I will be applying in 2011, trying to enter in fall of 2012. I have who I am using for my l.o.r.'s already lined up, just wondering when I should ask them to write it. Reason I ask is because I want them to have enough time, but I also don't want to ask too soon as I can't even apply until June 1 of 2011 correct? I know they have to send the letters directly to aamc correct? Would appreciate any help...first post btw and I am a non-trad.
what month to ask for letters of rec?
- Thread starter dan123
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Generally speaking you want to give your letter writers 6-8 weeks advance notice.
If it is someone who you may not see regularly anymore, then you may want to ask them now to draft a letter and follow up later with details as to where to send it. Alternatively, check with your undergraduate college to see if they have a letter service for alumni. Sometimes they do and you can send letters to them now for submission later.
If it is someone who you may not see regularly anymore, then you may want to ask them now to draft a letter and follow up later with details as to where to send it. Alternatively, check with your undergraduate college to see if they have a letter service for alumni. Sometimes they do and you can send letters to them now for submission later.
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Go to interfolio.com and sign up for their 1 year plan. Have your letter writers send the letters NOW - One of the most frustrating things in the world is to be waiting on a letter writer who you have no control over. You can then get the letters sent to AMCAS on the June 1st date. They will then be in AMCAS and be immediately available to the schools.
Since this is September, you should have sent all of your LOR's by this time next year - so the one year plan will work for you.
The reason I say to do this now is because I got into a situation with two of my letter writers. I had Mayo requesting letters and professors who put off writing the letters and then got busy. As a result, I ended up with an October instead of September interview date and lost the "First in line" benefit.
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How does interfolio compare to using a committee letter? Do you have individual LORs sent to the committee, have them compile a single letter and have them sent it out? Is a committee letter generally preferred over separate LORs?
I graduated in 2008, but I am taking my prereqs at a different university. Both universities have a committee letter service, but I am on the fence as to which school I should use. The university that I graduated from is a "better" school, but I'm only taking one science class there and its a massive lecture where I will have no interaction with my science professor. I'm told I need at least one LOR from a science professor to get a committee letter from the "better" university and I doubt I'll get a great LOR if I'm one of 200 students taking physics 1.
Sorry for hijacking the thread, but I'm sure I'm not the only person in the situation. Thanks for any info/advice.
I graduated in 2008, but I am taking my prereqs at a different university. Both universities have a committee letter service, but I am on the fence as to which school I should use. The university that I graduated from is a "better" school, but I'm only taking one science class there and its a massive lecture where I will have no interaction with my science professor. I'm told I need at least one LOR from a science professor to get a committee letter from the "better" university and I doubt I'll get a great LOR if I'm one of 200 students taking physics 1.
Sorry for hijacking the thread, but I'm sure I'm not the only person in the situation. Thanks for any info/advice.
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Some schools - Creighton, for instance, require a committee letter. But most schools give an option of a committee letter or minimum of 3 faculty letters of which 2 are science professors.
I didn't have a committee letter option, so I don't know if it is preferable to schools, I like interfolio because it is fast, it is under my control, and there is no bureaucracy involved.
for everyone replying thus far thank you. the interfolio idea sounds great, but I dont think it will work because of what i just read on the aamc website;
"Please note that the letter writer must include your AMCAS Letter ID found on your Letter Request Form when sending the letters via any medium. Medical schools may require your letters to be on official letterhead and include the author's signature."
So I'm assuming I don't receive this "letter ID" until I start my app with amcas correct? Otherwise, if I have my letters written now, the letter ID wont be on them when they are sent to interfolio. I am kind of confused on this whole matter. Does this mean I have to wait until I start my application to even ask for my letters because that's when I'll have my letter ID?
"Please note that the letter writer must include your AMCAS Letter ID found on your Letter Request Form when sending the letters via any medium. Medical schools may require your letters to be on official letterhead and include the author's signature."
