Handsome88 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Do we need to send a different reference letter to each school? So do you print out a reference letter from each university website you are applying to and give them to the referee to fill out. They fill out EACH reference letter, put them in separate envelopes and send them to the individual universities. So if I am applying to 10 different universities in Canada I need 10 different reference letters...right (assuming each one needs one reference letter, I know they need 2-3 each)? Is there an easier way than giving 10 reference letters to one referee to fill out? Even if each will contain the same basic information, it will be time consuming and inconvenient to fill each one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontariostudent Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Which are the 10 schools you're applying to? I mentioned in the other thread that the 5 schools in Ontario use a common application system and therefore require one set of letters. The French schools in Quebec might have a similar system. Please let us know where you're applying and we can let you know what you need to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handsome88 Posted July 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 Which are the 10 schools you're applying to? I mentioned in the other thread that the 5 schools in Ontario use a common application system and therefore require one set of letters. The French schools in Quebec might have a similar system. Please let us know where you're applying and we can let you know what you need to do. I'm applying to basically almost all schools in Canada. Say ontario needs 3, Quebec needs 3, BC needs 2, Manitoba needs 2, Dalhousie needs 2..etc. For US I need 3, I am also applying to Caribbean schools which need 2. So it will be a total of approximately 18 reference letters, divide this into 3 different referees (I cannot find more than 3, I can barely find ONE!), this will give you 6 reference letters per referee. This is too much!! Am I doing something wrong or are reference letters just a waste of our, the referee's, and the admission committee's time (because trust me, reference letters do NOT accurately describe who you are, this is why you have something called an INTERVIEW which we also have to go through)?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 25, 2009 Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 I'm applying to basically almost all schools in Canada. Say ontario needs 3, Quebec needs 3, BC needs 2, Manitoba needs 2, Dalhousie needs 2..etc. For US I need 3, I am also applying to Caribbean schools which need 2. So it will be a total of approximately 18 reference letters, divide this into 3 different referees (I cannot find more than 3, I can barely find ONE!), this will give you 6 reference letters per referee. This is too much!! Am I doing something wrong or are reference letters just a waste of our, the referee's, and the admission committee's time (because trust me, reference letters do NOT accurately describe who you are, this is why you have something called an INTERVIEW which we also have to go through)?? Doesn't sound like you are wasting your time, although the shear number of schools you are applying to is certainly a factor in the number you need. Your frustration is probably natural - they certainly make you jump through a lot of hoops in the process. I am not sure how effective letters of reference are either, but they are taking seriously in a lot of places. The schools are not making you get them for no reason after all. Don't underestimate them, despite the annoyance they are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted July 25, 2009 Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 Give each referee 6 or whatever no. of stamped, addressed envelopes. They could easily prepare one LOR addressed To Whom It May Concern and sign each, inserting them in each envelope, adding your reference no. for OMSAS or the particular med school. And attach to each envelope appropriately, the Confidential Assessment Form for each med school. The devil is in the details, just be organized, well intentioned referees won't mind. Each of us need to do the same. It is essential if we want to "pass Go". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted July 25, 2009 Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 There is a service called Interfolio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsleuth Posted July 25, 2009 Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 doctors, professors, and volunteer/program coordinators write a lot of reference letters. in fact, for the latter two, that's a huge part of what they do. it seems like a lot to you, but it's standard to them, and as long as you make it easy by providing stamped envelopes, guidelines for what you need from them, give them LOADS of time to do it (remembering that they're gonna get a lot of requests right about now from everyone who put it off til the end of the application cycle), and any information about you they might need (like your CV), they probably won't care. just explain that you know it's a lot, but you're very committed to this goal and want to get started on this path as soon as you can, so you're casting your net wide, and you appreciate their support. don't apologize too much though - my mom's a prof, and asking for DOZENS of copies of letters or forms is not as uncommon as you'd think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handsome88 Posted July 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Give each referee 6 or whatever no. of stamped, addressed envelopes. They could easily prepare one LOR addressed To Whom It May Concern and sign each, inserting them in each envelope, adding your reference no. for OMSAS or the particular med school. And attach to each envelope appropriately, the Confidential Assessment Form for each med school. The devil is in the details, just be organized, well intentioned referees won't mind. Each of us need to do the same. It is essential if we want to "pass Go". So it does not have to be a special letter for each university that is downloaded from their websites individually, it could be a letter of "to whom it may concern"? I hope that's how it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Well, some universities have a Confidential Assessment Form that needs to be filled in by ticking boxes, indiciating how long the referee knows you, etc. and it must be dated and signed. Then, there is the LOR. I think the LORs to OMSAS cover it and then you have other med schools o/s Ontario. You want to make sure that each letter put into an envelope by the referee contains your I.D. No. for OMSAS or the med school concerned - so that just in case the LOR get separated from your file, it finds its way back to the proper place. So, you need to put a post-it on each envelope with as note to the referee giving him the ID No. that he is to place on the RE that already contains your name. Your post-it should indicate the name of the med school (or OMSAS) and the ID No. just in case the post-it gets separated from the stamped, addressed envelope. Sure: To whom it may concern, (or, To The Admissions Committee) Dear Sirs," The devil is always in the details. Just be organized, as we all must be. And then Lactic Folly has come up with a viable option too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayven Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Just to add to this thread... What happens if you don't get in this year? If/When you apply again do you have to ask all your references to write you another batch of LORs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Just to add to this thread... What happens if you don't get in this year? If/When you apply again do you have to ask all your references to write you another batch of LORs? Yes! But, not to worry, if you have strong references, they want you to get in, so they will be happy to cooperate. Its just part of the process. One poster had applied for 7 years in a row until he finally got accepted. I am sure he will make house calls to his referees forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renin Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Just to add to this thread... What happens if you don't get in this year? If/When you apply again do you have to ask all your references to write you another batch of LORs? I did. For my 3 times I applied, there was one individual that was consistent between all three years. I decided to refine my letters and/or had a lot of new experiences, so I used different people. If people won't do it for you - maybe you're asking the wrong people for the letters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 If people won't do it for you - maybe you're asking the wrong people for the letters. Absolutely correct! Congrats, Renin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsleuth Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Sure: To whom it may concern, (or, To The Admissions Committee) Dear Sirs," hopefully, they will write `Dear Sirs or Madams` with the last option; doubt any ladies on the adcom would appreciate that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 hopefully, they will write `Dear Sirs or Madams` with the last option; doubt any ladies on the adcom would appreciate that. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renin Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Absolutely correct! Congrats, Renin. *bows* I'd like to thank the members of the Academy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 *bows* I'd like to thank the members of the Academy...and now wish to bestow upon Renin the degree of Medical Doctor (10 characters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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