Letters of Recommendation and veCollect

Requesting Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a critical element in the health professions application process.  Schools value the perspectives of people who have observed your work and can speak to your abilities and personality.  You can begin requesting letters of recommendation at any time after you create your veCollect account.  At Johns Hopkins, you are responsible for monitoring all aspects of requesting and collecting recommendations.  You should only ask faculty or others who know you well to write a more substantial and helpful letter.  Realize that there is no rush, as faculty with whom you are currently taking a course or people you are currently working with can be asked closer to the time you apply. Here are some tips about getting letters of recommendation:

• Choose your recommenders carefully.  Generally, you should aim to have between four to six letters of recommendation.  It is rare that we advise students to collect more than six. As a general rule, we recommend two recommendations from science or math faculty or, as a substitute, a science faculty member who supervised your laboratory work.  It is also recommended that you have a recommend-ation from a faculty member outside of the sciences, preferably in the humanities or social sciences.  Others who may write useful letters include a research advisor, faculty advisor, athletic coach, supervisor of a campus or summer job, and a volunteer supervisor. Letters from graduate student instructors are acceptable but letters from faculty tend to carry more weight.
   
• When asking for the letter, make an appointment to meet in person if at all possible.  Take your resume and transcript and papers which you have written for the instructor (preferably the copies which contain their comments) with you and be prepared to talk about your future goals and past achievements.  If an individual agrees to write on your behalf, present him/her with the Recommendation Waiver Form.  If the person is off campus, it is also helpful to provide the writer with a stamped envelope addressed to the Office of Pre-Professional Programs and Advising.
   
• Make sure that you allow the person the option of saying NO.  You want to have strong letters and if a person is somewhat uncomfortable writing for you or doesn’t have enough time, it is likely that the result will be short and weak.  It is much better to have someone be honest with you at the start, so that you can find another evaluator who will be more enthusiastic. Determine this by asking the person if s/he feels comfortable writing a strong letter for you.
   
• Give your referees plenty of advance notice and time to write a good letter of recommendation (a month or even two).  Make sure that your writers know that we need to have your letters by mid-June. It is up to you how you motivate your recommended to submit your recommendation. 
   
• Be sure to give your referees friendly reminders about your letter, but do not pester them.  Remember they will be writing a letter reflecting on many aspects of you—which includes behavior and interpersonal interactions!
   
• Write a thank you note to each recommender for taking the time to write you a letter in support of your candidacy. 
   
• Inform your writers when you have decided where you will be attending school and thank them again for their assistance and support. 

What is veCollect?

Johns Hopkins applicants to medical and other health professions schools are supported by the submission of letters of recommendation from faculty, administrators, and others both inside and outside of the university through veCollect.   veCollect is an online letter of recommend-ation system that enables you to manage your letters of recommendation including requesting them, verifying that they have been received, and letting the Pre-Professional Office know that they are ready to be transmitted to the medical schools.  The system has a built in means of allowing you to waive your right to inspect the contents of letters of recommendation written on your behalf.   In using this service, recommendation writers submit letters of evaluation (on letterhead with their signature) electronically to veCollect.  The process for electronic submission of letters is through email attachment of the letter in .pdf, .doc, or .docx format.  Students have to be in their junior year or beyond to set up a veCollect account.

All requests for letters of recommendation to support your future application to medical or dental schools go through veCollect.

Who is eligible?

If you are a junior, senior, or JHU alumni in the Baltimore vicinity, you will initiate setting up a veCollect account in person.  If you are an alumnus who is not in the Baltimore area, you may initiate a veCollect account by postage mail.  You do not have to be planning to apply for the upcoming application year to open an account. 

What is the cost

The non-refundable fee for creating a veCollect account is $20, payable by cash or check made out to “Johns Hopkins University.”  When you ultimately declare you intent to apply to medical or dental school you will pay an additional fee for participation in the Health Professional Committee process.

How do I register for veCollect?

Use the veCollect Registration Form that all students and alumni must complete to register for veCollect.  Once completed, return to the Office of Pre-Professional Programs and Advising, located in 300 Garland Hall.  At that time, you will receive a receipt for your $20 payment. Alumni not in the Baltimore area can mail in your veCollect Registration Form and a check for $20 made out to “Johns Hopkins University.”  If your last name begins with A-L, you will direct the postage mailing to Mrs. Carolyn Krause, and if your last name begins with M-Z, you will direct the postage mailing to Mrs. LaTonia Sanders.  The postage mailing address is:
                Pre-Professional Programs and Advising
                Johns Hopkins University
                300 Garland Hall
                3400 N. Charles Street
                Baltimore, Maryland 21218

Guide Two

You will be using Guide Two: Letters of Recommendation and the veCollect Letter System to  set up your account and will answer a number of questions, including:
• How many recommendations do I need and from whom?
• When/how should I ask for letters of recommendations?
• How does it work?
• How does the veCollect letter system work?
• Once I have an account, how do I enter information on my evaluators (your letter writers)?
• What do I do if one of my evaluators chooses not to use veCollect?
• How will I know that letters have arrived?
• When it is time to apply, how do I notify the Pre-Prof. Office?

Remember...

It is critical that you are professional throughout this process, particularly in how you approach, provide information to, and express appreciation for the efforts of those faculty and others who are writing recommendations on your behalf.  The veCollect Student Manual provides suggestions on how to request letters of recommendation.