Sponsorship: How do they even get to know you?

[LooKing4Ward]

So, I was just looking at Harvard Extension school so I'll quote them,

"In addition, premedical students have the option of applying to the Health Careers Program (HCP), whose staff serves as the premedical advising committee for the Extension School. The program sponsors qualified students in their application to medical school. The primary act of sponsorship is the writing of composite letters of recommendation, which include a personal assessment of candidates, an assemblage of excerpts from their individual letters of recommendation, and a summary of their fitness as future medical students".

How does the committee (from any school) personally get to know you enough to write/give you a good letter? Or is it just all formality? You do such and such, perform well, give me all your records/materials, and I'll (a comittee person) write you a letter (or in fact you write the letter and I'll approve and sign it). Or are these mostly teachers, advisers, etc. who you work with often enough that it becomes personal.

Thanks!

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[Sundarban1]

So, I was just looking at Harvard Extension school so I'll quote them,

"In addition, premedical students have the option of applying to the Health Careers Program (HCP), whose staff serves as the premedical advising committee for the Extension School. The program sponsors qualified students in their application to medical school. The primary act of sponsorship is the writing of composite letters of recommendation, which include a personal assessment of candidates, an assemblage of excerpts from their individual letters of recommendation, and a summary of their fitness as future medical students".

How does the committee (from any school) personally get to know you enough to write/give you a good letter? Or is it just all formality? You do such and such, perform well, give me all your records/materials, and I'll (a comittee person) write you a letter (or in fact you write the letter and I'll approve and sign it). Or are these mostly teachers, advisers, etc. who you work with often enough that it becomes personal.

Thanks!

If you continue to have questions I suggest posting in the official HES 2005 thread down at the bottom of the page.

To answer your question it is really upto you as to how well the professors get to know you. Most of the time you get to know your TF better than the actual professor, because you spend most of your time in small sections with 10-15 students and a TF. If you need an individual letter from a professor, and every professor has a different way of going about it, but for the most part the TF will write a summary of what they thought of you and then send that to the professor. The professor will write the letter based on the TF's evaluation of you and your grades in the class.

For sponsorship letters I beleive that the head of the program takes an inventory questionairre from you, your MCAT scores,AMCAS application, personal statement, etc. and produces a composite letter. Obviously this is more detailed than an individual letter, and sponsorship (if you meet the requirements) is also $500.