*~*~*~* Official Letters of Recommendation Questions Thread 2020-2021 *~*~*~*

[KnightDoc]

Hi Gonnif! Thanks a lot for explaining. I guess my understanding of this is just don't ever use this LOR then? I am a little bit conflicted as I know this would be a strong LOR( and it's research for MSTP). But if there is consequences associated with it I'd rather just give it up.

That's my understanding, unless you want to wait another year.

My understanding, and it's really pretty simple, is that the window for submitting LORs closes once your application is marked complete, UNLESS you want to reopen the app, submit the late LOR, and go to the back of the line for application review, which is really never in your best interest. I do not plan on being able to use any letter that won't be ready to go by mid/late summer.

Even though a lot of schools won't release a lot of decisions until the spring, you should expect that many schools will have already reviewed your file by December, and that, once that happens, additional LORs will have little to no impact, no matter how good. Just like updates. Most schools accept them, and it seems like everyone not sitting on multiple As by December feels compelled to send them, but nobody in a position to know has posted on SDN that they move the needle on applications that have already been reviewed. It seems like they only matter, if at all, for people on a WL. YMMV. Good luck!!!

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[NALOL>>EU]

That's my understanding, unless you want to wait another year.

My understanding, and it's really pretty simple, is that the window for submitting LORs closes once your application is marked complete, UNLESS you want to reopen the app, submit the late LOR, and go to the back of the line for application review, which is really never in your best interest. I do not plan on being able to use any letter that won't be ready to go by mid/late summer.

Even though a lot of schools won't release a lot of decisions until the spring, you should expect that many schools will have already reviewed your file by December, and that, once that happens, additional LORs will have little to no impact, no matter how good. Just like updates. Most schools accept them, and it seems like everyone not sitting on multiple As by December feels compelled to send them, but nobody in a position to know has posted on SDN that they move the needle on applications that have already been reviewed. It seems like they only matter, if at all, for people on a WL. YMMV. Good luck!!!

Ahh I see! Thank you for the suggestions. I'll just let my PI know so he doesn't even need to bother writing it. Good luck to you too!

 

[KnightDoc]

Ahh I see! Thank you for the suggestions. I'll just let my PI know so he doesn't even need to bother writing it. Good luck to you too!

I'd wait for the final confirmation from @gonnif before doing that!!

Have you started in the lab yet? If so, is there any way you can get the letter shortly after you submit your application in June, rather than waiting until December?

If you haven't started yet, how do you know the letter will be so strong?? If you have a prior relationship with the PI, just get the letter based on that, and have him note that he loves you so much that he hired you to work in his lab during your gap year. If he writes it even a few weeks after you start in the lab, he'll be able to talk about that as well!!