When to get the letters

[Ausmil]

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I am not exactly sure about letters of reccommendation. I am pretty sure that I am planning to apply this year late, but I am not 100% sure. If I ask professors to write me letter now will the date on them be too early if I wait to apply till next year? Do school care when the letters are dated as long as there in the four year of college? I will be sending them to a letter service. I am in a small four year collee without a commitee. Is all this totally ok? Thanks

 

[HunterGatherer]

Use interfolio.com



Start getting letters now. Think about it like this. You can ask now and get the letter for possible use this year. If instead you request the LOR next year the the Prof will be writing a letter about a student that was in their class 1 year ago. No difference really but you will have less stress if you get the LOR now. Read some threads and you will see that some LOR writers flake out, make you wait months, dissapear/not return emails or phone calls, make empty promises, etc.

Give every LOR writer a set deadline. Don't tell them I don't need it until the summer and maybe not at all. Follow up after the deadline.

 

[Sundarban1]

Use interfolio.com



Start getting letters now. Think about it like this. You can ask now and get the letter for possible use this year. If instead you request the LOR next year the the Prof will be writing a letter about a student that was in their class 1 year ago. No difference really but you will have less stress if you get the LOR now. Read some threads and you will see that some LOR writers flake out, make you wait months, dissapear/not return emails or phone calls, make empty promises, etc.

Give every LOR writer a set deadline. Don't tell them I don't need it until the summer and maybe not at all. Follow up after the deadline.

1.) If I ask for a letter this summer but I'm not applying until 2007, can you just have the professor write the LOR and then date it for the summer 2007?
2.) Will interfolio hold it for that long?
3.) Does the letter writer have to include your AACOMAS application number on your LOR? If so, how would that work if you are not applying until the following summer?

 

[Spankete87]

1.) If I ask for a letter this summer but I'm not applying until 2007, can you just have the professor write the LOR and then date it for the summer 2007?
2.) Will interfolio hold it for that long?
3.) Does the letter writer have to include your AACOMAS application number on your LOR? If so, how would that work if you are not applying until the following summer?

1. It doesn't matter when they write it. So you can have them date it whenever they actually write it. I used letters written in August of 2004 to apply this year and got into 3 schools.
2. My school reference letter system holds letters for 10 years or so. Double check with them to see how long they keep it.
3. It's better for them to include your AACOMAS number on it. Your AACOMAS number will not change from year to year - that I know of. I know if you apply through AMCAS your number does not change from year to year. I only applied D.O. once though, so someone correct me if I'm wrong about that.

I would definitely ask now. It'll allow you to get your app submitted as early as possible, which always helps. People notoriously have problems getting their letters....I know I did. I took my D.O. like 5 months to finally write mine! I finally had to stand over him while he wrote it (he suggested that - not my idea!).

 

[Beau Geste]

1. It doesn't matter when they write it. So you can have them date it whenever they actually write it. I used letters written in August of 2004 to apply this year and got into 3 schools.
2. My school reference letter system holds letters for 10 years or so. Double check with them to see how long they keep it.
3. It's better for them to include your AACOMAS number on it. Your AACOMAS number will not change from year to year - that I know of. I know if you apply through AMCAS your number does not change from year to year. I only applied D.O. once though, so someone correct me if I'm wrong about that.

I would definitely ask now. It'll allow you to get your app submitted as early as possible, which always helps. People notoriously have problems getting their letters....I know I did. I took my D.O. like 5 months to finally write mine! I finally had to stand over him while he wrote it (he suggested that - not my idea!).

This is great information. I'm doing an honors class now, but not applying till next year, and I think a letter written now would be better than one written next year.

 

[dr.z]

Get started on the letters soon. Some people take really long time before writing one.

 

[Beau Geste]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but maybe someone could offer advice on how to approach a former professor for a LOR:

Situation:
I was working on a Ph.D. from 2001-2003. I ended up leaving the program because my major professor left for another university (that did not have a Ph.D. program - only Master's level which I already have), and I decided to move back to my home state. Since my home state is IL, I applied to Northwestern to continue my Ph.D. there, and had a different professor than my major prof write me a LOR - I was his research assistant and we ended up publishing about 3 studies with the research I worked on. I was accepted to NW, but decided not to continue with my Ph.D. By then I had fully decided I wanted to go the medical route and not the research route. So, I've been working on my pre-reqs ever since.

My concern is approaching the professor that wrote my LOR for NW and asking him again to write one for med school, since he knows me in a research-related sense. I'm nervous about asking (I'm not really sure why!), but thought maybe if I put it out there, someone would give me advice on how to approach him!

So, any opinions?

THANKS!

 

[HunterGatherer]

1)Putting a date in advance would force you to use that letter only after the date that the Prof used has passed. A letter that is 1-3 years old is not old at all for this process so don't play around with dates and who knows what your LOR writer might think of a suggestion.

2)Interfolio has a few packages. I think I chose one for $75 that holds my letters for 5 years and I can extend it longer if needed. Also there is a more expensive 10 year plan. I think they both come with 1-2 free mailings. Mailings are around $5 after that. With tracking it is $9-$14

3)There is no need for the LOR writer to write down your SS# or AACOMAS #. You will give the LOR writer a printout with a bar code and alphanumeric designation to this particular LOR and your account.

1.) If I ask for a letter this summer but I'm not applying until 2007, can you just have the professor write the LOR and then date it for the summer 2007?
2.) Will interfolio hold it for that long?
3.) Does the letter writer have to include your AACOMAS application number on your LOR? If so, how would that work if you are not applying until the following summer?

 

[HunterGatherer]

You are nervous because of what happened with the PIs,because you are asking for a different letter, or because you are choosing a medical profession instead of science research?

