Secondary: waiving of requirements e-mail and when to send it

[OwnageMobile]

So, I've been away form college for a year and want to use a PI in lieu of a science professor--no biggie right?
I've also only taken "Honors Molecular & Cell bio" which was a semester with lab. So, technically my requirements for bio aren't completed. I did take a bio chem class w/o lab, mammilian physiology w/o lab, and human anatomy, for which I took lab, then taught lab. So I can't see either of these being much of a problem. On to the question: when should I e-mail about this? Don't schools wait till acceptances to check if your requirements suffice (e.g. they as for your transcripts)?
And for the LORs, if I emailed them would they just place a "stick-it note" on my application that says "this guy called and asked if he could do this, so it's OK." I figure I should e-mail about the LOR now, but am not sure on when I should ask about waiving the bio requirement, for fear of raising flags early on (paranoid? maybe)

Any experiences (preffered) or speculation?

thanks,

OM.

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[jackieMD2007]

So, I've been away form college for a year and want to use a PI in lieu of a science professor--no biggie right?
I've also only taken "Honors Molecular & Cell bio" which was a semester with lab. So, technically my requirements for bio aren't completed. I did take a bio chem class w/o lab, mammilian physiology w/o lab, and human anatomy, for which I took lab, then taught lab. So I can't see either of these being much of a problem. On to the question: when should I e-mail about this? Don't schools wait till acceptances to check if your requirements suffice (e.g. they as for your transcripts)?
And for the LORs, if I emailed them would they just place a "stick-it note" on my application that says "this guy called and asked if he could do this, so it's OK." I figure I should e-mail about the LOR now, but am not sure on when I should ask about waiving the bio requirement, for fear of raising flags early on (paranoid? maybe)

Any experiences (preffered) or speculation?

thanks,

OM.

At some schools you may have to get permission for that. If they need three academic letters (two sci, one non-sci) they may waive the one non-sci if you have a work letter or something else, if you are non-traditional. I have already run into this at a couple of schools and have had to ask for special permission. So be careful in how you substitute your letters.

Also, I'm pretty clear that you just have to have your requirements done before matriculation. If you have them planned for the year, you put them on AMCAS as FUTURE/CURRENT and indicate that you're doing them. You may want to check with your schools to make sure this is fine, but I know for a fact that some schools will still let you apply because the prereqs are a condition for matriculation, not admission.

At the same time, they want to know how you did in those classes, so they might wait to offer admission until they see your transcripts. But I don't know about that.

 

[ADeadLois]

I would contact (phone, not e-mail) the schools in question right away. The Bio thing might require your school to send information to ok the bio requirement. Also, don't assume that you can replace the PI LOR for an academic one.

 

[OwnageMobile]

Thanks guys. ::cough bump cough::

 

[OwnageMobile]

Any other people with similar experiences? Please people, help Ownage out. Bump.

 

[Law2Doc]

Any other people with similar experiences? Please people, help Ownage out. Bump.

It is up to each school whether they will waive anything or allow for prereq substitutions. The general rule is likely no. Lots of nontrads have had to track down old college profs to get necessary science letters, because they were strictly required. Similarly, some (most) schools are sticklers for the prereqs (some won't even count literature classes as english if offered by the wrong department). Assume you are not able to do any of the things you suggested unless explicitly given permission. And I would not expect permission from most places, based on personal experiences.

 

[OwnageMobile]

Oh, ish. Well that's not comforting news. Thanks L2D for your input.

 

[notdeadyet]

I graduated college in '94 so I would have a tough time getting recs from my undergrad days. The two med schools I contacted about this were willing to waive it.

The prereqs thing would be tough to waive, though, I'd imagine.

 

[FujiApple]

I have a similar situation. I have one science prof from a biochem class, and one letter from my PI. I thought I could sneak this in, since I got credit for the research and he had to give me a grade after I turned in my thesis. Do you think the PI counts as a science prof?

 

[OwnageMobile]

hmm, well I think my prereq qualm is relatively minor, but vaguely recall reading that schools don't check the reqs until after acceptance, which, yes, does sounds a bit backwards.

Should I call the schools or can I just e-mail them? I'm in China, and feeling busy/too lazy to call. Set me straight please. The matter(s) are a bit complicated, and may be easier to understand in written form...