Pre-Health Committee Letter

[StunnaBoy]

I graduated from Loyola University of Chicago in ‘21 and am applying this summer to medical school. Loyola pushed their committee advising pretty hard while I attended but at that time I was a garbage student and truthfully I was more concerned on passing my classes than thinking that far ahead. I’m in an SMP now and working part-time as well to remedy the holes in my application, but I completely overlooked applying to the pre-health advising committee at my undergrad. I have developed some great relationships with my professors in grad school and with others in the lab I work in, so I’m very confident I can gather some really strong LORs. My question is, should I just apply with the separate letters I can ask for or would it be advisable to take ANOTHER gap year (i’m already going to be at #3 when I apply) to get that committee letter?

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[wysdoc]

I graduated from Loyola University of Chicago in ‘21 and am applying this summer to medical school. Loyola pushed their committee advising pretty hard while I attended but at that time I was a garbage student and truthfully I was more concerned on passing my classes than thinking that far ahead. I’m in an SMP now and working part-time as well to remedy the holes in my application, but I completely overlooked applying to the pre-health advising committee at my undergrad. I have developed some great relationships with my professors in grad school and with others in the lab I work in, so I’m very confident I can gather some really strong LORs. My question is, should I just apply with the separate letters I can ask for or would it be advisable to take ANOTHER gap year (i’m already going to be at #3 when I apply) to get that committee letter?

In your situation using the individual letters will be better. I'm not sure the Loyola pre-health committee would do one for someone who already graduated.

 

[StunnaBoy]

In your situation using the individual letters will be better. I'm not sure the Loyola pre-health committee would do one for someone who already graduated.

Thank you for the quick response! To your point, they cater their services to all alumni regardless of how many years its been since graduation. I was just a bit concerned since I know some medical schools (like Loyola's) require you to explain why you opted to not submit a committee letter.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If your SMP faculty have a committee letter process, I'd go with that one. If not, what do they offer?

It won't kill your application if you don't use the undergraduate committee, especially if you never really got to develop a relationship with them. Your explanation of "why not your undergraduate committee" is okay.

 

[StunnaBoy]

If your SMP faculty have a committee letter process, I'd go with that one. If not, what do they offer?

It won't kill your application if you don't use the undergraduate committee, especially if you never really got to develop a relationship with them. Your explanation of "why not your undergraduate committee" is okay.

My program doesn't offer a committee letter but I have a program director who has been a mentor throughout my time in school and I've been in several courses taught by the same few professors, so in that sense, I have several people who can speak on my abilities pretty well.