To Committee or Not to Committee

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ajm422

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Hi, everyone. I'm a non trad (3.5s/3.5c/33) applying to lower tier MD schools and several DO schools. I graduated undergrad in 2009, have several neuroscience publications (including one co-first author), good ECs, etc.

My question is the committee letter, which my undergrad offers. Unfortuately, it comes out very late, as in September-October. I'm planning on submitting AMCAS and AACOMAS next week and I have all my letters (2 science, 1 non-science, PI, volunteer, MD) in Interfolio. If I go non-committee, I can submit all my letters and be done with it, possibly totally complete with secondaries included in mid-July. If I wait for the committee letter, I may not be complete until September or (gasp) October!

With my borderline stats (for MD, at least), I would really rather be totally complete as early as possible rather than waiting for the committee letter. I feel like as an engineering major non-trad who did most of his science classes, shadowing, volunteering, and MCAT-taking after I graduated, I have an acceptable reason to forgo the committee letter despite my undergrad institution offering the option. Or is the committee letter really that valuable? Is it worth the wait?

Thanks!
 
Are you from Cali?, cause those are not borderline stats for MD, those are pretty solid stats if you are applying to a sensible range of schools, have well-rounded ECs, submit early, and no red flags.

but timing wise... I am almost certain you can submit AMCAS and be verified with a committee letter still pending. (Can anyone else confirm this?) So if you feel like your committee has got your back & will add some positive perspective to your LORs, then go for it. If not, then don't bother.
 
Are you from Cali?, cause those are not borderline stats for MD, those are pretty solid stats if you are applying to a sensible range of schools, have well-rounded ECs, submit early, and no red flags.

but timing wise... I am almost certain you can submit AMCAS and be verified with a committee letter still pending. (Can anyone else confirm this?) So if you feel like your committee has got your back & will add some positive perspective to your LORs, then go for it. If not, then don't bother.

Thanks for your response. I'm not from Cali, and I'm applying to OOS-friendly schools whose matriculant stats match up with my own. I think I've decided to not go the committee route, as I did most of my premed work after graduation. I wasn't even considering a medical career while at University and I'm not sure my committee can add much to my app.

I know I can be verified with a letter still pending, but I can't be complete until I get my committee letter in, which wouldn't be until September-October. As I'm submitting next week, I can be complete (AMCAS, secondaries, LORs) at all my schools mid-July/early-August which, in my case, might be as valuable as a committee letter as I don't think it would help me so much.

Thanks!
 
I did not choose a committee letter. First of all, I was a phyics major and didn't know anyone on it. Secondly, I was a nontrad and had been out for a few years. I got my 2 letters from my professors and had a lot of interviewers tell me how great they were. It's a non-issue generally
 
AMCAS says you can add additional letters later, so you could submit without the committee letter listed, then add it in the future...

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