Updating schools with new, stronger LOR? Please help!

[040111333]

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So I plan to apply early this coming May/June to medical schools…I've recently taken a statistics class and am doing really well in it! My professor has asked me to TA for him next spring semester, but the thing is, I'm graduating this December and am not sure if I will be continuously in town next spring to make the commitment (even though I really want to!) I'm just so unsure of my plans right now that I don't want to make promises I can't keep and then end up disappointing him.

I told him I would gladly TA for him in the summer, but that I'm not sure about the spring…he said to let him know soon.

Now, I think this professor could write me a very strong LOR and I want to ask him. However, it would be much stronger if he wrote it after I TA'ed for him…can I request an LOR from him in August end after the summer session ends and update med schools with it?

Would this be useful in any way for me? requesting an LOR so late? It will definitely be a strong one. I would have asked him in spring itself, but I most likely will not be TA'ing for him next semester 🙁

FYI: I already have ~6 LORs, which I believe are good (not sure if they are very strong). This is just an extra update I'd like to send med schools if I can!!

 

[Slave to the Game]

If you're going to ask him for the LOR, you can give him notice earlier in the semester instead of just springing it on him in the final week of your employment. Not sure how strong this letter could really be, since we're looking at 1 course taught where you did well, and 1 summer of TA for him. A strong LOR, IMO, is from a writer who is an MD, knew the applicant for a long time (2+ years), can speak about the applicant's professional and personal qualities, and is in general a respected faculty member (full tenured professor known in his field of research, as opposed to an adjunct). But there's no reason to turn down an extra LOR, so go for it.

 

[040111333]

If you're going to ask him for the LOR, you can give him notice earlier in the semester instead of just springing it on him in the final week of your employment. Not sure how strong this letter could really be, since we're looking at 1 course taught where you did well, and 1 summer of TA for him. A strong LOR, IMO, is from a writer who is an MD, knew the applicant for a long time (2+ years), can speak about the applicant's professional and personal qualities, and is in general a respected faculty member (full tenured professor known in his field of research, as opposed to an adjunct). But there's no reason to turn down an extra LOR, so go for it.

Thanks for the input! The professor is well-qualified in terms of education (MIT/Hopkins) and is respected as faculty. He's obviously not an MD, but I think he can still write good stuff about my personal qualities..he's very insightful and tends to notice certain unique things about students.

If I do ask him, can I still receive the letter after my TA term and update med schools with it at the end of August? Are there any consequences with this idea?

 

[040111333]

anyone??

 

[allanMED15]

If it were me, I would wait for the letter to be in before submitting. Depends on your school list of course, but I don't know if it'd be worth the risk if they don't accept application updates.

Edit: and being complete late August is hardly late in the game.

 

[Goro]

Do you really think that the Dean of Admissions is going to run out of his/her office screaming "@gyngyn! We have to admit this kid!! He has one more strong LOR!!!"

?????

So I plan to apply early this coming May/June to medical schools…I've recently taken a statistics class and am doing really well in it! My professor has asked me to TA for him next spring semester, but the thing is, I'm graduating this December and am not sure if I will be continuously in town next spring to make the commitment (even though I really want to!) I'm just so unsure of my plans right now that I don't want to make promises I can't keep and then end up disappointing him.

I told him I would gladly TA for him in the summer, but that I'm not sure about the spring…he said to let him know soon.

Now, I think this professor could write me a very strong LOR and I want to ask him. However, it would be much stronger if he wrote it after I TA'ed for him…can I request an LOR from him in August end after the summer session ends and update med schools with it?

Would this be useful in any way for me? requesting an LOR so late? It will definitely be a strong one. I would have asked him in spring itself, but I most likely will not be TA'ing for him next semester 🙁

FYI: I already have ~6 LORs, which I believe are good (not sure if they are very strong). This is just an extra update I'd like to send med schools if I can!!

 

[claduva94]

No one wants to read 6 LORs

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

FYI: I already have ~6 LORs, which I believe are good (not sure if they are very strong). This is just an extra update I'd like to send med schools if I can!!

Sounds like you already have WAY more LORs than you need as it is. Many schools actually put a limit on how many they'll accept. It varies quite a bit by school but some of the schools I applied to accept no more than 3, for example.

I would either stick with the LORs you have and forget about this prof as it probably won't make that much of a difference OR ask him to write you an LOR early so that you can submit it with AMCAS. Submitting a later LOR just increases the chance that the school won't read it.