Professor wrote LOR without seeing my personal statement

[To be MD]

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I need some advice. I did really well in my Biochem class (A+), and my professor agreed to writing me an LOR. The professor asked me for a personal statement before writing it, and I told the professor I'd come in to deliver it in person after spring break (this week).

That being said, the professor just submitted the letter to AMCAS today.

Can I (should I??) ask them to rewrite the letter, or do I just have to live with this? I'm still incredibly thankful to the professor. I just know that without a PS, it's not going to be as great a letter. Is it incredibly rude to ask to edit a letter already submitted?

Help =(

 

[Lawpy]

I just know that without a PS, it's not going to be as great a letter.

Sorry, i don't follow. Could you elaborate?

 

[To be MD]

Sorry, i don't follow. Could you elaborate?

I have read on SDN that LORs are significantly better if the writer has a personal statement to go off of... am I mistaken?

 

[Long Way to Go]

I need some advice. I did really well in my Biochem class (A+), and my professor agreed to writing me an LOR. The professor asked me for a personal statement before writing it, and I told the professor I'd come in to deliver it in person after spring break (this week).

That being said, the professor just submitted the letter to AMCAS today.

Can I (should I??) ask them to rewrite the letter, or do I just have to live with this? I'm still incredibly thankful to the professor. I just know that without a PS, it's not going to be as great a letter. Is it incredibly rude to ask to edit a letter already submitted?

Help =(

What do you mean they submitted the personal statement to AMCAS today? The 2016-17 application isn't live yet.

 

[To be MD]

What do you mean they submitted the personal statement to AMCAS today? The 2016-17 application isn't live yet.

I have 2 submitted right now for 2016? Is that not going to carry over?

 

[dinotso]

Plenty of applicants have superb letters written without giving the writer their PS. If he asked for it, agreed on a timeframe for you delivering it, and wrote it before you gave it to him, I would guess he felt comfortable enough with his knowledge of you as an applicant... Is he a professor you actually knew well (office hours, etc?)

 

[LizzyM]

Whether it is for last cycle (2015-16) or next, let me assure you that it is much better for a LOR writer not to have seen your personal statement. We want the LOR writer's opinion based on observations of your behavior in class/lab/campus, your class participation, written reports, interactions with peers and faculty in office hours and in other campus venues where you may have interacted with the professor. We don't want a rehash of your application or your experiences unless the writer was a witness (e.g. you went on a service trip with the professor and listed that among your ECs but the professor has first hand knowledge of the activity).

 

[Lawpy]

I have read on SDN that LORs are significantly better if the writer has a personal statement to go off of... am I mistaken?

Well there are a lot of mixed reports on this. A recent thread discussing this topic suggests that adcoms seem to be split on the issue. Some say that LOR writers should write everything they can about you without having to ask for resume/CV/PS etc. to illustrate strong relationships with you. So these letters will ideally talk about good characteristics like teamwork, leadership, responsibility, dedication etc.

Others, however, say that sending a PS/CV/resume may help in providing much needed context. But even then, the PS is simply used as a supplement for understanding you in a broader context, so I doubt that not sending in the PS to your writer would yield a weak letter.

 

[To be MD]

Great.

AMCAS 2016 means 2015-16 and, not 16-17; they will delete the letters I have on file for LORs that I asked for 5 months ahead of the cycle to be polite and give them plenty of time to be written; and I have to ask these kind professors to hopefully resubmit letters.

Thank you LizzyM, Law, and Dino for the excellent advice! Not so worried about that anymore 🙂