When do I need to have my LoRs in by?

[Zback]

---

Members don't see this ad.

When do I need to have my letters of rec uploaded by?

 

[kaleerkalut]

When do I need to have my letters of rec uploaded by?

Piggy back question:

When should we ask our letter writers for letters and when should we tell them we need them back by (some letter writers are notoriously late so I was thinking about telling them its due a few weeks earlier than ERAS submission mid-September).

 

[Stellar Clouds]

When do I need to have my letters of rec uploaded by?

Probably best to have them by the time the programs have access to your MSPE.

Piggy back question:

When should we ask our letter writers for letters and when should we tell them we need them back by (some letter writers are notoriously late so I was thinking about telling them its due a few weeks earlier than ERAS submission mid-September).

You can ask them anytime you want, but I would wait until you have access to ERAS. Once you have ERAS access, there is a coversheet that you can print out to hand to your letter writers which gives them all the info they need to upload your letter to ERAS.

 

[koan]

You can ask them anytime you want, but I would wait until you have access to ERAS. Once you have ERAS access, there is a coversheet that you can print out to hand to your letter writers which gives them all the info they need to upload your letter to ERAS.

So if we get access to ERAS in July of our 4th year, what do you do about asking for letters during third year? I'm just starting rotations and haven't asked for any yet, but it seems like it would be strange to ask now but say "I will remind you in a year when I have access to the cover letters."

 

[Stellar Clouds]

So if we get access to ERAS in July of our 4th year, what do you do about asking for letters during third year? I'm just starting rotations and haven't asked for any yet, but it seems like it would be strange to ask now but say "I will remind you in a year when I have access to the cover letters."

Just ask them for a letter. They can write it and upload it later when ERAS is available. I promise it won't be the first time a third year has asked for a LOR.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Agreed. I would add "Ask them for a letter, and have them send it to the Dean of Student's office now". They will hold it until ERAS for next year. This way you know it's done, and if the faculty member moves / takes an LOA you don't get stuck.

 

[Sauce1]

I searched for this but couldn't find a clear answer. In the ERAS handbook it says you cant assign a letter until its finalized and uploaded to the ERAS post-office and that after you apply it is locked. So lets say September 15th roles around and we have 2/4 letters (or 3/4) uploaded to the application. Can we apply to the programs and check to transmit the 2 (or 3) letters that are available. Then when the other 2 (or 1) letter comes in after september 15th and we've already applied can we select to transmit these to the programs we already applied to. Or can we just not apply to programs until all the letters are in, so if they aren't all ready by September 15th then we cant apply on that day? Hope this makes sense, just a little confused. Want to make sure I can submit on the first day the app opens and assign letters after since a few of my letter writers are notorious procrastinators! Thanks!

 

[Stellar Clouds]

When you select programs, be sure you check to send which LORs you want sent to that program, regardless of if they have been uploaded to ERAS (if you don't, you can always add which letters will be sent later [I believe]). Submit ERAS as soon as it opens. Do not wait for all of your letters to be uploaded. As soon as a new letter is uploaded, it will automatically be transmitted to the programs you applied to (if it was already checked to be sent).

 

[texmed29]

Hold on Stellar Clouds, you can't assign letters to programs until they have been uploaded by your designated deans office. I just tried doing that, it you can't check the boxes.

Also, my school just emailed out saying they cannot upload our LORs until we certify our applications, which we can't do till Sept 15th. Does anyone else know about this?? So if we can't assign letters to programs until they are uploaded, and schools can't upload LORs until we certify our application... what do we do?

Do we certify the application on the 15th, wait for the school to upload letters, then go back and assign them to programs and apply? Seems like it's going to be hard to apply to the programs right on the 15th if the school can't freaking upload the letters till then.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

See other thread. Someone has confused "certify application" with "finalize LOR slot".