Pre-Med Committee delaying Committee Letter

[Theseus]

I rarely complain, but I just have to vent at recent developments. My Committe Letter was "completed" early July after my interview in April. They initially told me the letter would be ready and uploaded by the end of July, but nope.

So then they tell me that the Committee Letter will not be uploaded until late August. I am beyond frustrated at this point since I applied early and completed almost all the secondaries I received so far. Now I'm just an oarless boat floating in the middle of the lake.

I really fell like I am already late since interview invites are already being sent out. Should I request my professors for individual letters of recommendation instead of using the Committee Letter? Since I already completed the secondaries, I indicated that they will be receiving a committee letter. I have to sort this out as quickly as possible.

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[forfun135]

+1
So frustrated.

 

[TxC]

Generally when your school has a committee, it is recommended that a committee letter be used. If you don't use it, you'll need a really good reason explaining why you aren't using it.

Just look around on SDN, there are lots of threads about late committee letters. Lots of people struggle with this problem.

 

[Theseus]

Generally when your school has a committee, it is recommended that a committee letter be used. If you don't use it, you'll need a really good reason explaining why you aren't using it.

Just look around on SDN, there are lots of threads about late committee letters. Lots of people struggle with this problem.

Yeah, how about a carrot on a stick? That's a good enough reason. Apply for the letter early they said. It's frustrating because I applied on the first day the committee letter application was open and completed everything in an instant. Just venting now, thanks.

Eh, whatever. Can't stress over things out of my control.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

A lot of us are in the same boat. mine probably won't be in until September, and it infuriates me, but what can be done? can't call and complain to the people who are supposed to be evaluating you. the whole process sucks but a lot of us are in similar positions. lets hope for the best and try to pass the time.

 

[LizzyM]

Chill. Everyone else at your school is in the same boat. I've had this issue with Duke (maybe not now as much as in years past) and some other top schools. Sometimes we'll issue an interview invite with a note to file to check the LOR after the interview (usually we do it before), or we just know that some of our very strong applicants are going to be complete in Sept/Oct and we'll be on the look-out for them.

 

[rhino184]

Chill. Everyone else at your school is in the same boat. I've had this issue with Duke (maybe not now as much as in years past) and some other top schools. Sometimes we'll issue an interview invite with a note to file to check the LOR after the interview (usually we do it before), or we just know that some of our very strong applicants are going to be complete in Sept/Oct and we'll be on the look-out for them.

I'm a Duke undergrad and am having this very problem

 

[HawksWin]

+1 for having this problem and it is driving me crazy. The people in my school's prehealth are some of the laziest on the planet. The ratio of applicants to full time staff is 6:1; there is no reason it should take 8-12 weeks for them to upload the letters. It is a disgrace to all the unemployed people in this country that these people have jobs and are so careless about their responsibilities.

 

[nwts]

I rarely complain, but I just have to vent at recent developments. My Committe Letter was "completed" early July after my interview in April. They initially told me the letter would be ready and uploaded by the end of July, but nope.

So then they tell me that the Committee Letter will not be uploaded until late August. I am beyond frustrated at this point since I applied early and completed almost all the secondaries I received so far. Now I'm just an oarless boat floating in the middle of the lake.

I really fell like I am already late since interview invites are already being sent out. Should I request my professors for individual letters of recommendation instead of using the Committee Letter? Since I already completed the secondaries, I indicated that they will be receiving a committee letter. I have to sort this out as quickly as possible.

I know this isn't going to make your situation any less frustrating, but I haven't heard about any non-ED interview invites being sent out yet. If there are any, there really aren't many. It still sucks that this is happening to you, but I hope it will reassure you to know that a lot of schools won't even send out any interview invitations until mid-August.

 

[Gurby]

If it's any consolation, when you look back at the people who posted in this thread last year, their statuses all say "Medical Student (Accepted)".

 

[bceagle411]

I surprisingly was able to scare my school into sending the letter in earlier, as they were going to wait till august. Have you tried talking to members of the committee and saying that this is the only think holding back your app? most schools want as many of their students to get into med school as possible, so they may help you out

 

[NickNaylor]

To add a finer point to @LizzyM's point: you are not special in this regard. Is it frustrating? Yes. But guess what, there are plenty of people at your institution dealing with the same process and the same frustrations. Forgoing a committee letter because "I didn't want my letter late" isn't a good idea. It doesn't give off a positive impression of you.

 

[LizzyM]

+1 for having this problem and it is driving me crazy. The people in my school's prehealth are some of the laziest on the planet. The ratio of applicants to full time staff is 6:1; there is no reason it should take 8-12 weeks for them to upload the letters. It is a disgrace to all the unemployed people in this country that these people have jobs and are so careless about their responsibilities.

Uploading the letters is the easy part. Is there a committee letter? That has to be written and if done well it is formulaic but customized to the point where it is very personalized and might take quite a bit of time to work through. To even the playing field for everyone, I think that some schools upload all of the committee letters at once rather than as they are completed as this would be very early for some and later for others. Really, folks, if your AMCAS is submitted by Independence Day and your letters in by Labor Day you should have your first interview before Thanksgiving and should have at least one offer by St. Patrick's Day/Purim/Nowruz.

 

[LizzyM]

What about Budda's Birthday!

I feel very sorry for the folks who don't get even one offer until Buddha's Birthday. That's after AMCAS opens to prepare an application for the cycle. How can one be at peace with such a long wait?

 

[Banco]

These threads start to pop up every year around this time. This is a good sign, it means you are not alone. At this point just don't worry about it because it is out of your hands. Late august is still okay to be complete.

2 advantages of the committee letter.

1.) Med schools know what to look for and expect from those letters, and they prefer them.
2.) It knocks out all letter requirements for like 95% of med schools, which is super convenient.