Too many LORs?

[DenTony11235]

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I have a committee letter.
LOR from physician who I shadowed.
LOR from hospital.







And here's the story behind the next two LORs I want:

LOR from calculus professor whose class I just finished: I messed up calculus as a Freshman 5 years ago getting an F then retaking to get a D. It really drained my sGPA. Right now I think I'll get an A in it, so I wanted an LOR additionally from my Cal. professor so that it is pointed out by my professor that I've dramatically improved.

LOR from my lieutenant lifeguard. I've been a lifeguard for 6 years and have wrote about my experiences in my personal statement. How I went from a rookie to a senior guard and have learned and seen much. Maybe getting an LOR from leutenant would look extra well?

Would this be too many? What do you guys think?

 

[Low Flow]

For most schools, just a committee letter is all they want. Some say you can submit extra LORs, but I can't imagine they'd take too much time to look at all of them. They're looking at around 800 applicants to interview and I wouldn't think they'd read 5 letters from each person, hence the wanting a condensed committee letter.

 

[DenTony11235]

For most schools, just a committee letter is all they want. Some say you can submit extra LORs, but I can't imagine they'd take too much time to look at all of them. They're looking at around 800 applicants to interview and I wouldn't think they'd read 5 letters from each person, hence the wanting a condensed committee letter.

Well. Could it hurt to have?

 

[allantois]

Some schools will specify that there is only that many letters they will look at. Can't you put the professor's letter in your committee letter packet? LOR from lifeguarding sounds like a letter you should include. For now just get all of those letters and look at every school you are going to be applying to check how many letter they will accept. If there is a limit at one school then only send them the best LORs, which is not necessarily the one that was written by a physician.

 

[DenTony11235]

I haven't made up my list of schools I'll be applying to.

I thought AMCAS collects all the letters then sends them all to every school I designate. Then, the schools could pick and choose whichever they want.

My calculus professors LOR can't be in the committee rec. They're from two diff schools. And the committee rec I already done.

 

[Keladry]

You'll need to look closely at the specific schools. Most will accept up to a given number, but that number varies. I frequently saw a maximum of 6, but some won't accept more than 2. You can upload them all to AMCAS and designate which schools receive which letter, but do not send more letters to the school than they ask for - it just indicates you can't follow instructions.

 

[gyngyn]

Your committee letter is fine. There is little to be gained from the additional ones you mentioned. Physician letters, in particular, hold little sway.

We do not pick and choose, you do.

 

[DenTony11235]

Some schools will specify that there is only that many letters they will look at. Can't you put the professor's letter in your committee letter packet? LOR from lifeguarding sounds like a letter you should include. For now just get all of those letters and look at every school you are going to be applying to check how many letter they will accept. If there is a limit at one school then only send them the best LORs, which is not necessarily the one that was written by a physician.

Your committee letter is fine. There is little to be gained from the additional ones you mentioned. Physician letters, in particular, hold little sway.

We do not pick and choose, you do.

You'll need to look closely at the specific schools. Most will accept up to a given number, but that number varies. I frequently saw a maximum of 6, but some won't accept more than 2. You can upload them all to AMCAS and designate which schools receive which letter, but do not send more letters to the school than they ask for - it just indicates you can't follow instructions.

So what would u guys say about the lifeguard LOR?
Pardon my nerves guys. My first time doing this and I want to do as much as possible yet not overdo.

 

[Keladry]

So what would u guys say about the lifeguard LOR?
Pardon my nerves guys. My first time doing this and I want to do as much as possible yet not overdo.

I'd say get the letter, if the writer is willing. For schools that accept that many LORs, you can send it; for others, don't. I had 6 or so letters (no premed committee); there were some I sent to every school (the 2 science/1 non-science professor letters required everywhere), and some I sent only when the school allowed a lot of letters (one from a physician, an extra professor letter).

 

[mvenus929]

The physician one is probably useless. Unless you're applying DO. In which case, you'll probably need it. I'm not sure what the hospital one is about--did you have a job there or something?

The lifeguard letter might be good to get if the writer is willing to write it, but you want to make sure you ask for a 'strong' letter and make sure the person knows it's for a medical school application.

