Please read the USC Dornsife College Office of Pre-Health Advisement Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service webpage before proceeding.

 

Letters of recommendation are required as part of the medical school application process. By AMCAS definition, the letters of recommendation collected by the Office of Pre-Health Advisement can be classified as a “Letter Packet.” You, the applicant, will designate which schools will receive a “Letter Packet” on your AMCAS application. NOTE: If you are NOT utilizing our Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service you may choose the “Individual Letter” option as the type of letter being forwarded to AMCAS. Please visit AMCAS for more information.

 

Step I: Beginning March 15th -Establish a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Account Online

 

   Click here to create a USC LOR Account

1. To create an account, click on “Sign Up." Creating this account will allow you to make payments, check on the status of letters received, and submit requests once your letter packet is complete.
2. Then click on VIEW LOR Application.

 

Step II: Complete the LOR Service Application

Part I. Application Contact Information

Part II. List of Evaluators

Part III. Payment

Part IV. Legal Agreement

PLEASE NOTE:

1) Students should only establish an LOR service account during their application year (one year prior to matriculation).

2) Print the “Letter of Recommendation Service Application” and retain a copy for your records.

3)Make sure to print (or pick up from FIG 107) the electronic cover sheet and recommender instructions provided through your USC LOR service account and provide a signed copy to all recommenders.

 

Step III: Letters of recommendation (LOR) and accompanying cover letters should be brought or sent to FIG 107 no later than Thursday, August 1^st, 2013 in the following ways:

• A letter may be hand-delivered to FIG 107 by the recommender OR the student, provided that it is in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature across the seal.
• A letter may be sent through campus mail by the recommender: Mail Code1266
• A letter may be mailed via U.S. Postal Service to:

University of Southern California

Dornsife College Office of Pre-Health Advisement Office

Attn: Pre-Health Service

3535 South Figueroa Street-FIG 107

Los Angeles, CA 90089-1266

• A letter may be e-mailed to prehealth@dornsife.usc.edu on electronic letterhead and must include an electronic signature. No Word documents please. PDF is highly recommended. NOTE: FAXED Letters of Recommendation will NOT be accepted.

 

STEP IV: Fill out the “Letters of Evaluation (LOE)” section of the AMCAS application (LOE=LOR).

If you are submitting letters through USC’s LOR service, complete each of the following steps (a-e) if you wish to forward a Letter Packet to each medical school.

a)  Visit the “Letters of Evaluation,” (section 6 of AMCAS) and select “Letter Packet” as the type of letter being forwarded to AMCAS and click “continue.”

b)  Choose USC as the school providing the letter and click “continue.”

c)   Enter Nathalie Zuletta’s information as the primary author/contact information:

Letter Title: USC Letter Packet

Primary Contact’s Name: Mrs. Nathalie Zuletta

Primary Contact's Title: Administrative Assistant, USC Dornsife Office of Pre-Health Advisement

Primary Contact's Email: nzuletta@dornsife.usc.edu

Primary Contact's Phone: (213) 740-4844

Organization Name: University of Southern California

Address: 3535 S. Figueroa Street-FIG 107, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1266

Follow the prompts to continue.

d)  You will need your AMCAS letter ID number stated on the AMCAS Letter Request form when filling out the USC LOR request form.

NOTE:

1. You are not required to submit the AMCAS Letter Request form to our office. You may, however, retain a copy for future reference.
2. AMCAS number is different from your AAMC number.

e)   Before you can designate letters to be received by medical schools you must first:

1. Add the medical schools (under Section 6 of AMCAS) to your AMCAS application and verify that they participate in the AMCAS letters program by looking for the LOE Icon.
2. Assign letters of evaluation to medical schools.

 

STEP V: Once you begin receiving Secondary (Supplemental) Applications, request to release your letters to AMCAS via USC’s LOR Online Account.

Requests for letters of recommendation accompany secondary applications for medical schools. When you receive a secondary application and are prompted for letters of recommendation, complete each of the following steps:

1. Log-in to your USC onlineLOR account.
2. Complete and submit the USC LOR request form provided through your USC LOR account.

NOTE:

1. Students will not be given access to an LOR request form until ALL LOR have been received by the Office of Pre-Health Advisement. Please be sure that you have your AMCAS letter ID #. If you do not, please refer to Step IV.
2. LOR request forms are processed within 5-7 business days of receipt.
3. If you are applying to medical schools that do not participate in the AMCAS letter service (e.g. Caribbean or abroad schools), you must complete Section 2f of the USC LOR request form, titled, “Other Schools/Programs Not Listed,” found in your USC LOR account.

 

STEP VI: Check the status of your letters on AMCAS

Once the Office of Pre-Health Advisement forwards your letters to AMCAS, check to make sure AMCAS received your letter packet. You should be notified via e-mail and the status of your letter packet in the “Letters of Evaluation” tab on AMCAS should state, “Received.”

 

Step VII. Confirm

Confirm that every school has received your letters by referring to the school’s website.

If you ever have any doubts about the status of your letters, e-mail Nathalie Zuletta, Administrative Assistant (nzuletta@dornsife.usc.edu) or stop by the Pre-Health Advisement Office.  Just keep in mind that it is a busy time, so wait at least 48 hours after your initial query before following up.