LOR advice from advisor good or bad?

[joelawyer]

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I am a nontrad applying several years out from college. Recently I got back in contact with a board member of a nonprofit from a significant volunteering experience from undergrad and they asked about writing an LOR. My postbac gives a committee letter and it's too late to put another letter into their pack. Also, the nonprofit has ties to my undergrad's MD program, and this person is enthusiastic about me potentially returning to that school/community (a great school to which I am applying).

I am considering having them submit a separate letter directly through AMCAS rather than the committee, and only sending it to that particular school. That way they can write what they want to, which is a letter specifically discussing why they think I should attend that school/serve that community as a physician.

My premed advisor says this is a bad idea since the school "will not want" to receive a letter outside the committee pack. I feel like whatever inconvenience this involves should be outweighed by a very targeted letter for this school.

Can anyone weigh in on which idea is right?

 

[Kbmb123]

I submitted multiple letters outside of my schools committee letter and had no issues, not sure why a school would find issue with an additional letter outside the packet. Especially if it’s a school specific letter like in your situation. I’d say go for it.

 

[GoSpursGo]

My premed advisor says this is a bad idea since the school "will not want" to receive a letter outside the committee pack.

That's nonsense. Send the letter.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I think AMCAS letter service allows for this as not all committee letters are the same. You are allowed.

 

[eigen]

FWIW, I encourage students I'm putting together committee letters for to do exactly this. Sometimes it's adding a letter from a research advisor for a research-focused school, sometimes from a community partner, sometimes it's adding a physician letter.

Similarly, I've written individual letters for students that I've also contributed to a committee letter for.

The school can choose what they look at (and I did have a former student that a school contacted and asked to prioritize letters since there were too many pages in total for them to read through).