As for the calc prof... is he going to say something in particular that the committee letter won't? I assume you've made great improvement based on the fact that you're applying to med school now, so I'm not sure what more he could really add to the mix, unless he knows you beyond the classroom as well.

 

[DenTony11235]

The physician one is probably useless. Unless you're applying DO. In which case, you'll probably need it. I'm not sure what the hospital one is about--did you have a job there or something?

The lifeguard letter might be good to get if the writer is willing to write it, but you want to make sure you ask for a 'strong' letter and make sure the person knows it's for a medical school application.

As for the calc prof... is he going to say something in particular that the committee letter won't? I assume you've made great improvement based on the fact that you're applying to med school now, so I'm not sure what more he could really add to the mix, unless he knows you beyond the classroom as well.

The idea was that I really wanted the adcoms to see that my sGPA is 3.67 because I have an F and D in cal. So I would suggest toy cal professor that he points out that I mentioned that to him, and that he was surprised or something when I did, since I'm pretty good at math.

It would make them realize the above. Which I reeeeally want them to. I know they probably will anyway, but I really wanted to make sure.

 

[mvenus929]

The idea was that I really wanted the adcoms to see that my sGPA is 3.67 because I have an F and D in cal. So I would suggest toy cal professor that he points out that I mentioned that to him, and that he was surprised or something when I did, since I'm pretty good at math.

Yeah... don't waste a letter on that. They'll see it. And the letter will add nothing to your application.

 

[DenTony11235]

Yeah... don't waste a letter on that. They'll see it. And the letter will add nothing to your application.

Really? But maybe just get it just to have it as an option to use?

What about the lifeguard letter?

 

[mvenus929]

Really? But maybe just get it just to have it as an option to use?

I mean, you can, but it's seriously not going to add anything to your application. Nothing. And worst case scenario, it points out that you got a D and an F on your first two attempts at Calculus. You can probably explain it once you get an interview or on a secondary without difficulty, but pointing out a red flag with a huge sign isn't going to win you any points. You have an upward trend now. They will see it. Assuming they don't have GPA filters in place, they will probably see the improvement, be impressed, and move on. There's no need to draw more attention to the fact that you took a class three times.

If the professor had anything else to comment on besides the fact that you got an A in his class, I'd say go for it. But the only reason you want it is to point out that you got an A in his class.

What about the lifeguard letter?

See:

The lifeguard letter might be good to get if the writer is willing to write it, but you want to make sure you ask for a 'strong' letter and make sure the person knows it's for a medical school application.

 

[DenTony11235]

Yeah... don't waste a letter on that. They'll see it. And the letter will add nothing to your application.

Really? But maybe just get it just to have it as an option to use?

What about the lifeguard letter?

 

[Espadaleader]

These pre-meds are giving you poor advice. Get all of those letters. I had 7 in my committee packet. A letter from a physician is phenomenal and is something few people have. Make sure they are strong though.

 

[aspirantmed]

It won't hurt (I had a committee letter and five accompanying letters), but there's certainly a 'law of diminishing returns' when it comes to additional letters of recommendation.

 

[Keladry]

These pre-meds are giving you poor advice. Get all of those letters. I had 7 in my committee packet. A letter from a physician is phenomenal and is something few people have. Make sure they are strong though.

Ah yes, the famous premed gyngyn, who clearly knows nothing at all about medical school admissions.

 

[mvenus929]

These pre-meds are giving you poor advice. Get all of those letters. I had 7 in my committee packet. A letter from a physician is phenomenal and is something few people have. Make sure they are strong though.

You might want to check some of those statuses again.

A letter from a physician you shadowed, where you did nothing except maybe occasionally ask questions, doesn't do anything. Now, if you worked for the physician and they can speak to more than your ability to stay quiet and watch, that's another story. But most people who get physician letters don't have that good one. And frankly, any physician (other than a DO, because DO schools for some reason require letters from a DO) who provides a letter to a student who only shadowed him/her is doing that student a disservice.

Since his committee letter has already been put together, these other letters would not be part of a committee packet with a summarizing letter, they'd be in addition to the committee letter.

