LOR Problem

[IL Pre Med]

Okay so this might be a big problem and I don't know what to do. Since school is starting now I found my old professor from last semester that wrote me a LOR and start chit chatting. Throughout the conversation I found out that she used the wrong first name on my letter. This made me freak out, I didn't show it in front of her but I was in full panic mode inside. So now I have one letter that has the wrong first name going to all the schools I applied to. What do I do? Do I ask her to retype and resubmit it and now I resend it to schools, or do I wait until I get an interview and update them at that point? Or do I just leave it alone? In case anyone is wondering why she used the wrong first name it's quite funny actually, because she called me the wrong name the first day of class and I went with it throughout the semester and we would laugh about it, I didn't know she'd put it on my damn LOR!

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[Cyberdyne 101]

A lot of professors are quirky. I've actually been called the wrong name by an organic chem professor that knew me for years. Although, in your case, it sucks that it showed up in an LOR.

I think it's best to resubmit a letter with your correct name. Or, is it possible to contact the schools that you applied to?

 

[moisne]

Just tell her "my formal name is ...." And she can just correct it

You can also add an alternate name in amcas somewhere

 

[IL Pre Med]

A lot of professors are quirky. I've actually been called the wrong name by an organic chem professor that knew me for years. Although, in your case, it sucks that it showed up in an LOR.

I think it's best to resubmit a letter with your correct name. Or, is it possible to contact the schools that you applied to?

I have no idea what to do. If I resubmit a letter that will put me over the LOR limits at many schools and then I'll have to contact each one individually to tell them about the situation and have them add it to my file, etc. I feel that is going to create much more confusion. As far as I know LORs aren't reviewed until after an interview is granted (let me know if I'm wrong here), so as of now I'm thinking wait until I'm granted an interview and explicitly tell the interviewer that day so they can make a note of it in my file. Honestly, I feel it's a great letter because we had a great relationship I just can't believe she put the wrong name on my official letter.

Just tell her "my formal name is ...." And she can just correct it
You can also add an alternate name in amcas somewhere

This seems feasible and possibly the best solution, but AMCAS has already been sent out to schools. If I update my "other names" will schools see that?

Maybe some adcoms can chime in here too @Goro

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I have no idea what to do. If I resubmit a letter that will put me over the LOR limits at many schools and then I'll have to contact each one individually to tell them about the situation and have them add it to my file, etc. I feel that is going to create much more confusion. As far as I know LORs aren't reviewed until after an interview is granted (let me know if I'm wrong here), so as of now I'm thinking wait until I'm granted an interview and explicitly tell the interviewer that day so they can make a note of it in my file. Honestly, I feel it's a great letter because we had a great relationship I just can't believe she put the wrong name on my official letter.


This seems feasible and possibly the best solution, but AMCAS has already been sent out to schools. If I update my "other names" will schools see that?

Maybe some adcoms can chime in here too @Goro

I'm not sure when LOR's are reviewed. That might vary from school to school.
I would personally contact each school.
(Sorry, I know very little about the app process so I'm not providing you with informed advice). But I would do my best to rectify an error if possible.

 

[IL Pre Med]

Bump for additional advice. What if the professor wrote "Greg Smith" instead of "George Smith"? How bad is this?

 

[NervousNerd]

Bump for additional advice. What if the professor wrote "Greg Smith" instead of "George Smith"? How bad is this?

He got your name wrong?

 

[FutureOncologist]

If it was THAT close I'm sure that adcoms would understand. Now, if this was about the LAST name, then this would be a different post.