Send Individual Letters in addition to a Committee Letter?

[supaduper]

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My school's pre-med committee wrote me a committee letter, which incorporated in four individual letters of rec (science profs, PI, etc.). The committee letter does not include the individual letters in their entirety, but does include large quotations from them.

I understand that most schools require either a committee letter OR individual letters. My question is whether it would be wise/unwise to send the individual letters on top of the committee letter (that were used to help compile the committee letter). My inclination is to not send them, as I feel like it would be a rehashing of what is already contained in the committee's letter and hopefully anything worth mentioning is already incorporated, and I would not want to unnecessarily add to the adcom's task. However, my only worry is that perhaps important details could be omitted, or perhaps some adcoms appreciate having each letter individually rather than wading through a committee letter for the portions they are most interested in.

My apologies if it seems like this topic has been done to death. I looked over past threads, but couldn't really find a satisfactory response. Any advice from the sages of SDN is most appreciated.

Best of luck to everyone applying in the 2012 cycle.

 

[giggle]

It's either/or - don't do both. Some schools require that you must use the committee letter if your school has such a service. Others will give you the option - for those schools, you can send them individually. Don't worry too much OP. But if this realllllyyyyy bugging you, just ask the schools directly for advice.

 

[StephBee]

The one exception I see is like what I"m doing. I'm a reapplicant so last year, I just submitted my comittee letter but I"m adding a letter from a professor I had last semester. Since the committee has already met and written me a letter, I added a letter rather than forcing them to rewrite everything.

 

[supaduper]

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like I'll just be sending my committee letter.

 

[Snuke]

This is an interesting question - I was told by a physician (he interviews at a med school nearby) to send individual letters in addition to committee, but only if they have a personal tie to the school. He, for instance, since I've known him almost ten years, is going to send a letter to his former medical school. I don't know if it will help, but is it appropriate? It would go only to that one school.