LoR Recommendations for those who graduated over 10 years ago?

[Gauss44]

Yes, I have a student who plans to apply to medical school next year. He's currently volunteering in the medical field, took the MCAT this year and got an excellent score, and plans to take one semester of coursework in the Fall, but is lacking a plan or good plan to obtain LoRs... Please provide your best suggestions.

Me: Maybe he could start visiting any professors he had that are still working there with questions about other stuff like research even though he's not in classes, and go after the committee letter IF it is not going to have a bias against nontraditionals*? If the committee letter is out of the question, then this could be more difficult.

*I am using "nontraditional" to mean having graduated long ago. Grades are fine.

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[Bentobox]

I don't know if there are schools that take courses over 10 years old. Most schools take courses that are less than 7 years. Some schools accept them if students have work experience.

For LORs, he can do work as a TA and get a letter.

 

[NonTrad16]

My school had a committee, but I didn't use it and mentioned on all applications (that asked) that I just didn't use it.

Taking a course or two would be very good. I used 2 letters from my postbac, 1 from a graduate research advisor, 1 from a graduate professor, 1 from a volunteer coordinator, and 1 from my employer (not all for any one school, but selected from those). The student needs to reach out to schools and ask if their letters would be acceptable. Some schools provide flexibility. Some are very strict. Same with coursework. No school questioned the age of my coursework (I had 5 year old grad work, and some post bac classes). But a thesis of >100 pages didn't qualify for a "writing intensive" course (defined by them as one with a paper over 20 pages).

I had to leave schools off of my list due to both LoR and coursework limitations.

 

[xffan624]

Yes, I have a student who plans to apply to medical school next year. He's currently volunteering in the medical field, took the MCAT this year and got an excellent score, and plans to take one semester of coursework in the Fall, but is lacking a plan or good plan to obtain LoRs... Please provide your best suggestions.

Me: Maybe he could start visiting any professors he had that are still working there with questions about other stuff like research even though he's not in classes, and go after the committee letter IF it is not going to have a bias against nontraditionals*? If the committee letter is out of the question, then this could be more difficult.

*I am using "nontraditional" to mean having graduated long ago. Grades are fine.

Most schools make exceptions re: committee letters for nontraditional students. Your student should start researching the individual letter requirements that each school that the student will be applying to has (they are highly variable). Most require at least one science professor letter even for non trads. My coursework was in some cases almost 7--10 years old when I applied and I had kept no contact with professors so I didn't even try to get a letter. I took one science pre-req community college course (that I already taken) and got a letter from the professor in that course. I would have preferred a 4 year college, but my work schedule didn't allow me to do this so a CC had to suffice.

For alternatives to professor LOR's, I used prior work supervisors. One school even asked for a peer letter so it's important that he does his research prior on what the requirements are.

 

[myinitialsR_DR]

If undergrad grades are not an issue, ask for the committee letter. If that's not possible, reach out to professors and get individual letters. No need for research or to to take any additional classes.

I finished undergrad >10 years ago (though I got an MPH 5 years ago). When I applied to schools, I simply reached out to 2 of my basic science professors from UNDERGRAD, neither of whom were at the institution anymore. I reintroduced myself via e-mail and included the course I took, when I graduated, and my grade in the course. I explained that I was making a career change and needed letters. As it turns out, both profs remembered me and happily agreed to write letters for me. I will matriculate this fall.

Work supervisors are great supplemental letters, but some schools will not budge on the science professor requirement. I think it's worth reaching out.

 

[Gauss44]

If anyone is willing to share or point me to an actual example of what someone said when they asked for a LoR to either
1. a professor or preceptor that they only spent one semester with or
2. a professor they had 10 years ago,
that would be very helpful!

In this case, I feel like details of how one asks for the letter are important.

 

[njtrimed]

If anyone is willing to share or point me to an actual example of what someone said when they asked for a LoR to either
1. a professor or preceptor that they only spent one semester with or
2. a professor they had 10 years ago,
that would be very helpful!

