Question for Cornell Premeds

[fuzzywuz]

Hey all,

I have a question regarding the HCEC process. I realize that the committee does not send out the LORs until sometime in mid August?

Do you think that has affected your application in some ways?

I will be applying next year and I am aiming to complete my AMCAS by early June for verification. I will take the MCATs at the end of May and hope to get the score back by early July. Hopefully, by the time I get the scores, my AMCAS has already been verified. However, because of the LOR situation, I'm concern that the added delay would be troubling for an applicant that is
not so competitive/average (<-- me).

Thanks!

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[jackson123]

Don't worry about it too much....but, definitely go through the HCEC process....many interviewers of mine (including the dean of admissions at Columbia) told me that the committee letter is very thorough and helpful to them.

 

[SigurRos]

Even if your letters get released in August, it won't be a problem at all. Your letters are only needed after you submit your secondaries. Just go through HCEC because the benefits will outweigh the minor negatives.

 

[starlight04]

think about it this way: not going through the pre-med committee is often suspicious and a "red flag" for med schools, because your school has not recommended/endorsed your application, and a lot of schools ask you to write a specific reason why you didn't choose to go through a committee if your undergrad had one.

i thought the hcec process was a hassle but it saves you a lot of trouble when its time to apply (you dont have to worry about recs, have already had a practice interview, and have a working copy of your personal statement). many cornell kids are able to get into top med schools, and i think that mid-august is still early enough for consideration at most schools. in the very least, i didn't feel shafted out of not getting interviews or anything like that.

 

[se2131]

Be glad that your letters get sent out in mid-August, instead of mid-September like at my school. Policies require a "mock-interview" w/ the premed committee before the letter can be sent out, but they only offer it in the fall of the application year!

Anyway, it hasn't affected my application as far as I can tell, but I have a few friends who have been told by some med schools that they would have extended an invitation to interview if they had slots available. If the pre-med committee had sent the stuff in over the summer, they would've been interviewing at these schools.

You basically have to go through the committee for most med schools, they usually won't consider your file complete w/o the committee letter if you have a pre-med committee at your school (this is quoted from a Dean of Admissions). Mid-August should be plenty fine, just make sure it doesn't get out much later than that.

 

[RedLights]

Yeah, the HCEC is worth it for all the reasons mentioned above.

And maybe I'm wrong here, but I don't even think schools start interviewing until September (my first interview wasn't until October and most weren't until November). The way I see it, if a school wants to interview you they will, regardless of whether your application is complete in July, August, or September.

 

[custard]

I'm not at Cornell but I wouldn't worry about this. You will have a lot (I'm assuming) of secondaries to do once your primary has been verified (and even before it has) so just focus on getting those done and sent off so once the letter comes through you'll be all set. Mid-August is still early, even by SDN standards.

 

[fuzzywuz]

Thanks for all of your comments. They certainly put some of my fears to rest.

Thanks!!!

 

[BigRedPremed]

They ask med schools if mid-August is too late. Med schools always say no. Thus, don't expect to see a change in the HCEC rec letter start date anytime soon.

9 out of my 10 interviews took place before the end of the year. I guess it couldn't have slowed down my app that much.