Committee Letter Process
View details on the process of receiving a committee letter in support of your medical or dental program application from the Department of Natural Sciences
The committee letter, also called a composite letter, is a two-page summary of your candidacy to health professions school. It is written by the Keck Science Committee and incorporates information from your individual letters of recommendation, your academic history, your cocurricular activities, and additional information that we ask for when you’re applying.
Simply put, the committee letter reflects what you have done and who you are as a future health professional. It can be a helpful road map for an admissions officer to read since it summarizes information found throughout your application materials into a cohesive narrative. The committee letter is available to Keck students up to 2 years after graduation with a minimum 3.3 GPA applying to medical or dental programs.
How Many Letters do I Need?
Generally speaking, medical schools require at least three letters of recommendation. For applicants who receive our committee letter of recommendation, we ask you to collect from three to six letters. We send all of them along with our letter (your recommenders do not send letters directly to medical schools).
Committee Letter Process
| Month | Activity |
| September | Attend our Medical/Dental School Applicant Information Session
If you plan to apply to medical/dental school in Summer 2025, it is MANDATORY that you attend. This session is for 2025 medical/dental school applicants only. Required for committee letter. Learn about how to access the resources needed to be on track for an application, when to schedule advising meetings, and beyond. |
| September – October | Create a Pre-Health Portal Account
Create an account, fill out Student Profile information Tab, upload resume & transcript, complete Self-Assessment (located at the bottom of the Applicant Section) Make sure you let Susie know you are applying this cycle so that she can give you access to the Applicant Section |
| October – November | Schedule a Fall Applicant Meeting
Schedule a 1-hour meeting to discuss applicant readiness to apply to medical or dental school in summer 2023 and identify potential letter writers. Schedule Zoom meeting via Calendly. Please create a profile in the Portal if you do not already have one. |
| October | Join our Student Panel work shop about MCAT/DAT/GRE
Do you have questions about taking a standardized test and want to ask someone who has already taken it? Come speak with Keck students who have already taken the MCAT & GRE |
| November | GAP Year Information Session & Student Panel
Session will cover what it means to take time in between undergrad and starting health professional school, why people might opt to do it, how it can help strengthen one’s application, and the different things that people do during a GAP year. Perspective from current students and Natural Sciences alumni who are taking a gap year. |
| November | Personal Statement Workshop
If you plan to apply to a graduate health program, it is highly recommended that you attend this session. Learn how to write a meaningful personal statement for your application. |
| December | Mandatory VeCollect Training Info Session
This training is for students who plan to apply to medical/dental school programs summer 2025 and will offer an overview of the various application services needed. You will receive training on how to complete your applicant profile, upload your unofficial transcript and your personal statement draft. You will also learn the system for requesting, collecting and sending letters of recommendation. Required for committee letter. |
| Winter Break | Things to Work on Over Winter Break
|
| January–February | Applicant Autobiography Due February 15
Will receive prompt for Applicant Autobiography in December. Deadline is February 15, 11:59PM PST |
| February – March | Required Spring Committee Letter Meetings
Schedule a 2-hour meeting with Susie. Required for committee letter. Optional Personal Statement Review: Schedule a time with your Career Services & Writing Center to go over your Personal Statement and give feedback. |
| April | All Letters of Recommendation Due to veCollect
Submission of letters of recommendation is required for committee letter. |
| April–May | Picking Schools/MSAR Workshop
This session will teach you how to use the MSAR to research and select schools. 2024-2025 CAS (Centralized Application Service) Workshop: this session will provide information on how to fill out the application for medical and dental programs. Required for committee letter |
| May–Mid-July | Start filling out the online application for upcoming Application cycle
Order official transcripts IN ADVANCE. Send Susie AMCAS Letter Request form. All other CAS will be sent automatically for you once you input Susie’s information. |
| June–Mid-July | Submit final application to centralized application service online. |
| July 1 | Committee Letter Upload
Students will need to send letter request forms to Susie for her to upload committee letter to application. This should be done no later than July 15. |
| Late July–August | Pre-Health Office Closed for Summer Break. |