<p>Well - My professor had previously agreed to write me a reference and told me to just send him the link - so I sent him links to a few school's online application forms and he replied saying "I thought you only needed one reference, I may be able to write one or 2 but I'll have to do the rest when I get back from travelling as I'm very busy."</p>
<p>Ok - I didnt panic - first I wrote him that in fact he only needed to write one reference, and simply upload the same letter to the various schools - then I told him that I could use a dossier service (which another professor had told me about) called interfolio which would allow him to submit just one letter to interfolio and I would be able to forward it to the various schools to save him time and hassle.</p>
<p>As long as I signed up for the service, I told my other two reference writers as well. So now, one of them just submitted the LOR to the service - and the service dosent have the online connection to the schools im applying to (apparently its mostly for medical school) - so now interfolio can send the hard copies which GWU told me they accept etc. I called Gtown and they said that any hard copy reference letter must be written on official letterhead - which obviously it wont be since they submitted it to interfolio electronically. Am I screwed here? I just wrote Gtown this email:</p>
<p>Hello,</p>
<p>Since I am applying to a large number of schools and some of my recommendors are extremely busy I have obtained for a membership to interfolio (Interfolio</a>) which is a well known dossier service that compiles and keeps confidential all letters of recommendation and then sends them out to the various schools. Needless to say, the reference letter wont be on official letterhead - is there other way to still use interfolio and verify the identity of the recommendor? Perhaps by including all their official contact information so that they can verify that they have submitted via interfolio?</p>
<hr>
<p>Anyone else have experience with a service like this? Will the schools make an issue out of it?</p>
<p>I'm using Interfolio and applying to Gtown.
1. Your profs can upload recs into interfolio on letterhead. Just ask them to do this. If they're not too technically challenged, they will figure it out. (You can word process on letterhead. Technology!)
2. When you send the recs via interfolio, they will come with a cover sheet that reflects your choice to waive the right to see it, and information about the letter writer. It's not quite letter head, but it's not chicken scratch on a napkin.
3. Unless your schools offer email-able recs, all interfolio letters will have to be sent in hard copy. It's not a big deal.</p>
<p>Just recieved this reply back from Gtown MSFS:</p>
<p>"I apologize, but MSFS provides two options for recommendation submission: hardcopy on the recommender's letterhead or electronic submission by the recommender. Hopefully this will not cause you too much inconvenience. Best of luck in the admissions process."</p>
<p>I will email professor and verify they wrote the rec on letterhead. Hope isnt too much inconvenience for them.</p>
<p>What's up their ass? Let's face it... applying to grad school is not a dignified process. You have to deal with a LOT of glorified secretaries on a power trip. They are probably ugly too.</p>
<p>To me, using Interfolio to allow professors to submit a single LOR for all schools (or make only very minor changes to wording or POIs' names) seems like it would be a detriment to your applications and a red flag to schools. At least in Clinical Psychology programs, schools are often quite persnickety about that. Your note to the secretary of the school would raise a red flag at many of the schools I am applying to (basically indicating that your LOR writers didn't have the time to actually evaluate your abilities and/or fit for their program, which effectively invalidates their recommendations and may say something about how much they really think of you as an applicant).</p>
<p>Really? Im applying to 8 schools...All of them the exact program - MA in international affairs with most of them having a similar program structure. They really expect a professor to write a customized reference for each one of the schools? These are MA programs - not PhD programs. I have no doubt that the LOR's were good - Ive had a good relationship with all the Profesors and outlined the kind of coursework / final paper topics ive done in their class to refresh their memory. - they are also unfortunately busy and fickle - (One does policy at a think tank and is constantly travelling and another is going to Iraq for winter break) . Oh well - I'll guess I wait and see what happens.</p>
<p>I don't think this is worth freaking out over. Most people are applying to 6+ schools, and recommenders are writing letters for 20+ students (think also of the law/policy/social work school recs). I doubt very many letters are tailored to each of those schools for each person. At most, they might say "I support Ethan321's application to study international affairs at Georgetown" rather than simply "I support Ethan321's application to study international affairs." I'm having some trouble believing that those last two words are going to be the difference between acceptance and denial. All of my writers have been in the field for a long time and none of them suggested that I needed individualized letters. Some of them offered to call people they know in dept's where I'm applying, but I think that kind of contact also matters less for an MA. </p>
<p>Worst case scenario is that Georgetown refuses to accept the interfolio letters, emails you to that effect 3-5 weeks from now (I'm assuming you also have a Jan. deadline there), and you go back to the professors (who are by now less busy b/c it's a new semester), explain the situation, and request hard copy recs. Problem solved.</p>
<p>I cautiously agree with you whatsyours. Re: the letterhead - Its a bit trivial to freak out over...I doubt Adcom @ gtown is going to throw out a reference from a well known journalist/part time-SAIS prof/think tank fellow (my recommendor) because it didnt have the graphic of a letterhead, especially if its sent through a well known service like interfolio - and in the event they really take it that seriously - Id imagine they would sooner send him a message at his official contact info to confirm his reference. But then again who knows. He emailed me back telling me to contact his assistant regarding re-uploading with a letterhead graphic. His assistant is notoriously unresponsive. I don't think I will push the issue too much. If anyone disagrees and thinks im being overly naive, feel free to chime in.</p>
<p>Whatsyours - are u applying to MSFS? What are ur stats?</p>
<p>You're probably correct if it's an MA program. Ph.D. programs are different in competitive fields and I have heard of a student applying to as many as 43 different programs with his profs writing him individualized letters! (He hadn't gotten in the previous year with 10-15, so they decided to go all out.) I am applying to 12 schools and have individualized letters (that is, detailing why I am a good fit at each school in each recommender's view).
The need for such letters was expressed by multiple letter writers so it may be more of an issue in my field than it is in other fields as well.</p>
<p>"You have to deal with a LOT of glorified secretaries on a power trip"</p>
<p>Academic program coordinators. These are people who have a masters in higher ed administration. You may not care for the way these people are treating you but they certainly aren't secretaries.</p>
<p>Its Mike from Interfolio here. Thanks for considering, and in some cases using, our dossier service. We know how difficult the admissions process can be and we strive to build products that can help users apply and promote themselves more efficiently. </p>
<p>Its a free, powerful, and easy-to-use ePortfolio service that allows you to showcase all the research, employment, and accomplishments you have. Id love to hear what you guys think!</p>