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Overview: Letters of Evaluation

Letters of Evaluation are an essential and meaningful part of any graduate Health Professions application. Admissions committees read Letters of Recommendation closely and look for different ways to learn about you.

The Health Professions Program oversees the Composite Letter Process. We work closely with both applicants and composite writers, coordinate the logistics, and ensure the integrity of your final Composite Letter. There are several parts that YOU are responsible for. Please read through our Overview of the Composite Letter Process so you will be prepared for the steps ahead. Below is a summary. 

What is the Composite Letter of Evaluation?

At Dartmouth College, the Composite Letter of Evaluation is the finished product that is sent to Medical/Dental schools. You may have heard or read about "committee letters" on either schools' websites or AMCAS (MD), AACOMAS (DO), or AADSAS (Dental). Our Composite Letter is Dartmouth's version of a "committee letter."

This is a unique, comprehensive letter of evaluation written on your behalf, by a "Composite Writer." You choose your Composite Writer. That person becomes your head letter writer. They must be from the Dartmouth Community (Dartmouth College, DHMC, or Geisel). They are often the faculty or staff who knows you best, with whom you have the strongest connection, or with whom you worked with the most. You will also have 3-5 letters of recommendation from "support writers" that you choose. The composite writer's job is to write a comprehensive letter—a composite—that integrates their evaluation with information and quotes from supporting letters. This cohesive, final letter presents you as an applicant from Dartmouth College to MD, DO, or Dental schools.

What do you need to do for the Composite Letter Process?

  • Choose 1 Composite Writer - must be from Dartmouth Community (including Dartmouth College, DHMC, or Geisel)
  • Choose 3-5 Supporting Writers - can combine from Dartmouth Community and from elsewhere
  • Create a PrivateFolio account - in which the supporting writers upload their letters confidentially for you. Please make sure to use our specific instructions found HERE to open your account as a Dartmouth applicant in order for us to assist you.
  • Submit ESSENTIAL forms to HPP!
    • The final single document that you send to medical schools and other health professions schools, is created by HPP staff. It includes the completed composite letter, followed by the supporting letters, as one PDF. You will then send this packet to the appropriate application service, e.g. AMCAS, AACOMAS (DO), or AADSAS (Dental) using our detailed instructions.
  • Write and upload your Autobiographical Sketch, Resume, Transcript, and Citation Report (if you have one) onto PrivateFolio