College of Basic Sciences | Premedical/Predental Faculty Evaluations

Faculty evaluation letters are an important element of your application process for medical/dental school. Admissions committees place great importance on the feedback from faculty members regarding an applicant’s academic ability, intellectual curiosity, maturity, personality, and ability to understand and process volumes of information. Consider the following when asking a faculty member for a letter:

Ask the faculty member to write a general letter of evaluation for medical/dental schools that can be sent to various institutions. You may be applying to schools other than LSU medical/dental schools. Therefore, you do not want the letter directed only to the “LSU Medical School” if you are applying elsewhere as well.

You should provide a copy of your transcript along with your resume and any committee forms or medical school application forms that the faculty member may need to complete. Some faculty may also request a copy of your essay/personal statement.

It is strongly recommended that at least one of your evaluations be from a faculty member within your major department. If you took an independent research course under the supervision of or work in the laboratory of a faculty member, it is a good idea to get a letter from them if possible.

Notify the faculty member if you are applying for an Early Decision Program or if you are interested in an MD/PhD program.

Provide the faculty member with enough time to write your letter. Faculty members have many responsibilities, particularly at the end of the semester. Do not wait until the last minute!!!!

Review deadline dates with the faculty member and confirm that they will be able to have your letter in by that date. It is your responsibility to insure that your evaluation letters are received by the deadline. Verify receipt of the letters with the committee or medical/dental school admissions office before the deadline date and contact the faculty member if the letter has not been received.

It is in your best interest to waive your confidentiality rights of the letter written on your behalf. Some medical schools will not review letters of evaluation that are not confidential.

You should never handle the completed evaluation forms and letters. Have the faculty member forward the letter directly to the committee or medical school admissions office. If the form has to be mailed, you should provide the faculty member with a stamped envelope addressed to the committee or medical school admissions office.

Make an appointment with the faculty member to discuss your interest in the medical/dental profession and your qualifications and experiences. This will help the faculty member address more than your general “classroom” performance. Developing relationships with faculty members outside the classroom is valuable. A faculty member from a freshman level class of 300 will have difficulty providing personal information about you unless you have spoken with her/him outside of class.

Choose faculty evaluators wisely. An “A” in the class does not guarantee a positive letter or that the faculty member will be able to give meaningful feedback regarding your personal suitability for medical/dental school. Faculty members typically consider class attendance, participation, attitude, enthusiasm for learning, etc. when writing letters of evaluation.

Always remember, you are the one applying to medical/dental school. Application deadlines, letters of evaluation, MCAT/DAT score reports are your responsibility! Follow up with faculty members, check on the status of your committee application forms periodically. Make sure you meet ALL deadlines. Waiting to the last minute to turn in your information delays your review by the committee and your completion of the application process. The LSU Premedical/Predental Committee makes no exceptions regarding deadlines.

If you utilize the LSU Premedical/Predental Review Committee, you may check the status of your letters and other application materials at the College of Basic Sciences Dean’s Office in 338 Choppin Hall.