In this case, I feel like details of how one asks for the letter are important.

Are you the one applying? Have you taken any courses recently? When I applied, it had been years since I graduated, but I had kept in touch with both my research PIs and two of my professors over the years, so they were thrilled to write letters for me. I also ended up using my undergrad premed committee, which I think was a good move, but isn't imperative. Still, I think that even if you can get letters from professors who don't know you well, they're unlikely to be strong unless you've kept in touch with them and they're invested in your success.

I should add that my top choice school (the one I am attending now) really wanted to see more recent coursework. So I ended up taking graduate classes and getting extra letters of recommendation, months after submitting AMCAS, from graduate professors as well. I did get into other schools without ever letting them know I went to grad school during that cycle, but I probably would not have gotten into my top choice without showing As in recent classes.

 

[857770]

He would probably end up having to take a few science courses.

 

[Gauss44]

Are you the one applying? Have you taken any courses recently? When I applied, it had been years since I graduated, but I had kept in touch with both my research PIs and two of my professors over the years, so they were thrilled to write letters for me. I also ended up using my undergrad premed committee, which I think was a good move, but isn't imperative. Still, I think that even if you can get letters from professors who don't know you well, they're unlikely to be strong unless you've kept in touch with them and they're invested in your success.

I should add that my top choice school (the one I am attending now) really wanted to see more recent coursework. So I ended up taking graduate classes and getting extra letters of recommendation, months after submitting AMCAS, from graduate professors as well. I did get into other schools without ever letting them know I went to grad school during that cycle, but I probably would not have gotten into my top choice without showing As in recent classes.

The the one-semester classes were recent. Spring semester 2017.

 

[WGSgrad]

The student in question would do well to heed Bentobox's warning and investigate, for every school to which they intend to apply, that prerequisites that are ten years old will still be accepted. There are quite a few schools that require less than ten years ago and some with even shorter windows. An example I found with a quick Google search just now is UNC-Chapel Hill:

Whichever path you choose, your degree and your prerequisite coursework must be satisfactorily completed within five (5) years prior to submitting an AMCAS application to our school (e.g., If you took your prerequisite courses during college (typically a four-year program) and graduated in 2010, and you planned to apply to medical school in May 2017, which would be seven years since you graduated from college, then you would be outside of the five year requirement and you would need to meet one of the requirements listed below).


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[njtrimed]

The the one-semester classes were recent. Spring semester 2017.

Okay, it still depends on how well you know the professor. Some professors are thrilled to write letters for you, even if they haven't known you long, if you've shown great interest in the class, asked insightful questions, etc. Others might agree to write a letter, but it'll be pretty impersonal and more of a formality just to fulfill the "professor LOR" requirement. In these cases where it's necessary to include LORs that may be much less personal, access to a premed committee is ideal, because they will often accept a huge number of LORs and work them into your committee letter after interviewing you and getting a sense of who you are. I don't remember if you mentioned a committee letter as an option? I think they're a nontrad's best asset, if available.

 

[Gauss44]

The student in question would do well to heed Bentobox's warning and investigate, for every school to which they intend to apply, that prerequisites that are ten years old will still be accepted. There are quite a few schools that require less than ten years ago and some with even shorter windows. An example I found with a quick Google search just now is UNC-Chapel Hill:

Whichever path you choose, your degree and your prerequisite coursework must be satisfactorily completed within five (5) years prior to submitting an AMCAS application to our school (e.g., If you took your prerequisite courses during college (typically a four-year program) and graduated in 2010, and you planned to apply to medical school in May 2017, which would be seven years since you graduated from college, then you would be outside of the five year requirement and you would need to meet one of the requirements listed below).


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We are already aware of the prereq thing, but thanks for the "heads up." It has been addressed. Right now, question is about LoRs, which has not been addressed.