Do most people use a mailer service of some sort or do they just get a list of all the schools they are applying to, frank the envelopes and hand them to the people doing their LORs? I’ve heard of interfolio, but don’t know if the schools will take LORs from there. Anyone been through this? I think I might feel kinda dorky asking for letters to be sent to every school, especially if I have to reapply next year…
Dave - does your school have a service for this? Mine does. I provided each LOR writer with a stamped, addressed envelope to my pre-health office. Whenever I need a secondary sent, I tell the office - they make copies and send to that institution.
If not, I’ve heard of private services for this, but someone else will have to ask about it.
If not, you are in the position of asking the writers to send out mulitiples. And that is a huge pain on their part.
As far as next year goes if you re-apply - I THINK you need to get updated letters. Not hard, I believe. If the letter writer is not brand new at this, they probably keep your letter on record and can just ‘update’ and send next year. Anybody else have thoughts on this?
-Matt
Dave,
It depends on how you are applying. If you are at a university, the pre-health committee will take all of your letters, along with transcripts, etc, and make a “packet” to send to all of the schools. If this is the case, and your school happens to be UTD, check OFTEN with the schools to see if they have your info. UTD took 6-7 MONTHs after my online application was complete to get everything out, and it cost me dearly in the app process. If you are out of school and applying, you are sending the LORs to the application services, such as AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS. They will forward all the application info to the individual schools. The secondary applications MAY ask for additional LORs (Texas doesn’t), then you can ask for additional as needed. Just keep a folder of what you have sent, who you have called, dates, etc. It will keep you straight! Good luck,
Kathy
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Dave,
If you are out of school and applying, you are sending the LORs to the application services, such as AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS. They will forward all the application info to the individual schools. The secondary applications MAY ask for additional LORs (Texas doesn’t), then you can ask for additional as needed. Just keep a folder of what you have sent, who you have called, dates, etc. It will keep you straight! Good luck,
Kathy
I am pretty sure that LORs should NOT be sent to AMCAS and AACOMAS unless there has been a significant change in procedure (don’t know anything about TMDSAS). To the best of my knowledge AMCAS hasn’t ever handled LORs and wow, I wouldn’t trust them to do LORs for sure! LORs go directly to individual schools - how they get there is the applicant’s challenge and responsibility. I had a classmate who applied as a post-bacc without benefit of committee or letter-writing service; I distinctly remember her carrying a big handful of envelopes to give to a LOR writer.
Mary
Dave-
Here’s what worked for me this past app. cycle. I designated to my pre-med advisory committee, which schools to send my evaluation and letters (from my undergrad inst. only) to by simply providing them pre-addressed envelope stickers. I also had two DO’s writing letters for me. I provided each of them pre-addressed/stamped envelopes to send to TMDSAS and to the osteopathic schools I applied to. I only applied to osteo schools. TMDSAS will disperse your rec. letters w/ the rest of your application when they go to send it to your TX school’s you’ve chosen to apply to. AMCAS and AACOMAS will not take or disperse your rec. letters with their apps. You’ll have to have them sent directly to the schools you choose. I wouldn’t worry too much about using any sort of certified special mailing options. Most of the schools that I applied to this past year had me fill out a waiver stating the fact that I did not view my rec. letters, who the letters were from, and my relationship with them. TMDSAS even called my rec. letter writers to verfiy the authenticiity…wow!
I would also suggest, if you’ve been out of school, that you check with the career placement center at your old college. They may well have a letter-forwarding service you can use free for life, as an alumnus.
You send LOR’s when the school asks for them, usually with secondary applications. Some schools limit the number you can send in, and will throw out any they receive over that limit. Other schools don’t have a strict limit and more can only help you. Some want them from specific sources. Check up on the wishes of the schools you are applying to.
I did not have a school/committee letter or service that folks are referring to here. I asked several different people if they would be able to write me a strong LOR. (Profs, past employers, family doc) When the time came - when schools asked for them - I took a packet of my info to those people. Included was my resume, a copy of my personal statement, a sheet with ideas for writing letters of recommendation, a short letter telling them what school they are writing to, and a postcard, stamped and addressed to me, that I printed myself off my pc. My postcard had a place for the name of the writer (which I filled in) and a place for them to write the date they sent my letter. This way, I could track progress.
Have people “ready in the wings” to write for you, and when the time comes, make it easy for them. Most people work well with a specific deadline. So, if you get a secondary that says have all your materials in by date X, ask that your letter writer have it mailed by a date somewhat earlier. This way, you still have time to get it in should something unfortunate happen. You may be able to have them write up your letters ahead of time so all they have to do when the time comes is hit “print” and stuff an envelope. But that isn’t always going to be possible or reasonable to expect.
wmkayak
MSUCOM class of 2008