LOR's ??-please answer in small, easy words...

Some schools use forms, some schools do not. Many will accept the letters without the forms. Some think this puts you at a disadvantage, but often, there is no other option.

 

I applied to 15 schools, Penn included, and I never came across one of these forms, not even once! And I've never heard of it being a disadvantage. At my school we have a pre-med office that automatically forwards letters of rec for us though, so I'm not sure how you should go about sending the letters in. I figure it's probably best to just address and stamp some envelopes yourself and give them to your recommenders. Then make sure you call the schools later on to make sure the letters were received.

 

Well, the Univ of Iowa absolutely refuses to accept your secondary application if you don't use their LOR forms.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Nogpa:
<strong>I've asked this question in several forms,and I'm not convinced that I understood the answers all that well. So, I'll ask again.

Is there a form sent with secondaries that you give to your recommenders? OR, do they simply write a general letter. Specifically, I'm wondering about Jefferson, MCPH, Penn and Temple.
I don't have a committee at my school, and one of my recommenders asked that I forward him the "reference forms" when I got them. Do they exist? Or is it a graduate school phenom?

Thanks,
BR</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">do you have a center for career services or something like this at your school? They usually let you set up a student file that you can use to keep your confidential recommendation letters (good idea!!). Also, when you sign up to make your file, you also get the reference forms with your name, ID etc listed on it.
Tweets

 

Temple does not require LOR on a form, in fact their entire secondary is about 1/2 a page long.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Nogpa:
<strong>Thanks for your responses. Anyone else?

What I'm getting here is that I'm not necessarily confused...it may be a *gasp* inconsistent and crappy system that varies hugely between different schools? Maybe AMCAS should provide those forms for us too. *sigh*</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You hit it right on the head. Some schools provide the forms, and some don't. Also, those schools that do send forms usually say something about that you don't have to use them if you're sending a committee letter/packet.

I don't think that AMCAS providing forms would be a way to go, though, since many schools have pre-med letter services that take care of everything anyway (can you imagine what would happen if AMCAS were to lose one of your letters?). They have enough trouble just keeping track of everyone's transcripts.

 

Many of my secondary applications included those forms, but I didn't use them because I had given my recommendors my school's premed committee's forms. I do think it's important that you waive your rights, though, and you may need this type of form to do so. Someone suggested going to your career center to get one, and I think that's a good idea.
Jefferson's secondary is online, so go to their website to print it out. Maybe that form can be recycled for other schools.

Here's a link to Jeff's homepage: <a href="http://www.tju.edu/" target="_blank">http://www.tju.edu/</a>