My LOR are not in yet, hold my secondaries??

[Lostintime]

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Due to complications with my professors, my LORs have still not been sent yet

I was wondering if I should hold out on my secondaries until aamc receives my LOR (would it matter)
Or should I just go ahead and send my secondaries??

 

[Barcu]

Due to complications with my professors, my LORs have still not been sent yet

I was wondering if I should hold out on my secondaries until aamc receives my LOR (would it matter)
Or should I just go ahead and send my secondaries??

They won't look at your secondaries until your LORs are received.

However, you should definitely send in your secondaries. This is for two reasons. Most importantly, schools really just have to download letters, so it can be quick. If they have everything processed beforehand (yes, some take quite a bit of time to process your secondary), your app will be considered "complete" quicker once your LORs are actually in.

Second, some people believe that the dates you turn in things (like your secondaries) are noticed by med schools. If you get all your secondaries in quickly, schools will notice this, even if they won't look at your app until your letters are in. Schools know that letters are out of your control, so when letters are turned in late, it doesn't have a negative impact on you (except that your app is later, which can lower your chance). However, schools can see that you took your time with secondaries, possibly showing a lack of interest. This may or may not be the case at schools you apply to, but it certainly is worth considering.

Just get your secondaries in. It will only help you.

 

[Snarkalark]

They won't look at your secondaries until your LORs are received.

huh? i got interviews before i'd even asked for all of my LORs.

 

[Barcu]

huh? i got interviews before i'd even asked for all of my LORs.

Interesting. Did you have some LORs already in and now are adding more or did you get an invite without any LORs?

Most schools seem to wait until you are "complete" (primary, secondary, and LORs all in) before inviting. If you had some in already, they may just have invited you anyway based on those LORs. None of my schools considered me until I had LORs in, though I was waiting on a committee letter so all went in at the same time.

Either way, the OP should just send in secondaries anyway.

 

[Lostintime]

How long did it take you guys to get your LOR in and processed starting from the time u requested them from your university??

 

[Barcu]

How long did it take you guys to get your LOR in and processed starting from the time u requested them from your university??

Hard to answer because I got a committee letter. I had to get everything together months in advance (like Feb and Mar). My committee then met in July to write them, and it was received by schools in late July.

You seem to be getting individual letters, plus you probably go to a different school, so your question is impossible to answer.

Letters are the main source of frustration for just about everyone. So, try your best to get things moving quickly, but keep in mind you may have to be patient.

Do what is in your control, which is secondaries.

 

[slwhite3]

I was actually in your shoes not too long ago. I received the invite for most of my secondaries at the end of July/beginning of August, and even though my LORs were not in until 8/24 (boo....), I still submitted them. You just won't be marked complete until schools receive your LORs. (Very irritating, by the way, because even though most of my secondaries were in by the second week of August, adcoms wouldn't look at me until they had my letters. Longer waiting process for review. Grr.)

Here is the BIG reason to submit now: I applied to three schools who didn't need my LORs to review my application. Long story short, I now have three interviews. Had I waited, I may not be in such a position.

Best of luck!