good letters?

Thanks in advance.

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[DrHart]

I am planning to apply this June-this works out with various factors in my life, and I want to make sure I still have another cycle where I can apply with my MCAT score, so applying now leaves me an extra cycle to apply if needed.

I'm gonna stop you right there. Do not apply if you are not ready. If you don't have your MCAT, or don't have a realistic idea of what your MCAT might be, take a year off. Do not rush yourself. If you give yourself a year off you can collect your letters calmly, find some extra activity to get involved in and maybe even get an even better letter than you would have otherwise.

 

[candbgirl]

I think OP has a MCAT score. I think he is applying this year so if he has to reapply his MCAT will
still be valid. But even so it doesn't sound like he is ready to apply this year. OP does your school have a committee letter?


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[rewind100.24]

I think OP has a MCAT score. I think he is applying this year so if he has to reapply his MCAT will
still be valid. But even so it doesn't sound like he is ready to apply this year. OP does your school have a committee letter?


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I have my MCAT score and I am quite happy with it. I feel ready to apply and the only think which is missing is a second science professor letter of rec. That is the gist of my question: how detrimental is this?

My school does NOT have a committee letter

 

[DameJulie]

I have my MCAT score and I am quite happy with it. I feel ready to apply and the only think which is missing is a second science professor letter of rec. That is the gist of my question: how detrimental is this?

My school does NOT have a committee letter

Here's my $0.02:
Some schools REQUIRE a 2nd science professor letter. Unless you are willing to apply to those schools that require only 1 science letter, there's not a way to get around this.

 

[rewind100.24]

I concur with this. Is your writing for science course prof a science faculty or english?

An English professor. We did a lot of scientific writing including a literature review which I hope to get published, but I don't think this prof would count as a science letter

 

[DameJulie]

An English professor. We did a lot of scientific writing including a literature review which I hope to get published, but I don't think this prof would count as a science letter

You're right. This professor would NOT be considered a science professor, especially when his department affiliation is "English" or "Writing". A rule of thumb of a science professor would be a BPCM professor or upper div science courses like physiology or biochemistry. Basically, if the course you took with this professor is calculated in the AMCAS's BPCM GPA, then he/she definitely counts as science professor.

I also had a writing professor whom I worked closely with in a writing class that emphasizes in scientific writing & research literature reading.

 

[DameJulie]

Reasonable rule of thumb but not absolute. Some schools will not count math as science. Others, like CWRU, will not accept some Bio courses, like ecology, towards science letter.

For the OP, get a science letter no matter what

Thanks for your input, Gonnif! That's one good clarification!

 

[kamakazi5]

Even for schools that only require a single science letter, would this not still be seen as a big negative? I'm hoping not but it's possible I may only end up with one letter as well.