Worth getting more letters than required if comittee writes it

[Eagleye2]

Hey guys, tried to make the title as descriptive as possible. Basically, my university has a pre-med committe that will compile the letters i get from my professors and write a "committee letter". They require 5 letters from various sources, is there any benefit to me getting more than 5 letters other than for the comittee? When i apply to medical school i assume ill just be sending the committee letter, so im wondering if there is any reason to search for more than 5 good letters.

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[Goro]

Have mercy on us who have to read these things. More =/= better. Some schools also have limits on how many you can send, as well.

 

[RedPanda55]

Having the letters handy though wouldn't be a bad idea depending on the med schools you're applying to. AMCAS will allow you to choose which letters to send to which schools. For example, say if you're applying to a research focused med school then maybe include one from a PI you did research with, but if another school you're applying to isn't then possibly choose a different letter that will cater to their goals and mission statement.

 

[Spectar]

I usually tell people max 5 letters. There is nothing more adcoms will learn from the 6th letter compared to letters 1-5. Unless it's a letter from the president or something, leave it.

 

[MCATISEZ]

What I ask applicants is which requirement are you trying to fill?
—If you get a committee letter, with a packet letters attached, then you are fulfilling that requirement.
—If you now start sending individual letters, are you trying to fill that requirement?
—if so, which requirement do you want the med school to determine when your application is complete or would you prefer to leave it confusing?
—lastly, the vast majority of medical schools require, recommend, or prefer committee letters

I applied very very broadly this cycle without a committee letter, and was not faced by any school that required a committee letter (provided my institution did not provide one).

I did the words “recommend” or “prefer” from time to time, but they were a moot point when my school did not have a committee.


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[MCATISEZ]

A large fraction of schools will require a letter if a committee exists as the sample below states . The latest AAMC Medical School Letters of Evaluation Policies summary will clearly show the majority of schools that require, recommend or prefer these letters

Recommendation Letters | M.D. Admissions | Albert Einstein College of Medicine

• APPLICANTS WHO HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Applicants who have completed their pre-medical coursework as an undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student, at a college or university where there is a Pre-Professional Advisory committee, are required to submit a letter of recommendation from that Committee. Students who do not submit such a letter will be asked to explain why on their Secondary Application.
• APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Applicants who have attended a school at which there is no Pre-Professional Advisory Committee must have at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members who have taught the applicant in the classroom setting. It is required that one of these letters be from a faculty member in the department of the applicant’s major, and the other from a science faculty member (2 science letters are acceptable). Letters from teaching assistants will not satisfy this requirement, although TAs may co-sign letters with senior faculty.

I see. Are there any schools you are aware of that will not make an exception if such a committee does not exist? I am helping some future applicants out from my undergraduate institution in creating school lists.

 

[manohman]

A large fraction of schools will require a letter if a committee exists as the sample below states . The latest AAMC Medical School Letters of Evaluation Policies summary will clearly show the majority of schools that require, recommend or prefer these letters

Recommendation Letters | M.D. Admissions | Albert Einstein College of Medicine

• APPLICANTS WHO HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Applicants who have completed their pre-medical coursework as an undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student, at a college or university where there is a Pre-Professional Advisory committee, are required to submit a letter of recommendation from that Committee. Students who do not submit such a letter will be asked to explain why on their Secondary Application.
• APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Applicants who have attended a school at which there is no Pre-Professional Advisory Committee must have at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members who have taught the applicant in the classroom setting. It is required that one of these letters be from a faculty member in the department of the applicant’s major, and the other from a science faculty member (2 science letters are acceptable). Letters from teaching assistants will not satisfy this requirement, although TAs may co-sign letters with senior faculty.

HI if your committee letter only includes one science professor letter from your undergraduate, should you still submit another separately?

My committee letter comes with 3 letters, one science prof, one research prof (postgrad), and one extracurricular.

I know Med Schools ask for 2 science professors that taught you usually so should I also send the second separately?

 

[manohman]

NO! NO! NO!

Lets clear this up since applicants confuse it all the time: You follow one of the following

If you are using a committee letter
the requirements are set by the undergraduate institution and you submit a single committee letter to the medical schools.
Your LOR/LOE requirements are completely fulfilled at the vast majority of medical schools.
OR
If you are sending in individual letters
the requirements are set by each medical school and you must fulfill each medical school's specific requirements.
You then must submit multiple letters to each medical school

You do not, repeat, do not to follow the requirements for individual letters if you are using a committee letter. For a committee letter you follow the policy of your own undergraduate institution.

I see. So if you submit a committee letter does that waive you from the individual medical school's requirements for letters? I think that is where I am confused.

I fulfilled my undergraduate requirement for the committee letter. But I know that medical schools also often require 2 science profs for example, which my undergraduate didn't.

 

[Goro]

I see. So if you submit a committee letter does that waive you from the individual medical school's requirements for letters? I think that is where I am confused.

I fulfilled my undergraduate requirement for the committee letter. But I know that medical schools also often require 2 science profs for example, which my undergraduate didn't.

I'm trying to say this int he nicest possible way, bu good reading comprehension skills are vital for doing well on MCAT. Re-read this, from the wise Gonnif's last post:

If you are using a committee letter
the requirements are set by the undergraduate institution and you submit a single committee letter to the medical schools.
Your LOR/LOE requirements are completely fulfilled at the vast majority of medical schools.

 

[manohman]

Yes, they are "waived" but that is the wrong way to think about it. Virtually every school has two categories of letters and you are are only required to follow one or the other as in my example from Einstein Medical College

• APPLICANTS WHO HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Applicants who have completed their pre-medical coursework as an undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student, at a college or university where there is a Pre-Professional Advisory committee, are required to submit a letter of recommendation from that Committee. Students who do not submit such a letter will be asked to explain why on their Secondary Application.
• APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Applicants who have attended a school at which there is no Pre-Professional Advisory Committee must have at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members who have taught the applicant in the classroom setting. It is required that one of these letters be from a faculty member in the department of the applicant’s major, and the other from a science faculty member (2 science letters are acceptable). Letters from teaching assistants will not satisfy this requirement, although TAs may co-sign letters with senior faculty.

Just to add, I find applicants relying too much on general information that they are "told" and even too much on summary information that you get in the MSAR. For every specific medical school that you intend to apply to, you should read that school's admission website in excruciating detail. Why applicants overlook the primary source of information, a source that may just give insight into what the school is looking for in an applicant, is losing perhaps the valuable resource they can get.

Understood! Thank you. And will keep that in mind because you're completely right. Better habit to look up myself and check.