Furthermore, some schools have cut-offs of how many letters they want. It's usually 4-5. The committee letter is usually already the opinions of 3 professors, so one or two additional letters that show non-academic aspects of the application might be appropriate. Not four.

 

[gyngyn]

It won't hurt (I had a committee letter and five accompanying letters), but there's certainly a 'law of diminishing returns' when it comes to additional letters of recommendation.

It can hurt. If an applicant sends unsolicited letters, it shows that he doesn't pay attention to detail or believes the rules don't apply to him.

 

[DenTony11235]

Woah guys. I'm really appreciating all this feedback.

A physician LOR is useless??

I applied to dental school last year, and pretty much every applicant had an LOR from the dentists they shadowed, and it made sense that way to me.

Should I just not get the physician LOR?
I'm slightly confused.

 

[allantois]

Med school as a back up for dent? 😵. You better have good reasons for switching your goals from dentistry to medicine in under a year since you last applied. You've heard from an adcom member as well as a resident about the value of a physician letter, what further reassurance do you need.

 

[DenTony11235]

Med school as a back up for dent? 😵. You better have good reasons for switching your goals from dentistry to medicine in under a year since you last applied. You've heard from an adcom member as well as a resident about the value of a physician letter, what further reassurance do you need.

My reasons will be explained.

Pardon me for having the slightest disbelief after being told that the way things work aren't the way I've thought for the last two years. I'm catching on.

Thank you guys. I think I'll call my chief lifeguard tomorrow.

 

[aspirantmed]

It can hurt. If an applicant sends unsolicited letters, it shows that he doesn't pay attention to detail or believes the rules don't apply to him.

True .. Though my undergraduate institution has a "more letters are better" philosophy because it helps them craft a better committee letter .. They usually just forward all to the medical school, and have a 95+ percent acceptance rate to medical school.

 

[gyngyn]

True .. Though my undergraduate institution has a "more letters are better" philosophy because it helps them craft a better committee letter .. They usually just forward all to the medical school, and have a 95+ percent acceptance rate to medical school.

A committee letter is considered sufficient and not excessive (no matter the number of contributors). The submission of letters in excess of what is recommended, however is to be avoided.

 

[gyngyn]

A physician LOR is useless?

Generally speaking, for MD admissions, physician letters are of little use. DO schools view them favorably, though.

 

[Espadaleader]

You might want to check some of those statuses again.

A letter from a physician you shadowed, where you did nothing except maybe occasionally ask questions, doesn't do anything. Now, if you worked for the physician and they can speak to more than your ability to stay quiet and watch, that's another story. But most people who get physician letters don't have that good one. And frankly, any physician (other than a DO, because DO schools for some reason require letters from a DO) who provides a letter to a student who only shadowed him/her is doing that student a disservice.

Since his committee letter has already been put together, these other letters would not be part of a committee packet with a summarizing letter, they'd be in addition to the committee letter.

Furthermore, some schools have cut-offs of how many letters they want. It's usually 4-5. The committee letter is usually already the opinions of 3 professors, so one or two additional letters that show non-academic aspects of the application might be appropriate. Not four.

 

[lmn]

These pre-meds are giving you poor advice. Get all of those letters. I had 7 in my committee packet. A letter from a physician is phenomenal and is something few people have. Make sure they are strong though.

Ya you're right, despite having nearly every one of our adcom members saying that they are useless fluff since they are expected to be extremely positive, I'm sure you know better than them. And you're an ms0 talking down to people as being premeds? Get off your high horse, you haven't even started med school yet.

 

[mednerd1234]

I feel like I have seen some schools that require a letter from a physician, but I may be wrong.

 

[gyngyn]

I feel like I have seen some schools that require a letter from a physician, but I may be wrong.

There are a few. It's uncommon for MD, though.

 

[3rdarmageddon]

I had 9 letters including my committee... my advisor said it would be a bad idea to drop any of them (some were supposed to be co-authored that became separate letters, and one physician sent one in after not talking to me for months that I wasn't expecting). I think it was a bad idea having that many, but ultimately it didn't seem to hurt me too badly.