Most colleges do NOT like additional LORs or other information, unless specifically asked.
What do you think the doctor will say that will be different than the counselor or school teachers?
Are you asking about SUNY Upstate or Downstate?
Hmmā¦ I was under the impression that itās a good thing to have a LOR from a dr that you shadowed. It is not? ( i do not want to mess things up with my enthusiasm). I appreciate your advice.
LORs fall into 3 categories:
- Required
- Optional
- Not asked
If they have NOT ASKED, do NOT submit it.
If they say it is optional, feel free to submit it.
If they say it is required, make sure they receive it.
@NoviceDad
I am really glad I asked the questions here. Thank you for your advice!
[quote=ārara-avis, post:907, topic:2096007ā]
@rara-avis wrote: Ā»
Hi, my ddās school uses Naviance so the recommendation letters from the teachers and guidance will be uploaded to the site but she has a doctor that would like to write her a letter of recommendation and I donāt know the protocol of sending such letter to all the schools; Will anybody be able to advise? Thank you!
Yes, If you have a great LOR from a doctor whom you shadowed, you should submit with BSMD applications. It will support your motivation for attending a medical school. Some BSMD programs may ask specifically one related to healthcare related exposure/experience.
Does anyone know of any similar programs to Florida Stateās Honors Medical Scholars? It isnāt a BS/MD program but students are accepted as incoming freshmen into this honors cohort and have the support services/program built around an opportunity for early application to the medical college.
I personally like it as a backup for my son because unlike many of the other guaranteed admissions program that happen sophomore year, he would go into college already enrolled in that program.
I cant remember the link policy for CC, if it is allowed, I will post the link (checked rules, seems to be okay for informational purposes)
https://honors.fsu.edu/university-honors/honors-medical-scholars-program
@mom2boys1999 UCF Honors has the Burnett Medical Scholars Program, which is an 8-year BS/MD program. However, students can apply out w/o losing their seat according to the Honors Admissions office (I was admitted but did not attend,) and if your son is a NMSF, he will receive a full ride for UG if he becomes a NMS.
Link: https://honors.ucf.edu/admissions/burnett-medical-scholars/
UMiami has the Health Professions program which is similar to FSUās program. They participate in the NM Benacquisto but as a private, you will receive the highest in-state COA, not the COA of UMiami automatically as a NMS.
Benacquisto Factsheet: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/factsheets/FIS.pdf
FAQ: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/factsheets/FIS_FAQ.pdf
Hope that helps! Good luck with admissions!
@rara-avis
Each school has different requirements and options for submitting LoRs. One school may require one letter from counselor, one from teacher, two optional teachers, three others (employers, teachers, friends, and even relatives (UofC)), another school may require something else.
A large number of BS MD programs utilize Common App. S/D should send a request to the doctor to provide a recommendation through Common App. When S/D applies to a school that has a required or optional letter from others, S/D then chooses the letter from the doctor for that school.
Your S/D can plan all this ahead of time. Get all the LoR done ASAP because there will be a lot of students asking teachers for LoR in Oct/Nov/Dec.
You are welcome to PM me if you have further questions.
@cannolilover1092,
About your question on SUNY supplemental, just read your direction for each undergrad school carefully and follow their direction. I remember it was funky last year about the supplemental application. When in doubt, call/email them and ask. I remember one of the schools said to fill out the supplemental on the medical school website, but when my S called, they said it is covered in the common app already.
@Jack2021 ,
Apply widely! Yes, there are plenty of BS MD programs that do NOT required MCAT so you can concentrate on your college experience and may even be able to enjoy your college experience w/o dealing with the MCAT. With your background, you are in the game! You should apply to some of each tier: 1, 2, 3 and 4. For tier ranking, go back to 2019-2020 discussion. Some of the senior members provided some good info there.
Focus on your essays now!
Hi, our school use parchment for sending transcripts to colleges and each transcript is $8. Is there a way to use common app to send transcript? Or any other way to safe money?
Sadly no since most schools want official transcripts and those have to come from the school itself. I would say just check and make sure it is required as some schools donāt ask for an official until you are accepted- like here in Florida, UF uses an SSAR and therefore an official is not accepted/required.
Today my Dās school counselor told her that you can order transcript from parchment to be send to Common App (for which she has to do something - I think approve or something), and then from common app, that transcript can be send to any college (like you send recommendation letters from common app). I did not know of such mechanism. Anyone else knows about this? I have not tried it yet. So she said, we should be paying $8 just one time.
@rk1235rk Counselors are able to upload your high school transcript as a part of the School Secondary Report/LOR they write for the Common & Coalition Applications, and this will be sent to all colleges you apply via both application portals. They are also able to submit your final transcript/school report this way. Ask your counselor if they will do this for you, instead of having to pay for a transcript every time (though youāll probably have to pay for mailing transcripts to non-Common/Coalition application schools.)
Hope that helps! Good luck with admissions!
Thank you @PikachuRocks15 for confirming that transcript can be sent via common app. Almost all colleges that we are planning to apply are on common app, so we should be ok.
@rk1235rk No problem, but make sure to confirm with your guidance counselor that they WILL be submitting your kidās HS transcript via the Common App, as you canāt remove LORs once theyāve been submitted.
Hope that helps!
Hi Everyone, I am working on my college applications and was wondering should I write the COVID essay in CommonApp?
Covid has not impacted me or my family in terms of death, job loss or illness but yes it did impact my shadowing/volunteering and other such activities getting cancelled. I was planning to use the Covid essay to show how I used this time to do something positive.
Would it be a good idea to write positive or that section should only be used if you have had a negative impact?
Just a wild stab here but anyone have any knowledge about the Univ Colorado Denver/ CU Med School program? Iām in the Air Force stationed in the Midwest but Iām a Colorado resident and my son will be able to apply to the program as an in-state resident but thereās very little available to read about this program. CU is one of the better medical schools with a BSMD program but as with a number of these programs, the undergrad isnāt what my son had imagined heād attend while we was working his tail off in high school.
It is a very good program, not accelerated though and only for Colorado residents. One of my acquaintances who is a Colorado resident was mentioning about it couple of years ago in the context of his C applying there. It seems they only have 10 or so seats in the program and so may invite 15-20 for the interview. Seems driven by some extra criteria on top of resident status, such as socio economic. Heard it is very competitive and was kind of long shot though his C had a 1580 SAT and top grades. Havenāt heard since then so probably didnāt get in.