My concern is approaching the professor that wrote my LOR for NW and asking him again to write one for med school, since he knows me in a research-related sense. I'm nervous about asking (I'm not really sure why!), but thought maybe if I put it out there, someone would give me advice on how to approach him!

So, any opinions?

THANKS!

 

[Beau Geste]

duplicate post

 

[Beau Geste]

You are nervous because of what happened with the PIs,because you are asking for a different letter, or because you are choosing a medical profession instead of science research?

Oh, no, neither - I think i'm more nervous because the professor I did research with (not my major prof) was so excited when I got the acceptance from NW (he must have written a fantastic letter!), and I didn't want to be a disappointment to him by not having matriculated into their Ph.D. program. I'm sure he'd still write a letter but I am just nervous as to how to go about asking him. It's been about 3 years since he last wrote a letter for me.

 

[Sundarban1]

3)There is no need for the LOR writer to write down your SS# or AACOMAS #. You will give the LOR writer a printout with a bar code and alphanumeric designation to this particular LOR and your account.

I'm confused as to what printout to which you are referring. You mean an interfiolio account printout?

Also, what do you think of asking a year in a advance? I mean, I don't have an applicaion or MCAT scores to give to my LOR writers, the most I have is a PS and Vita. I'm not applying until 2007. I know one of my graduate LOR writers asked for my application last time I asked.

Thoughts?

 

[microgin]

I'm confused as to what printout to which you are referring. You mean an interfiolio account printout?

Also, what do you think of asking a year in a advance? I mean, I don't have an applicaion or MCAT scores to give to my LOR writers, the most I have is a PS and Vita. I'm not applying until 2007. I know one of my graduate LOR writers asked for my application last time I asked.

Thoughts?

I think a year in advance might be a little too soon. I'm assuming that the AACOMAS app is much the same as the AMCAS app as far as timing, etc. goes. If so, then you will not be able to send in your primary AACOMAS app until summer '07... the letters of rec will be for all the secondary apps that come from the individual schools, not the primary app, so you might need them by late summer '07 at the earliest. When I applied to allopathic schools, I asked for my letters late spring semester of the year that I applied.... that way they had several months to get them written. I gave my writers not only a copy of my CV and PS, but also an all-inclusive transcript and scores. I think these things will make for a stronger LOR. When you do ask, just make sure you keep after them to ensure that it's done in time. Bribe them with chocolate if you have to.

BTW... since I didn't use the services of a pre-med committee either, I just had the writers submit a letter to each school I applied to individually (I provided the stamped addressed envelopes), but the use of a service like Interfolio seems like it might be worth the $$ to make all parties' lives a little bit easier!

 

[HunterGatherer]

I'm confused as to what printout to which you are referring. You mean an interfiolio account printout?

Also, what do you think of asking a year in a advance? I mean, I don't have an applicaion or MCAT scores to give to my LOR writers, the most I have is a PS and Vita. I'm not applying until 2007. I know one of my graduate LOR writers asked for my application last time I asked.

Thoughts?

Interfolio gives an alphanumeric code for each LOR you plan to submit.

You have your GPA, grade for that course, and a PS. That is all you need unless you have a low GPA and want to show your LOR writers that you scored well on the MCAT and are a competitice candidate.

It's going to be much easier for your Prof to write a letter for you when your class perormance is fresh in their mind.

 

[Spankete87]

Have you checked with the career center of your undergraduate or graduate institution to see if they have a reference letter system for alumni and students? I know my school (UNC-CH) had one and it was only $25 to set up an account that lasted for 10 years.......each mailing was only $4 as well. Reactivation of the account every year was like $10. And even if you do have a barcode attached to your letters through interfolio, it never hurts have your recommenders have your AACOMAS ID # or SSN and name on the letter so that the people in the admissions office and admissions committee can easily match things up. They definitely will have pretty easy access to your name and AACOMAS/SSN. Anything that pleases them can't hurt!

 

[Sundarban1]

Have you checked with the career center of your undergraduate or graduate institution to see if they have a reference letter system for alumni and students? I know my school (UNC-CH) had one and it was only $25 to set up an account that lasted for 10 years.......each mailing was only $4 as well. Reactivation of the account every year was like $10. And even if you do have a barcode attached to your letters through interfolio, it never hurts have your recommenders have your AACOMAS ID # or SSN and name on the letter so that the people in the admissions office and admissions committee can easily match things up. They definitely will have pretty easy access to your name and AACOMAS/SSN. Anything that pleases them can't hurt!

Thats what I'm saying, if I ask for LOR's now, I won't have an AACOMAS ID because I'm not applying until 2007, so I ask for them to use SS# instead?

I'm all about waiting if I have to, just getting everyones opinion 🙂

 

[Sundarban1]

. When I applied to allopathic schools, I asked for my letters late spring semester of the year that I applied.... that way they had several months to get them written. I gave my writers not only a copy of my CV and PS, but also an all-inclusive transcript and scores. I think these things will make for a stronger LOR.

Have you no confidence that your former Yale colleage will get all A's in his post bacc??

 

[microgin]

Have you no confidence that your former Yale colleage will get all A's in his post bacc??

Of course I do!!! 😍 Heck, you could ask for Dr. O's reco right now if you wanted to. You could even provide your score... with all your MCAT resources, I'm sure you'll be in the 40+ range 😛

 

[JasonUD]

I asked my profs near the end of the course that I took them for, this way they had plenty of time to write them and made it stress free for me and them. I had a bio prof that took 4 months to write one for me and another who said he would and never did and then retired!! I found a secretary in the bio department that held all my letters for me and then she sent them out as needed.