So I'm assuming I don't receive this "letter ID" until I start my app with amcas correct? Otherwise, if I have my letters written now, the letter ID wont be on them when they are sent to interfolio. I am kind of confused on this whole matter. Does this mean I have to wait until I start my application to even ask for my letters because that's when I'll have my letter ID?
ok, I just looked up interfolio and it seems reliable. Does anyone else have any experience with it? So is that definitely the way to go then as far as taking care of my LOR's? so just to make sure I have this correct: My letter writers would send the LOR to interfolio, interfolio would store them until I want them sent to AMCAS, and then they would send them to AMCAS once I start my application? Also, I know this is kind of thinking too much, but if my letters were written now, and not given to schools until sometime middle of next year, would it matter that the date written on the letters would be like a year old? I would assume they want letters that at least has a recent date correct? Also, LOR are not sent out until schools request a secondary application correct? Sorry for all the questions I'm just excited to get this started!
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Interfolio is where I have all of my letters so far. If I need a committee letter, I am going to forward those to the committee and then have them uploaded to amcas. If I don't need a committee letter, I can just forward them to amcas when I need to.
Interfolio has a part on the account to list your amcas number once you get it.
Interfolio has a part on the account to list your amcas number once you get it.
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Some of my letters were over 10 years old. (My old college had an LOR service.) I sent in 6 LORs. 4 were old (>2 years old) and I added 2 that were < 1 year old.
I think a year old would be considered recent.
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Personally, I request the LOR soon after I've knocked down a course on my way as I go. This is mostly because of that there's no guarantee that this professor would be there (even alive!) to even remember my performance at that class when I've requested the LOR, let's say, 2 years later.
Thus, assuming that I'll be applying to schools as early as 2011 or 2012, I'll have LORs like 2-years-old the oldest.
How do you think it would be of any issue for the schools' adcoms?
(LizzyM - any advice, pls!)
so I ended up getting an interfolio account, so thank you guys for advising that to me. seems like it will work great. I have one more question though, when my letter writers send the letter to interfolio, will I be able to read the letter online? If not, should I ask my letter writer to send me a copy via email or is that kind of tacky? I am always curious to see what they write, and in the past my letter writers for other things like scholarships have always sent me a copy but without me asking.
realized i didn't really state my question as clear....basically I am asking if I should do the non confidential or confidential letter of recommendation route. What has worked best for others? What do most med schools prefer? I have searched online and found pros and cons for both. so basically I will decide by what you guys tell me to do. I also want to start asking for some letters next week so would like to know asap, thanks everyone.
Do NOT ask letter writers to see a copy of their LOR. Really tacky IMO. I think all letters need to be confidential (i.e. waive your right to see them). If a letter writer offers to show you their letter, by all means accept if you are curious. There's nothing wrong with reading a letter if they've offered it to you, as you have only waived your right to see the letter. Med schools want a candid assessment of you from your writers.
Interfolio is definitely the way to go. You can get your letters secured early, it keeps them on file for future use if necessary, you use it to apply to DO schools if you are applying that route, and it feeds into AMCAS without problem. AMCAS letter writer service only opens in May and doesn't keep them beyond the current cycle. Also, AMCAS won't send letters to Interfolio for DO applications.
Interfolio is definitely the way to go. You can get your letters secured early, it keeps them on file for future use if necessary, you use it to apply to DO schools if you are applying that route, and it feeds into AMCAS without problem. AMCAS letter writer service only opens in May and doesn't keep them beyond the current cycle. Also, AMCAS won't send letters to Interfolio for DO applications.
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I would really like to see what my letter writers wrote. But there is no honest way to find out if they don't offer it.
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This is amazing advice. Thanks so much, everyone.
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Thanks for all the information regarding storing the LORs. This wasn't something I had considered (Interfolio) until I came across this thread. Is there a time limit to how long the LORs last?
From Interfolio.com:
What happens when my account expires?
To be sure that we never lose your critical information, we will keep your account data archived for five years. At any point during that time, you may renew your account with all of your original information.
I would think that as long as your account remains inactive for fewer than five consecutive years that the letters can be kept indefinitely.
What happens when my account expires?
To be sure that we never lose your critical information, we will keep your account data archived for five years. At any point during that time, you may renew your account with all of your original information.
I would think that as long as your account remains inactive for fewer than five consecutive years that the letters can be kept indefinitely.
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Awesomeness. What about the age of LORs that medical schools are willing to accept? Is it different from school to school or is there not a time limit to when the LOR was written?
