*~*~*~* Official Letters of Recommendation Questions Thread 2019-2020 *~*~*~*

[cactuscomma]

I posted a thread about this yesterday, but I just noticed this one and I want to get a second opinion.

My application got verified yesterday and the secondary emails are starting to pour in. I have 2 science faculty LORs and 1 physician LOR submitted in AMCAS, but I'm waiting on the last LOR from my non-science professor. She told me a week ago that she would get it done within the next few weeks and she knows I need to have it in by labor day at the very latest. Is it a bad idea to start submitting my secondaries now, even though I know this last letter won't be in for around 2 weeks? I have already attached this letter (marked as not received) to my schools on AMCAS. This non-science letter is either mandatory or strongly recommended at many schools I've applied to. I did submit a single secondary (on 7/23) and got an application complete email about two and a half weeks later, but that was only due to my primary application being verified on Monday.

One of my secondaries so far (UC Davis) states that the application will be considered complete with the minimum 3 letters and to make sure all your letters are submitted before submitting the secondary. They don't state a non-science LOR requirement, and they actually recommend a physician letter. Will they still mark my application as complete even with this last non-science LOR not being received?

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[gonnif]

1) unless a school says do not submit secondary until all letters are in, you should submit them when you are ready. Schools will not typically start any evaluation on a file until all materials have been received.

2) your application will not shrivel and die if you dont have all materials by Labor Day. As I have oft repeated, being complete by Labor Day, even at highly selective programs, removes any concern of “lateness.” Being complete by end of Sept is fine for solid applicants at most programs

3) You have told UC Davis to expect this letter so they will wait until arrives. You can mark the letter no longer being sent but that will notify all schools expecting this letter

4) call UC Davis and ask

 

[Bearmanbear]

I've got a quick question:

I haven't taken a non-science course in a long time, I'm kind of at a loss on who to ask... The last non-science courses were from A) visiting instructors that have left the institute and B) from other schools I attended many years ago. Most of my work in the last two years has been all sciences.

Could I do 3 letters of recommendation from science? ...I could obtain 3-5 science LOR.

The only remaining non-science courses I have before graduation are Developmental Psych and Advanced Statistics, but from what I understand these are arguably science courses (in terms of GPA, one or both are considered sciences I believe?) and wouldn't count, or would they be safely placed in the non-science category?

Any ideas, advice, or alternative solutions would be greatly appreciated! I've got an LOR from a physician I shadowed and from one of my volunteer coordinators. Planning on obtaining the remainder this Fall/Spring. Looking to apply to schools in 2020. Thank you

 

[gonnif]

I've got a quick question:

I haven't taken a non-science course in a long time, I'm kind of at a loss on who to ask... The last non-science courses were from A) visiting instructors that have left the institute and B) from other schools I attended many years ago. Most of my work in the last two years has been all sciences.

Could I do 3 letters of recommendation from science? ...I could obtain 3-5 science LOR.

The only remaining non-science courses I have before graduation are Developmental Psych and Advanced Statistics, but from what I understand these are arguably science courses (in terms of GPA, one or both are considered sciences I believe?) and wouldn't count, or would they be safely placed in the non-science category?

Any ideas, advice, or alternative solutions would be greatly appreciated! I've got an LOR from a physician I shadowed and from one of my volunteer coordinators. Planning on obtaining the remainder this Fall/Spring. Looking to apply to schools in 2020. Thank you

Some schools will require a nonscience letter and you cant substitute more science or physician letters. Either track down the old professors, take another true nonscience, or use the developmental psych prof

 

[jcshen97]

My premed committee letter was just sent into AMCAS, and most of my secondaries got marked complete immediately after. I see a lot of people here and on Reddit got theirs in earlier and have gotten II's. As a reapplicant, this worries me a bit. My premed office emphasized not to bug them about this, and I didn't bug them until one of my schools reminded me that I didn't have my letters in after I submitted their secondary. Am I at a disadvantage now?

 

[gonnif]

My premed committee letter was just sent into AMCAS, and most of my secondaries got marked complete immediately after. I see a lot of people here and on Reddit got theirs in earlier and have gotten II's. As a reapplicant, this worries me a bit. My premed office emphasized not to bug them about this, and I didn't bug them until one of my schools reminded me that I didn't have my letters in after I submitted their secondary. Am I at a disadvantage now?

Rule of Thumb is Timing will not have any impact on chance at any school if you are complete by Labor Day, including highly selective programs. For solid candidates at most programs, being complete by end of Sept will mean timing will not have impact on your chances.

 

[jcshen97]

Rule of Thumb is Timing will not have any impact on chance at any school if you are complete by Labor Day, including highly selective programs. For solid candidates at most programs, being complete by end of Sept will mean timing will not have impact on your chances.

I certainly hope so. I hope to get II's soon, unlike last cycle where I got an II in late October. Despite being complete early August at most schools.

