Interfolio for history applicants?

[PhillyPhan896]

Hey everyone, so I already posted this question in the LOR section of the forum, but I don't know how many people are looking there. Since I'm applying to history programs, I think the responses might be more specific and helpful here... that is, if anyone has the answer I'm seeking. I just copied and pasted, so here it is:

Ok so I'm sure that this question has been posed before, but I can't seem to find an adequate answer. I am getting ready to apply to 10 phd programs for history, and I feel like that is a lot of LORs for my recommenders to upload, even if they use the same letter for all 10 schools. At least one of my recommenders is a very prominent historian with a crazy work schedule, so I cant imagine that he would enjoy spending an hour or two uploading the recs (on top of the time he took to write it).

At the same time, it appears that most grad schools now explicitly require the LORs to be uploaded online. Does anyone know of a good solution? Is using a dossier service like Interfolio feasible these days?

Thanks!

[sandyvanb]

I'm applying to 10-12 schools as well and it seems as though each LOR will need to be uploaded for each school. It might be a question to ask each department. I'm curious to see if anyone else has had experience with this for PhD apps.

[TMP]

Doubt it. He's probably already aware that you're applying to this many schools and if he had said yes to writing you a LOR, chances are, he knows it'll be bit of work. I heard it all the time from professors saying "I was just writing a LOR this morning.... " "I'll get to your paper when I'm done writing a LOR for one of my other students..." It's part of their life. They do make time in their schedules for these things- it's called time management.

[PhillyPhan896]

Doubt it. He's probably already aware that you're applying to this many schools and if he had said yes to writing you a LOR, chances are, he knows it'll be bit of work. I heard it all the time from professors saying "I was just writing a LOR this morning.... " "I'll get to your paper when I'm done writing a LOR for one of my other students..." It's part of their life. They do make time in their schedules for these things- it's called time management.

Oh really, is that what it's called? Why the condescending tone, ticklemepink? And my question does not concern the time it takes for profs to write a recommendation. It concerns the most efficient way for profs to submit their recs to grad programs. Several grad students at top programs have told me that they used a dossier service only a couple of years ago, and it made the whole recommendation process way easier for the profs and less awkward for the applicant.

[crazedandinfused]

Oh really, is that what it's called? Why the condescending tone, ticklemepink? And my question does not concern the time it takes for profs to write a recommendation. It concerns the most efficient way for profs to submit their recs to grad programs. Several grad students at top programs have told me that they used a dossier service only a couple of years ago, and it made the whole recommendation process way easier for the profs and less awkward for the applicant.

Jeez. Chances are you're gonna have to deal with people way more condescending than anyone with the handle Ticklemepink. It was just an attempt to help, I didn't see any condescension. Anyway, one of my letter writers is a retired prof emeritus who doesn't have email. Does anyone know how departments deal with this? I'm thinking I'm gonna have to give him 9 stamped and adressed envelopes and I guess he'll sign the seal? It's amazing -even somewhat admirable- that there are people who still don't have email.

[crater21]

How does a dossier service work? And, in what ways does it make it easier for the referees?

It would be great if there was a way to make this process easier for the referees since they have so many to write.