Letters of Recommendation

[Albuterol]

So I just found out some really crappy news that my undergrad school raised the GPA requirement for their committee interview/letter from 3.0 to 3.25. As it turns out I won't be able to get one. How will this adversely affect me when I apply for Fall 2010? I know some schools have weird requirements such as chemistry, biochem, biology, physics, all the sciences etc. Has anyone had any luck in substituting a chemistry letter with another biology letter and vice versa? Would love to hear how your application process went w/o using a committee letter. Thanks!!

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[joonkimdds]

According to my pre-health advisor, committee interview/letter is almost mandatory and it brings red flag to the application if u don't have it.

I asked a question in this forum about 1~2 weeks ago if I really need committe interview/letter cuz I didn't know about it until most recently and my pre-health advisor acts like an ***** so i thought going thru interview with him is worse than sending every single letters directly to AADSAS by myself.

People answered that they didn't go thru committe interview and still got accepted which proves my pre-health advisor's point of "Red-Flag" so I think u shouldn't get so stressed about it.

In conclusion, I think you can ignore commitee interview/letter.

by the way, I don't understand your last question. Are you not sci major and having hard time getting recommendation from science class professors?
I just asked recommendations from my organic chem and genetics professor and then my Eng302 professor for non science professor.

 

[Albuterol]

No I am a science major, but i just checked marylands website and they want a biology and chemistry lor. I graduated in 2007 but am doing a postbac to bring up my ugrad gpa a little bit..so its been a while since i took chemistry and wouldnt be able to ask for a lor from a chemistry teacher since its been 3years. Oh how things would be easier had I gotten good grades from the start haha

 

[206127]

So I just found out some really crappy news that my undergrad school raised the GPA requirement for their committee interview/letter from 3.0 to 3.25. As it turns out I won't be able to get one. How will this adversely affect me when I apply for Fall 2010? I know some schools have weird requirements such as chemistry, biochem, biology, physics, all the sciences etc. Has anyone had any luck in substituting a chemistry letter with another biology letter and vice versa? Would love to hear how your application process went w/o using a committee letter. Thanks!!

I'd say make an appointment with one of the members of the committee and express to them your desire to go into dentistry. Show them your current GPA, your amazing DAT, ECs/volunteer work and I think they would have no problem writing something for you. I think they probably just raised the requirement to avoid writing them for people who really don't have the drive.

 

[joonkimdds]

I see. Hm... it's hard for me to say.
LOR is something that you can get when you keep a good relationship with professors so that is something I can't really help.

Something that pops up in my mind is.... how about taking some more upper level bio and chem classes? Not only upper level classes will look good on ur transcript, you will also get LOR from the professors.

I am supposed to graduate in 1 week but I canceled my graduation. I am planning to stay 2 more yrs (this is my 5th yr already...errr) because
I am planning to reapply to dental school in case I get rejected from 2010 cycle. I think staying 2 more yrs, taking higher than higher level classes of science, raising GPA will help me.

 

[206127]

BTW I had a letter from a chemistry professor, one from a physics professor, and two from dentists. (no biology) I had no problems at any school.

 

[joonkimdds]

BTW I had a letter from a chemistry professor, one from a physics professor, and two from dentists. (no biology) I had no problems at any school.

I think most school ask 2 sci professor, 1 non sci professor.
I just checked Maryland school which he wants to apply to and it specifically says 1 bio and 1 chem.

 

[206127]

I think most school ask 2 sci professor, 1 non sci professor.
I just checked Maryland school which he wants to apply to and it specifically says 1 bio and 1 chem.

Really?? I remember it being 2 science professors, 1 dentist, and 1 other (whatever you want basically)...

 

[Albuterol]

Thanks for the tips!
joonkim i have been taking upper level classes for a year so its basically my 5th year- i got 1 upper lvl bio rec (300lvl), and i'm trying to get 1 biochem (400lvl) and physio (300lvl). I think it should be ok, even for maryland-i'm sure many people apply w/o a chem letter or might replace it with a biochem- but i'll call just to make sure.

futuredentist-thanks the advice! that sounds like a great idea and im hoping ill be able to convince them. if not it was good to hear that you didnt run into any problems with your chemistry and physics lors.

 

[Albuterol]

anyone apply to BU or UDM w/o a committee letter but there is a health committee at your school? the reason I am asking is because these schools say they require a committee letter if such a committee is present. Just wondering how flexible this requirement is. Thanks

 

[rewJW]

My school has a pre-health advisory committee. Really, anybody who wants to get a letter can. Last year, I went for the committee letter ... all of my individual LORs were in by July or August (or earlier, I can't remember, point is that it was EARLY) ... my school committee rolled out my letter to AADSAS in November. By the time it reached the schools in December, I had already been rejected at two schools.

So naturally, this cycle I opted to go with individual letters even though a committee letter was available. I haven't run into any problems with this. Through AADSAS, I had: 2 bio profs, orgo chem prof, dentist. Additionally another dentist sent letters to all of the schools on her own (not through AADSAS). I didn't submit a 'non science' letter even though some schools ask for non-science prof. I think Creighton specifies one non-science prof, but I withdrew from there so don't know if I really needed it. Other schools I applied to just specify things like "x-number science prof, 1 other prof" .. schools that I applied to which ask for one 'other prof' letter include NJDS and NYU, both of which I received interviews at despite not having a non-science letter.

WVU also required a physics letter, so I did have a LOR sent there from my school's physics department head. I didn't have this sent to any other schools.

I haven't gotten an interview from UDM and am going to be withdrawing from there anyway, but nowhere among the bajillion letters they have sent me have they mentioned there being a problem with the LORs they've received from me. Also haven't heard anything from BU regarding any problems with my application, but I will be withdrawing from there as well.

This is my experience, hope the info helps. Your results may vary.

 

[Albuterol]

rewJW thank you for your detailed answer!!
my school's pre-health committee used to be like that (any one could get a letter even if they had a 2.5 or something) but they have slowly increased it the past few years to keep their %accepted/apply to health professions school high. I don't like it, but what can I do. I am glad that you didn't have any problems when u submitted individual letters and the idea of being late because the lor was not sent in time scares the heck out of me (low gpa, must be complete early). Thanks again!

 

[joonkimdds]

how about transferring to my school so that you can ask my health advisor to write it

 

[Albuterol]

might have too haha...i have a big time crush on the committee letter lol