LORs..can they be used again?

[CanAmPremed]

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Hey guys,

I'm planning on reapplying next year and was wondering, do letters of recommendation need to be very recent. I used interfolio, so the letters I had sent this application cycle are still available. Would it be okay or would it look bad if I used them again next cycle at which point they would be a year or more old?

 

[DoctorMom78]

Hey guys,

I'm planning on reapplying next year and was wondering, do letters of recommendation need to be very recent. I used interfolio, so the letters I had sent this application cycle are still available. Would it be okay or would it look bad if I used them again next cycle at which point they would be a year or more old?

NOOOO!!! YOU ARE GOING TO GET INTO DCOM!!!! IF you reapply next year because for some reason you are not accepted to DCOM, then I would get new letters. 😀

 

[CanAmPremed]

LOL

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

But what if they're going to be from the same professors?

 

[MadHopsMD]

I only applied to MD, but I used my old recs, all of them were Oct-Nov 2005 (I applied late last year). Most MD schools (I presume also DO schools) also require you to have ONE brand new reference letter. I had this too...just a letter from a person who works in an organization who I am currently volunteering for.

It so sweet, when you have all the interfolio letters all in hand. All you have to do is SEND....!!! Apply early, and take the April MCAT.

But like docmom said, you most likely be at Debusk next year, so no worries!

 

[jkhamlin]

Hey guys,

I'm planning on reapplying next year and was wondering, do letters of recommendation need to be very recent. I used interfolio, so the letters I had sent this application cycle are still available. Would it be okay or would it look bad if I used them again next cycle at which point they would be a year or more old?

It depends on the school. For example: KCUMB keeps them for three years, and uses them again if you reapply. KCOM and OSU don't, but I don't know if you use interfolio if they care. I would guess they would not care if they are recent

 

[anon-y-mouse]

Hey guys,

I'm planning on reapplying next year and was wondering, do letters of recommendation need to be very recent. I used interfolio, so the letters I had sent this application cycle are still available. Would it be okay or would it look bad if I used them again next cycle at which point they would be a year or more old?

I don't know what the deal is with osteopathic applications since I'm an allopathic student, but I saw this thread title on the main forum and thought I should respond... my school gets a ridiculous number of applicants and some of us are privy to applicant folders for screening and interview purposes -- I've seen a lot of apps and rec letters... my point is, I've seen *many* BAD rec letters, much more than I thought I would, so you might want to get new ones. Many are along the lines of "x was in my class of 450 students and received an A, I had no interaction with him, he insisted I write a letter despite this fact, and insisted that it be sent on y date, and kept forcing me to send this. I am not in a position to evaluate whether he will be a good candidate, and have little basis on which to recommend him"... if we interview that candidate, I usually am nice enough to tell the applicant that he should get a different letter. The candidate is always surprised and shocked, and never expects it. Perhaps your letters are holding you back, in which case you should request different letters.

 

[jkhamlin]

I don't know what the deal is with osteopathic applications since I'm an allopathic student, but I saw this thread title on the main forum and thought I should respond... my school gets a ridiculous number of applicants and some of us are privy to applicant folders for screening and interview purposes -- I've seen a lot of apps and rec letters... my point is, I've seen *many* BAD rec letters, much more than I thought I would, so you might want to get new ones. Many are along the lines of "x was in my class of 450 students and received an A, I had no interaction with him, he insisted I write a letter despite this fact, and insisted that it be sent on y date, and kept forcing me to send this. I am not in a position to evaluate whether he will be a good candidate, and have little basis on which to recommend him"... if we interview that candidate, I usually am nice enough to tell the applicant that he should get a different letter. The candidate is always surprised and shocked, and never expects it. Perhaps your letters are holding you back, in which case you should request different letters.

This is a good point, and a good lesson in applying to anything. Make sure that the professor knows you and will write a good letter. Unfortunately, one of the professors I got to write a LOR for me said that he knows professors who will agree to write one and then proceed to trash the student in the letter. He and I both feel that that is dishonest. If they cannot write a good letter, they should say "no."

 

[DoctorMom78]

This is a good point, and a good lesson in applying to anything. Make sure that the professor knows you and will write a good letter. Unfortunately, one of the professors I got to write a LOR for me said that he knows professors who will agree to write one and then proceed to trash the student in the letter. He and I both feel that that is dishonest. If they cannot write a good letter, they should say "no."

WOW! I know that my letters were really good because I really love and respect the professors that wrote them and I was actually told that in an interview. Where do you all go to school that you have professors who write letters like that? I went to a really small undergraduate school and because of that I got to know all of my professors really well. I never thought twice about whether or not I would have strong letters. I can't believe that someone would trash a student in a letter. That is just awful!😱

 

[anon-y-mouse]

WOW! I know that my letters were really good because I really love and respect the professors that wrote them and I was actually told that in an interview. Where do you all go to school that you have professors who write letters like that? I went to a really small undergraduate school and because of that I got to know all of my professors really well. I never thought twice about whether or not I would have strong letters. I can't believe that someone would trash a student in a letter. That is just awful!😱

Columbia, Dartmouth, NYU, Cornell, Northwestern, Penn, Stanford... off the top of my head for these malignant letters from individual professors. As for *committee* letters, the best I've ever seen by far have been from Princeton -- they wax poetic as though every student is god incarnate... Harvard's are fairly decent, although I think it depends on the particular house tutor, and Penn's committee letters almost always emphasize positives (and go on forever) even though they might still include the lukewarm/negative letters of recommendation.

The candidates are really bright and focused, really high GPA's, cured cancer/AIDS/poverty in Africa, but the mistake is to get their letters from a class where they did really well, but maybe just had a handful of interactions... however, I've also seen bad letters from people who had B's in the class, but may have had tons of interactions. I think the best strategy if someone wants to get a letter based on a huge class is to go directly to the TF who led the small group sessions... they're usually PhD candidates who've seen the candidate perform and interact every week, will take the time to write a very positive, personal letter, and depending on the situation, the professor of the class can co-sign the letter.

 

[DoctorMom78]

LOL

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

But what if they're going to be from the same professors?

I guess if the schools allow you to use them and you are certain that they are good letters, then you can go ahead and use them again. Again, good luck! BTW, your avatar is rather disturbing; funny but in a disturbing way.. 😀

 

[Ferrismonk]

One thing that I was always told is that when you ask for a letter of recommendation, be sure to ask if they would be willing to write an outstanding letter of recommendation for you. If they show any hesitation at all, have someone else write the letter for you. I think MSUCOM's system is best where they ask for letters from people who know you, not necessarily from faculty or doctors, but alas, not every school sees things the same way... 🙄

 

[jkhamlin]

WOW! I know that my letters were really good because I really love and respect the professors that wrote them and I was actually told that in an interview. Where do you all go to school that you have professors who write letters like that? I went to a really small undergraduate school and because of that I got to know all of my professors really well. I never thought twice about whether or not I would have strong letters. I can't believe that someone would trash a student in a letter. That is just awful!😱

When you go to a large university system, often there are many professors who are quite aloof and have large, overinflated egos. I like smaller schools, too. I went to one for my AA, and I got one of those PhD's to write one of my letters. I made sure that all of the professors who wrote my letters were professors who actually knew me as more than just a student who was in their class. One is on my graduate thesis committee. One was an undergrad advisor. I stop by and talk to them both regularly and learn from them about the subjects they teach. They treat me like a colleague, so I knew that they would write decent letters. That's what you have to do when getting LOR's.