FAQs about the Faculty Committee Letter of Evaluation
updated: 22 April 2008
In brief: If you have any questions about the status of your letters please e-mail us at healthandlawletters@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
What is the Faculty Committee letter?
The Faculty Committee letter of evaluation is a composite letter which the university provides to any student or alum who is applying to a graduate level health profession (medical, dental, optometry, podiatry, veterinary) school. The letter mailed to the programs will include the committee letter and additional letters chosen from the student’s file.
Who is the Faculty Committee on Health Professions?
The FCHP is a group of about 13 Stony Brook Faculty. The committee is charged with evaluating Stony Brook students for health profession programs.
What is the process of obtaining a committee letter?
1) Students need to obtain three letters of recommendation which are to be kept on file in the Academic & Pre-Professional Advising Center.
2) Students will also complete the Autobiographical Packet (appropriate to their application year). This packet is used for background information and will not be mailed to other schools.
3) Finally students must have on file with the Advising Center any transcripts for schools they have attended other than Stony Brook.
4) Once the above items are on file the student needs to schedule an interview appointment with a pre-health advisor.
5) Students must have their entry exam score (MCAT/DAT/GRE) released to pre-health advising (a student copy is fine as well).
6) Upon completion of steps 1-5, a letter is drafted and the student’s entire file is sent to the FCHP for evaluation.
7) The letter is finalized and ready to be mailed.
How will the letter be mailed?
Students need to complete a Credentials Request form and pay a fee on Solar. The credentials request form is to be turned in to the advising center. All letters are sent by regular US mail.
What does it cost to have my letters mailed to the programs I’m applying to?
Students need to pay a credentials fee. Our fee is $40 for up to 10 schools and $80 for unlimited schools. Both fees are annual and will cover your request for one application year only. So, if you apply one year and pay $80 you will be asked to pay again if you reapply the following year.
When the committee letter is mailed is it mailed with other letters of recommendation?
The committee letter is comprised of a letter from the committee and a selection of letters from the student’s file. The committee picks which letters are included from the file to make the best representative set. You do not need to indicate to schools that they are receiving these additional letters. If a secondary asks what letters you are having sent you need only to indicate the committee letter.
What happens if I am interviewed and I still want additional letters to be sent to the pre-health advising office?
We can add more letters after the interview. Letters can continue to be received as long as we haven’t mailed your committee letter out. Once the committee letter has been mailed to any school it cannot be changed and letters will not be added.
Some of my schools ask that my AAMC number be put on the letter. Do I need to make a special request for that?
No, the AAMC number will be put on the letter when it is sent to the medical schools. However, students should request the AACOM number be added if it is required.
How will I know that my committee letter has been mailed to the schools that I applied to?
We will send an e-mail to you once the letter has been mailed to the schools designated on the credentials request from.
If I decided to apply to additional schools after I submitted a credential request form, how should I notify the pre-health office?
You can add more schools on additional request forms but you do not need to repay the credentials request fee if it is during the same application cycle.
If a letter from a Doctor of Osteopathic medicine is on file will it automatically be sent to osteopathic schools on my credentials file?
Yes, a letter from a DO will be sent to Osteopathic schools you apply to.
Certain schools require specific letters to be mailed to their admissions. Do I need to make a special request for that?
No, the Faculty Committee letter will satisfy any specific requirements a school may want (ie, 2 science professors, 1 non-science).
If you are applying to MD/PhD programs some or all research letters on file will be sent.
What if I decide not to apply this year?
We will keep your file for 5 years.
If you choose to apply at a later date and have already had a committee interview, we will gladly update it for you.
How long after my interview will the committee letter be mailed?
After your interview a rough draft of your letter is written. This draft along with all the other items in your file is sent to the committee. The committee gives it back to the pre-health office and your letter is finalized. A letter can only be finalized with receipt of your admissions test score (MCAT/DAT/GRE). If you have submitted your credentials request form then, upon completion of the letter, it will be mailed within a week.
What if I want to apply to a different type of program, like physician assistant, physical therapy, or a non-related masters?
The letters of recommendation on file in the pre-health office are for the graduate level health professions only (dental, medical, optometry, podiatry, and veterinary). If you choose to use any letter held in the office for something outside of those programs listed and enrichment programs, it will be your responsibility to get permission from the recommender sent to the office. We encourage you to use interfolio.com with the Career Center if you would like to keep a LOR file that can be used for any program.