LOR promptness.....I live in Hawaii. Interfolio vs. school credential service

[ocwaveoc]

Hello all.
I have a dilemma. One of my dear professor who is going to write me an excellent LOR (and has referred me to a rare opportunity which'll look good on my app) really prefers to use our school's credential service to get LORs mailed out. She stated that since my MCAT isn't even until Aug 9th, getting the LORs mailed out quickly (using say interfolio) doesn't really matter. Since I live in Hawaii and most of the schools I'm applying to are in the east coast, I'm worried that it may take tool long for the schools to get my LORs all the way from Hawaii. Plus the credentials office here at the University of Hawaii told me that it takes 1-5 days for the letters to get sent out after receiving the request to get letters sent out. So, 1-5 days for letters to get sent out...plus the time for mail to get all the way to the east coast (by the way does anyone know how long it takes for letters to get that far?)....am I going to be at a significant disadvantage? Is my professor correct in that since my MCAT is so late, getting the LORs out quicker doesn't really matter? Should I still insist that they use Interfolio?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PepperMD]

Hello all.
I have a dilemma. One of my dear professor who is going to write me an excellent LOR (and has referred me to a rare opportunity which'll look good on my app) really prefers to use our school's credential service to get LORs mailed out. She stated that since my MCAT isn't even until Aug 9th, getting the LORs mailed out quickly (using say interfolio) doesn't really matter. Since I live in Hawaii and most of the schools I'm applying to are in the east coast, I'm worried that it may take tool long for the schools to get my LORs all the way from Hawaii. Plus the credentials office here at the University of Hawaii told me that it takes 1-5 days for the letters to get sent out after receiving the request to get letters sent out. So, 1-5 days for letters to get sent out...plus the time for mail to get all the way to the east coast (by the way does anyone know how long it takes for letters to get that far?)....am I going to be at a significant disadvantage? Is my professor correct in that since my MCAT is so late, getting the LORs out quicker doesn't really matter? Should I still insist that they use Interfolio?

Sure, the mail might take a little longer, but I doubt it'll take MONTHS to get there. I mean, people do send letters to the mainland, right? If it really took that long, how would Hawaiians ever pay bills to mainland-based companies (credit cards, etc) on time? Also, if you go to http://postcalc.usps.gov/ , you can enter a starting and ending zip code to calculate delivery costs and times. I picked random Hawaii and New York zips and got an estimated delivery time of 3 days for a standard first-class letter. Sounds like you have nothing to worry about.

 

[MChitty]

Unless you're retaking your MCAT, schools aren't even going to look at your application until Sept. 9 when those scores come out. Also, does AMCAS verify your application before your MCAT scores are in? I can't remember.

I feel like as long as your LORs are at schools before your MCAT scores are released, you will be fine. I feel like you have more than enough time to make that happen.

 

[Xotica]

Hi, I am a UH student and used both the credential service as well as interfolio. A few points:

1. UH credential service is not that slow first class letters reach the school in maybe 3-4 days. 3-4 Days is actually not that long because most school request LORs at the same time they offer you a secondary. Unless there is no essay(s) you will probably take a little longer than a day (especially when you have like 10 apps to complete at once w/homework and tests!!!). Regardless you are applying late (as I did) and I don't think that a day or two will make much of a difference.

2. If you want to use interfolio but your professor wants to send the letters to the credential service simply open up an account at the credential service and have them forward the letters to interfolio. As long as interfolio receives the letters as confidential they will keep it that way.

3. I'd say this UH's credential service is "ok" but interfolio is better (and more expensive). Here are the advantages of interfolio. 1) Ability to request LOR w/o having to go down to their office. 2) Delivery confirmation + Digital Delivery option. 3) Faster service

All in all I have to say that if I were going to go through this process again I would use interfolio instead of UH.

Gl w/your app

 

[ocwaveoc]

Unless you're retaking your MCAT, schools aren't even going to look at your application until Sept. 9 when those scores come out. Also, does AMCAS verify your application before your MCAT scores are in? I can't remember.

I feel like as long as your LORs are at schools before your MCAT scores are released, you will be fine. I feel like you have more than enough time to make that happen.

Thanks for the reply.
I've heard that some schools ask for secondaries even before seeing the MCAT scores. How prevalent is that? I ask this since you've mentioned that as long as the LORs are at the schools before the MCAT score is released, I'll be fine. Which means that some schools ask for secondaries before the MCAT score release. Doesn't that usually occur for schools that automatically ask for secondaries for all applicants and for those with high stats?

 

[ocwaveoc]

Hi, I am a UH student and used both the credential service as well as interfolio. A few points:

1. UH credential service is not that slow first class letters reach the school in maybe 3-4 days. 3-4 Days is actually not that long because most school request LORs at the same time they offer you a secondary. Unless there is no essay(s) you will probably take a little longer than a day (especially when you have like 10 apps to complete at once w/homework and tests!!!). Regardless you are applying late (as I did) and I don't think that a day or two will make much of a difference.

2. If you want to use interfolio but your professor wants to send the letters to the credential service simply open up an account at the credential service and have them forward the letters to interfolio. As long as interfolio receives the letters as confidential they will keep it that way.

3. I'd say this UH's credential service is "ok" but interfolio is better (and more expensive). Here are the advantages of interfolio. 1) Ability to request LOR w/o having to go down to their office. 2) Delivery confirmation + Digital Delivery option. 3) Faster service

All in all I have to say that if I were going to go through this process again I would use interfolio instead of UH.

Gl w/your app

Thanks Xotica,
Can you have the UH credential service to send the letters to Interfolio? I had no idea you can do that! I'll definitely look into that option.
Thanks!

 

[Xotica]

Thanks for the reply.
I've heard that some schools ask for secondaries even before seeing the MCAT scores. How prevalent is that? I ask this since you've mentioned that as long as the LORs are at the schools before the MCAT score is released, I'll be fine. Which means that some schools ask for secondaries before the MCAT score release. Doesn't that usually occur for schools that automatically ask for secondaries for all applicants and for those with high stats?

I will try to address all of your questions. First I cannot comment on how many schools will send you secondaries w/o MCAT because I have no knowledge of this (however, I am sure that there is a thread about this some where). I would be a little wary about submitting a secondary without an MCAT score because it could really be a waste of money. Suppose you submit 10 secondaries prior to your MCAT score and find out that you got a 25...okay basically you just threw $1000 down the drain. I suggest that you submit your primary->get it verified -> wait for MCAT score -> submit secondaries if you have a reasonable score.

From personal experience I have to say that you will be at a disadvantage by submitting late. I took the april MCAT but didn't submit my app until sept. When I interviewed at one of the schools in FEB they said "our class size is 120 but we have already accepted 200 people." If possible I would suggest taking an earlier MCAT.