 

[Bearmanbear]

Some schools will require a nonscience letter and you cant substitute more science or physician letters. Either track down the old professors, take another true nonscience, or use the developmental psych prof

I was afraid you would say that haha, the developmental psych class is online- so that might be interesting. Gotta do what you gotta do I suppose. Thank you for your help

 

[907914]

So, I just got 6 emails from AMCAS all at the same time saying my letters were received. Problem is I got those same Emails on May 3rd and I have been complete at all schools for a month or so......Do I do anything about this? Does this mean interfolio sent my letters again.....? What do I do?

 

[gonnif]

So, I just got 6 emails from AMCAS all at the same time saying my letters were received. Problem is I got those same Emails on May 3rd and I have been complete at all schools for a month or so......Do I do anything about this? Does this mean interfolio sent my letters again.....? What do I do?

I would panic! Its not like computer system at AMCAS, Interfolio or any of the schools could possibly be funky and send silly ass messages weeks later for reasons that no one can decipher. Call AMCAS to double check but I would be at ease

 

[907914]

I would panic! Its not like computer system at AMCAS, Interfolio or any of the schools could possibly be funky and send silly ass messages weeks later for reasons that no one can decipher. Call AMCAS to double check but I would be at ease

That is what I figured. Will call them tomorrow afternoon. Thanks.

 

[mmay527]

So, I just got 6 emails from AMCAS all at the same time saying my letters were received. Problem is I got those same Emails on May 3rd and I have been complete at all schools for a month or so......Do I do anything about this? Does this mean interfolio sent my letters again.....? What do I do?

So weird, had the same thing happen to me early this morning but it was only for my last letter submitted (which I submitted a day later then all my other letters on 6/27) and I have a letter received email for that letter on 6/28? I called AMCAS already but they said that it looked like an Interfolio issue that maybe it got delivered twice but I checked Interfolio and it only shows the one delivery for that letter on 6/28? Strange.....

 

[gonnif]

So weird, had the same thing happen to me early this morning but it was only for my last letter submitted (which I submitted a day later then all my other letters on 6/27) and I have a letter received email for that letter on 6/28? I called AMCAS already but they said that it looked like an Interfolio issue that maybe it got delivered twice but I checked Interfolio and it only shows the one delivery for that letter on 6/28? Strange.....

Computer systems that dont work perfectly? Poppycock! Interconnectivity between AMCAS and Interfolio not flawless? Hogwash!

The issues between interfolio and AMCAS have popped up over the past several years. The first 10 years of AMCAS online was problematic as well. As my former tech support team always said, if products actually worked correctly, they wouldnt have jobs.

I mean its not like they are using something as old as Windows 2000, a system that hasnt had updates in like 10 years and can easily be hacked. That is only used for meaningless things like voting machines in current elections

Redirect Notice

 

[keanureaves]

Am I crazy to tell a physician I work with to NOT talk about MCAT/GPA? His knowledge on admissions is pretty.. dated and he glosses over every time I make a suggestion like this. My thoughts are that I've worked with him for a year and I wanted the focus to be on my ability to work in a clinical setting, he was not involved in any way with academics/MCAT so he's not in a position to speak on this, I have my academic letter writers with LOR already discussing this, and since I had space for more letters this one was only going to go to his alma mater.

 

[gonnif]

Am I crazy to tell a physician I work with to NOT talk about MCAT/GPA? His knowledge on admissions is pretty.. dated and he glosses over every time I make a suggestion like this. My thoughts are that I've worked with him for a year and I wanted the focus to be on my ability to work in a clinical setting, he was not involved in any way with academics/MCAT so he's not in a position to speak on this, I have my academic letter writers with LOR already discussing this, and since I had space for more letters this one was only going to go to his alma mater.

The physician has no formal role in evaluating GPA/MCAT. It is outside his specialty and should not be discussed. If you were getting this letter from a physician solely for his alma mater, I would simply drop it as it has little value. Let the physician write the letter, submit to AMCAS, and you never assign it to a school

 

[Kelvenlee97]

Can I transfer LORs from the MD portion of AMCAS to the DO application in the same cycle or do I have to completely reapply.

 

[gonnif]

Can I transfer LORs from the MD portion of AMCAS to the DO application in the same cycle or do I have to completely reapply.

AMCAS and AACOMAS are completely separate systems and have completely separate letter processing. If you use interfolio, you can send the letters to either AMCAS or ACCOMAS. Else you have to use Letters By Liasion to submit requests to evaluators

 

[gonnif]

I have 2 physician shadowing letters, and have been sending different ones to different schools depending on their mission. One of the schools sent me an email saying that the shadowing letter I sent them doesn't meet their requirements. I called and they said the letter had "no mention" of me shadowing (which I in fact did - many times!!), and that it was written in a way that it sounded like I just approached the doctor because I knew them for a long time and asked for a recommendation.

I'm kind of freaking out because now I know that this letter which I sent to multiple schools is mediocre. I want to send the other shadowing letter to all the schools that I only sent the previous letter to.

Would ADCOMs appreciate an update and/or email letting them know that I've uploaded an additional letter (I hope its not too late!). Also, I'm at the letter limit for some of the schools that have lower limits. Would it be unwise to upload an additional letter in excess of their published limit?

You DO NOT create a new letter ID and have a new doctor uploaded

you DO use existing letter ID and have new letter uploaded there where it will append to existing letter

This will automatically update the system.

