Credentials through Interfolio
For Non-Pre-Health Applicants
Career Services is happy to announce our newly formed partnership with Interfolio, Inc., the premier web-based credential file management service since 1999, to help with maintenance and mailing of Credentials letters for interested Penn students and alumni. Interfolio is successfully used by over 200 colleges and universities, including many of our peer institutions. We believe that Interfolio will offer you the greatest convenience and accessibility for managing your credentials. For a small fee you can store your letters with Interfolio, and have them mailed out whenever you apply for graduate school admission, employment or funding.
Interfolio works best in Firefox and Safari.
PLEASE NOTE: Pre-Health applicants will continue to use the Career Services Credentials system, whether you’re working with Career Services Pre-Health Advisors, or you are taking post-bac classes through LPS. Contact your advisor or click here for details and dates related to this process.
Instructions
New credentials file users: If you are opening a credentials file for the first time, please go to http://interfolio.com/penncs.cfm to create your Interfolio account, request letters and set up deliveries.
Recent credentials file users: If you have opened or used your credentials file with Career Services in the last three years, your letters of recommendation should now be accessible through Interfolio. You may already have received an email announcing this new partnership and including these instructions. [If you did not receive the email announcement, try the following instructions using your Penn email address as username if you can still receive email there. If this does not work click here.]
To obtain access to your credentials documents that have been transferred to Interfolio, follow the steps below:
1. Go to www.interfolio.com.
2. In the upper right corner, under the Email / Username and Password boxes, select "Forgot your password?"
3. Enter your Username ((the last official Penn email address on file in Penn’s data warehouse for you)
4. Click "Send Password"
5. A temporary password will be emailed to you
6. Use the Username and this temporary password to log in to Interfolio
You will be prompted to change your password, then to renew your account. Once you have renewed your Interfolio account it will be automatically activated. You will find your documentsunder the "Documents" tab. Please review the list of letters in your file. If any recommendations are missing, please contact Career Services at letters@pobox.upenn.edu .
If, after selecting "Forgot your password" and supplying your Username, you see the message: "Email or username was not found" or another error message, please contact Career Services at letters@pobox.upenn.edu or call 215-898-4382.
Other credentials file users (not recently active): If you have an older credentials file at Career Services and would like to use recommendations in that file, we would be happy to send them to Interfolio. Please go to http://interfolio.com/penncs.cfm, and follow instructions for opening a file. Then contact Career Services at letters@pobox.upenn.edu to make a request for your documents to be transferred to your Interfolio account.
If your letters have been transferred to Interfolio and you do not wish to maintain a file there you may submit a written request to Interfolio to destroy your documents.
Fees
There will be a modest annual fee to keep your file active, and there will be a small fee for each request you make for letters to be sent to graduate programs, potential employers, or other opportunities which require letters of recommendation. Click here for more pricing details.
Security
Both Career Services and Interfolio are committed to the confidentiality of your credentials. You can read Interfolio’s Privacy Policies and Security information on their website. Penn’s University Counsel and Privacy Officer have reviewed our partnership with Interfolio, Inc.
Features
• Interfolio promises quick turn around on mailing requests – 24 hour processing with no added rush fee; Their customer service department will answer email and telephone questions and they also have a 24-hour online help center;
• Multiple mailing options, including overnight and/or electronic delivery where available;
• Secure online credit card payments are accepted along with checks and money orders;
• You may keep both confidential and non confidential letters in your file;
• Additional documents such as writing samples, articles, test scores, unofficial transcripts, etc. may be stored in your account at Interfolio;
• As in the past, career counselors in Career Services will be able, upon your request, to access your file to tell you what letters are appropriate or not appropriate for the specific use you have in mind (i.e. application to law school, internships, permanent employment, etc.) They will not, however, be able to tell you the contents of the letter;
• As part of their service, Interfolio provides students and alumni a web-based portfolio at no additional cost. Some students have requested this and found it to be very useful, particularly doctoral students who wish to present a compilation of their teaching materials or other documents;
• Letter writers may upload the documents they write electronically, or mail the letters on your behalf to Interfolio free of charge;
• Letter writers have ongoing access to all documents they upload. They can easily make updates and check the status of the documents.
If you have additional questions about this new partnership, please email letters@pobox.upenn.edu or call the Career Services Credentials line at 215 898 4382.
