Should I tell my letter writer to send LOR in e-mail to my advisor or mail it himself?

[TulaneUnderdog]

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I'm still new to this process, and the last thing I want him to do is give the letter to me because I know there is a code that I will abide by that I must not directly receive these letters since they imply that I read them. Should my letter writer just e-mail it to my advisor for him to distribute or some other way instead?

 

[claduva94]

It should be uploaded to AMCAS. Alternatively, he can upload it to a service like Interfolio, where you can manage the letters without seeing them.

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

It should be uploaded to AMCAS. Alternatively, he can upload it to a service like Interfolio, where you can manage the letters without seeing them.

My advisor can't do it for him? I'm trying to make it as convenient as possible for him. Only professor can upload it to AMCAS?

 

[claduva94]

Why make your advisor do it? Are you uploading it as a single packet?

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

Why make your advisor do it? Are you uploading it as a single packet?

No I'm not. One of my professors is non-science, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't really know how to use a computer nor even trust registering on some website that could spam him.

 

[claduva94]

He

No I'm not. One of my professors is non-science, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't really know how to use a computer nor even trust registering on some website that could spam him.

He can mail it to AMCAS. Or, I don't think AMCAS requires them to make an account. I could be wrong though. I used Interfolio.

 

[hoihaie]

have him mail a hardcopy to interfolio then

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

I'm not familiar with Interfolio; does that require a paid plan? If so: how much more convenient is it than sending it to AMCAS? Does any of these methods allow my advisor to simply middle-man it all?

 

[claduva94]

I'm not familiar with Interfolio; does that require a paid plan? If so: how much more convenient is it than sending it to AMCAS? Does any of these methods allow my advisor to simply middle-man it all?

Interfolio lets you be the middle man. Pretty much, all of the letters get uploaded to your file. You can then send them wherever and whenever you need to. It costs about $25 a year.

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

That sounds like an awesome tool I would be willing to pay, but once again, to make it most convenient for my professor, can he still pass it on to my adviser to upload it on Interfolio for him? Or is mailing a hardcopy the only way?

 

[claduva94]

I mean I suppose you could. I'm not really sure if Interfolio monitors who uploaded the letter.

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

But does Interfolio allow it. I just want to fairly send these LORs, not be a loose cannon lol. So all i know is this:

1) Interfolio is convenient because I'm a middle-man.
2) AMCAS uploading is not convenient because the letter-writer himself must register and the adviser cannot middle-man.

and what I don't know is:

1) Is my adviser allowed to middle-man the mailing of these letters after receiving it from the professor by e-mail.
2) Can my adviser upload it for my professor on Interfolio without breaking the rules?

 

[claduva94]

But does Interfolio allow it. I just want to fairly send these LORs, not be a loose cannon lol. So all i know is this:

1) Interfolio is convenient because I'm a middle-man.
2) AMCAS uploading is not convenient because the letter-writer himself must register and the adviser cannot middle-man.

and what I don't know is:

1) Is my adviser allowed to middle-man the mailing of these letters after receiving it from the professor by e-mail.
2) Can my adviser upload it for my professor on Interfolio without breaking the rules?

Not sure. I never had a similar situation. It would be no different from your advisor uploading his letter to AMCAS though.

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

It shouldn't be any different but there's a reason why AMCAS wants the instructor himself to register which makes it look all the more immoral if me or my adviser makes up the account for him. It just seems a little too surreptitious and wrong to be doing such a thing. But does Interfolio have a more open approach (no registration, just upload it directly?) or is it as closed.

Anyways, I think I have been drawing out this issue for too long and I'm just going to call AMCAS/Interfolio (if they have customer service) and just ask them this whole dilemma myself.

 

[TulaneUnderdog]

Or I may just knock and walk in on the professor with an envelope that I already postmarked and wrote the address for him to make it super convenient for him but time is running out big time for this year.

 

[claduva94]

Or I may just knock and walk in on the professor with an envelope that is already postmarked to make it super convenient for him but time is running out big time for this year.

Yeah. Have you asked him to try making an account? It can't hurt...