 

[FutureSurgical]

An update: got my final letter in Aug. 19th. Everything else was sent in by the end of July (verified app on 6/14, all secondaries paid for and sent in within 2 weeks, etc.)

Will this late letter I needed be viewed negatively?

Thank you for playing along with my neuroticism

 

[gonnif]

An update: got my final letter in Aug. 19th. Everything else was sent in by the end of July (verified app on 6/14, all secondaries paid for and sent in within 2 weeks, etc.)

Will this late letter I needed be viewed negatively?

Thank you for playing along with my neuroticism

The definitive answer is: it doesnt matter. You have submitted your application and letters and speculating on how it will be viewed does nothing. Move on

 

[deleted981412]

One of my letter writers retired last year. Should I write their title as "Associate professor, Emeritus"? Is this the acceptable way to address them?

 

[gonnif]

One of my letter writers retired last year. Should I write their title as "Associate professor, Emeritus"? Is this the acceptable way to address them?

just put associate professor

 

[blackhawk]

Great information in this thread.

 

[zsnydzz]

My secondaries have been sitting in limbo for weeks now, as I've waited on one final letter, and I just heard from her that she won't be submitting it. I have updated my AMCAs to reflect the change, but my secondaries are still pending due to not receiving the letter. How do I "remove" the letter to allow my secondary to be marked complete? Will it update automatically? If so, why is it taking so long?

 

[gonnif]

If you have done the below, you can send email to schools about this. Of course that may just remind them your LOR writer wasnt even enthusatic enough to submit. Unless you can express a solid reason why your letter failed to submit, I would leave it alone

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...-2020-amcas-applicant-guide041119.pdf#page=56
If a Letter Is No Longer Being Sent
After the initial submission of your AMCAS application, letter entries may not be deleted; instead,
they may be designated as “No Longer Being Sent.” Log in to your application and go to the Letters
of Evaluation section to make the designation:
• A notice above the letter descriptions reads as follows: “Medical schools need to know if you no
longer plan on having specific letters sent to AMCAS. If one or more of your letters listed below is
not going to be sent to AMCAS, select here.”
• Check the box next to the letter(s) that will not be sent to AMCAS. Be sure to select the correct
Author and Letter ID combination from your application.
• You must read and acknowledge the following: “I understand that if AMCAS receives this letter
at any time during this application cycle, AMCAS will forward it to the medical school(s) that I have
selected to receive this letter.” Then select Save.
• To save these changes on your application, you must officially update your application. Changes
will not be saved unless you officially update your application by selecting the Resubmit Application
button on the Main Menu. Updating your application for this purpose will not cause processing
delays or result in additional fees.
• The last column of the letter entry will now read “No Longer Sending.”

 

[blackhawk]

My secondaries have been sitting in limbo for weeks now, as I've waited on one final letter, and I just heard from her that she won't be submitting it. I have updated my AMCAs to reflect the change, but my secondaries are still pending due to not receiving the letter. How do I "remove" the letter to allow my secondary to be marked complete? Will it update automatically? If so, why is it taking so long?

I am in a similar situation. My secondaries were submitted from late July to mid-Sept. But one of my recommendation letters has not arrived yet (I first contacted her in April). I called and emailed her many times. Every time she promised that she would do this asap, but she never did. Finally two days ago I changed the letter status to “No Longer Being Sent". I also asked for one more recommendation letter from someone else and he uploaded the letter last weekend (one week after my request). I called several schools before and after all these. Some of them told me that they would not review my file until all the letters they would expect to receive are received (even the min # of letters they require is satisfied). Some other schools told me that my files were already transferred to committee because even without this letter, my application satisfied the min # of letters required by these schools. But I am not sure if my files being in committee means they will process my case. I am also not sure if changing the letter state to "No Longer Being Sent" and sending a new letter will put me to the bottom in their review lists. I have reasonable stats (3.95/518) and above average extracurriculars. But I have not received any II yet. I feel your pain, frustration and worries.

I previously post in another thread and thanks gonnif's reply with some information I had not been aware of.

 

[premed4549]

Is there any way to upload an additional LOR for a school I was put on hold for?

 

[gonnif]

call the school and ask as deadlines for the formal process AMCAS process are over

 

[elitehacker1337]

Does anyone know if a a letter from a research project in SSHA from a professor at another university who also hosted a class I took for credit (basically research credits) but was not the official professor on record for that class would classify as a 'non-science LoR'

 

[gonnif]

Does anyone know if a a letter from a research project in SSHA from a professor at another university who also hosted a class I took for credit (basically research credits) but was not the official professor on record for that class would classify as a 'non-science LoR'

NO

 

[Balto0509]

Hello all and thank you for maintaining this thread.

I am a reapplicant who will be applying approx 8 years after my first application cycle. For my first cycle, I had the typical "2 science/PI, 1 non-science" rec letters. However,I haven't taken any science courses since then. As all of my prereqs are done, I would prefer not to repeat any of those courses. Is it appropriate to reach out to old science professors, update them, and ask for an updated letter? Will it be seen out-of-date by admission committees? If so, how would I satisfy the "science professor" requirement? Thank you!