Reapplicant LORs

[joebruin15]

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I'm reapplying to med school after not getting any interviews and had a question about letters of rec. Do we still need letters from 2 science and 1 non science? What if you haven't been in school for a year since the application cycle and haven't kept in touch with those professors. I have been working in a few labs and can get other LORs but I doubt I can get a strong LOR from a non science professor, is this necessary?

 

[Avoidthetiger]

You will still need faculty LORs for most schools. A year isn't very long to be out of school. You probably should send a LOR from your current research supervisor. Some school's don't require a non-science LOR so you don't need to worry about those ones... but some schools do require. I would check LOR requirements to the school's you are applying to. Also, you can re-use some LORs -- but my recommendation is to try to get them to atleast update the year to make it a "current LOR".

 

[400292]

Does your school not offer a composite or committee letter? If so, you should have this, most med schools expect it now a days...and in fact you will need to explain yourself if you don't have one.

If you have a composite, it's as simple as getting new letters to go along w/ it each app cycle. The composite requires 2 undergrad profs and 2 other letters. Thus, the hassle is taken care of.

If you don't have a composite, ask your university if they offer, through the career center or pre-med office, a composite service to alum. If not you will need to explain yourself to med schools anywho. In this case, most schools, regardless how long you've been out of college, require 2 professors (from any education institution above high school, eg college, post-bac, grad, etc.) and 2 others (employer, boss, EC president, some other professional, shadowed doc, etc). Schools ask for different numbers of LORs, but they follow the above format. Some schools allow you to send in more.

 

[alex0388]

You will still need faculty LORs for most schools. A year isn't very long to be out of school. You probably should send a LOR from your current research supervisor. Some school's don't require a non-science LOR so you don't need to worry about those ones... but some schools do require. I would check LOR requirements to the school's you are applying to. Also, you can re-use some LORs -- but my recommendation is to try to get them to atleast update the year to make it a "current LOR".

Four of my letters of recommendation were written in 2009, do you think medical schools would look badly upon the fact that they are 2 years old and I haven't updated them??

 

[Mindscrew]

if you are a non-trad re-applicant, you can apply for a waiver on the requirement for letters. Some schools will grant it others will not. Call ahead and ask.

I only had 1 science prof from undergrad which in all honesty doesn't makes sense b/c i've been out of school for 15 years so it was my weakest letter. I did however send in 6 letters.