Rec letters- HELP

[kmoonp]

Hey SDN,

I will be a re-applicant this cycle and haven't been able to get in touch with my 2 non-science profs from last cycle about using their letters again this year. I've been out of school for a year and with all this COVID stuff, don't really know who else I can ask and I'm freaking out a little. I was part of a non-science/non-premed organization throughout college and by being a part of that org, we were allowed to sign up for a 1 credit class (up to 3 times) related to the organization. The class is on my transcripts as well. The "professor" for the class was our org's leader/coach. She had already written me a letter last year and will be will be writing one again for me this year. However, she mostly wrote a character letter as she was my org leader. My question is- if everything falls through, could I use her letter as my non-science letter since technically I took her class three times? I'd appreciate any feedback or advice!

Additionally, when exactly is the deadline for recommendation letters? If I submit my primarily and then one of my OG non-science profs gets back to me, can I still add their names as letter writers and send them the AMCAS letter forms?

@gonnif

@Goro @LizzyM

 

[kmoonp]

bump

 

[Makishigal]

You should consider having them upload the letters to Interfolio so you'll always have them.
You dont need your letters to submit your application, your application will be verified as long as the official transcripts are in. However, you should plan to have your letters in by the time you submit your secondaries.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[lumya]

Hey SDN,

I will be a re-applicant this cycle and haven't been able to get in touch with my 2 non-science profs from last cycle about using their letters again this year. I've been out of school for a year and with all this COVID stuff, don't really know who else I can ask and I'm freaking out a little. I was part of a non-science/non-premed organization throughout college and by being a part of that org, we were allowed to sign up for a 1 credit class (up to 3 times) related to the organization. The class is on my transcripts as well. The "professor" for the class was our org's leader/coach. She had already written me a letter last year and will be will be writing one again for me this year. However, she mostly wrote a character letter as she was my org leader. My question is- if everything falls through, could I use her letter as my non-science letter since technically I took her class three times? I'd appreciate any feedback or advice!

Additionally, when exactly is the deadline for recommendation letters? If I submit my primarily and then one of my OG non-science profs gets back to me, can I still add their names as letter writers and send them the AMCAS letter forms?

@gonnif

@Goro @LizzyM

For the non-science professors, have you tried reaching out to the department head or have they left the university? Sometimes other professors might help you get in touch if the original professor left or is on sabbatical. If you did well in the class of the professor in charge of your organization and they can tweak your letter to reflect on your academic ability, it can be used as a non-science letter.

To echo the person above, you can submit the rest of your app for verification. Once your secondaries and letters of rec are in, your app would be considered "complete" for the school that's reviewing. If you put that one of these professors is writing you a letter and it takes them some time, it will hold up your secondary from being complete.

 

[gonnif]

1) Letters are NOT needed for AMCAS primary verification or transmission
2) Letters can be added after AMCAS primary has been verified and transmitted
3) Letters are typically needed by the medical school along with primary, secondary and MCAT in order to start fill evaluation
4) Getting letters to the schools by Sept 1 is still early so dont freak out
5) each medical school has its own deadline for letters and you should be aware of that
6) While 2 science/1 non-science is the rule of thumb, each school has their own requirements and recommendations. I find the admission's website for each school best to look these up
7) Some schools require you had the recommender for an actual class so you need to check this per school as well