2 vet LORs from the same practice?

[CurrySpice]

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Can they each write me a separate LOR even though they work at the same practice?

I shadow them during separate shifts, and I think my application may be strengthened with 2 vet LORs rather than just 1. I don't think they would want to write the letter together, but I suppose I could ask if that's the common route.

...I hate asking people for LORs...

I'm thinking about asking an evolutionary bio prof (taken 2 courses & research with him) & an animal phys prof too.

ETA: I thought I remembered reading a thread about this recently, but my SDN searching skills are not up to snuff today.

 

[Chinola]

I had 2 vet LORs and they worked at the same practice. One was the owner and the other was an associate vet. They wrote two separate LORs and I'm sure they were very different because my interactions with them were different based on their personalities. I had 2 other academic LORs that were both from the same department (chemistry) even though my majors were bio and English. I thought that may be too much in one department/from one practice but in all of my interviews (4) it never came up and I was accepted to 3 of those schools and wait listed at the other so I don't think it was a problem!

 

[psilovethomas]

Both of my vet eLORs were from the same practice. I don't think it matters as long as you know that they can write a good recommendation.

 

[CurrySpice]

I had 2 vet LORs and they worked at the same practice. One was the owner and the other was an associate vet. They wrote two separate LORs and I'm sure they were very different because my interactions with them were different based on their personalities. I had 2 other academic LORs that were both from the same department (chemistry) even though my majors were bio and English. I thought that may be too much in one department/from one practice but in all of my interviews (4) it never came up and I was accepted to 3 of those schools and wait listed at the other so I don't think it was a problem!

That's just the response I was hoping for 🙂.

Congrats on all of your acceptances!!! 👍

 

[EllieGirl89]

For Ohio State I was required to have two veterinary LORs and the two doctors who knew me best were both from the same practice. They are both part-owners, but my interactions with them were vastly different because one is the practice's small animal vet and the other is the large animal vet.

I was told during an admissions presentation at OSU once that two LORs from the same practice is adequate, but one from each of two different practices is better. I have no doubt this is true, but it didn't seem to hurt me. I think that if you spend time with them separately and do different things with each one it makes a big difference.

Good luck!!

 

[Minnerbelle]

Yep, that's what I did. I didn't really have a choice, because I only worked with vets at one place, like ever, before matriculating.

 

[Alhazred]

I got two vet LORs from one practice as well. One owned the practice, the other worked part-time, and it worked out fine.

I was cautioned not to get my two vet LORs from the husband and wife team that worked there, though.

 

[thaowey]

sorry i bit OT, but how would you go about asking a LOR from a professor whose class you took last semester and went to their office hours semi-frequently but got an A- in the course...

[i'm only asking bc this is honestly the only "academic" LOR i can get since this is the only science course in which i've gotten a highest grade in...i know sad. but anywho...it's quite detrimental for me and i haven't figured a way to ask her yet...i don't know her OH this semester, so should i shoot her an e-mail first and be like....oh, hiii Dr. so&so.... or just stalk her OH everynow and then to see when she's in there and pop in?]

 

[heylodeb]

I was warned by UC Davis and WSU NOT to have LOR's from the same practice because they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough of a difference to make it worth their while.

However, I REALLY felt like both of them had different things to contribute so I went ahead and asked both of them anyway. 🙂 I got into UC Davis so it couldn't have been too bad.

As for getting an 'A-', one of my academic LOR's was my General Biology professor who was also my employer and I got a 'B' in her class. However, she was able to see how hard I worked in her class and was able to write a good LOR based on that. I don't think an 'A-' should deter you at all. It is still a GREAT grade! Do not ask for an LOR from your professor with your highest grade, ask for a letter from your prof who knows you the best and believes in you the most.

 

[thedogisgreen]

I was warned by UC Davis and WSU NOT to have LOR's from the same practice because they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough of a difference to make it worth their while.

However, I REALLY felt like both of them had different things to contribute so I went ahead and asked both of them anyway. 🙂 I got into UC Davis so it couldn't have been too bad.

Exact same thing happened to me. As long as you have different relationships with the two vets and they are able to say unique things about you, it shouldn't be a problem. I think also in the port mortems, they pull out any negatives they can as reasons why you don't get in, but plenty of people do get in with what they are telling you not to do.

 

[teatime]

I was warned by UC Davis and WSU NOT to have LOR's from the same practice because they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough of a difference to make it worth their while.

However, I REALLY felt like both of them had different things to contribute so I went ahead and asked both of them anyway. 🙂 I got into UC Davis so it couldn't have been too bad.

As for getting an 'A-', one of my academic LOR's was my General Biology professor who was also my employer and I got a 'B' in her class. However, she was able to see how hard I worked in her class and was able to write a good LOR based on that. I don't think an 'A-' should deter you at all. It is still a GREAT grade! Do not ask for an LOR from your professor with your highest grade, ask for a letter from your prof who knows you the best and believes in you the most.

are you me? I got letters from both vets at one practice and had my general bio professor as my academic one. how funny.

 

[heylodeb]

Exact same thing happened to me. As long as you have different relationships with the two vets and they are able to say unique things about you, it shouldn't be a problem. I think also in the port mortems, they pull out any negatives they can as reasons why you don't get in, but plenty of people do get in with what they are telling you not to do.

and I shold probably mention that I'm waitlisted at WSU as well. So they at least think I have some potential. 😉

teatime - I don't think I'm you. I might have a split personality disorder brewing though. 😛

 

[Minnerbelle]

sorry i bit OT, but how would you go about asking a LOR from a professor whose class you took last semester and went to their office hours semi-frequently but got an A- in the course...

[i'm only asking bc this is honestly the only "academic" LOR i can get since this is the only science course in which i've gotten a highest grade in...i know sad. but anywho...it's quite detrimental for me and i haven't figured a way to ask her yet...i don't know her OH this semester, so should i shoot her an e-mail first and be like....oh, hiii Dr. so&so.... or just stalk her OH everynow and then to see when she's in there and pop in?]

What's wrong with an A-? Unless it was a course in which only grades were distributed such that only mediocre students got an A-, I don't see a prob with it. I didn't receive a solid A in any class until senior year of college. As long as you have a good relationship with a professor who thinks highly of you and your potentials, you should be fine. If you don't have that in the first place, I don't think there would be much difference in the quality of the LOR regardless of whether you had and A or an A- in the class.

I would email the prof, remind her when you took the course (esp if it was more than a semester ago) and let her know how much you enjoyed her class and how proud you are of how hard you worked for that class. Let her know you're thinking about applying for veterinary school, and was wondering if she would feel comfortable writing a good LOR for you. Then let her know that you can deliver a packet of info to her when it's most convenient for her, and you would love to chat with her and update her about your life or whatever.

Some people prefer to not drop the "can you write a LOR for me" bomb on the prof unless they're in person, but I personally like to say that upfront before setting up an appointment. That way, they're not caught off guard and it gives them a chance to say no very easily (I would much rather that than them feel obligated and write a crappy LOR). If you're a former student wanting to set up an appointment, you obviously want something from them... you might as well them know what that is. just my 2 cents.

 

[lareinesoleil]

I was warned by UC Davis and WSU NOT to have LOR's from the same practice because they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough of a difference to make it worth their while.

However, I REALLY felt like both of them had different things to contribute so I went ahead and asked both of them anyway. 🙂 I got into UC Davis so it couldn't have been too bad. .

Yeah, I also had 2 LORs from vets at the same practice, and I got into WSU.

IMHO, the most important thing is having good LORs.

 

[that redhead]

sorry i bit OT, but how would you go about asking a LOR from a professor whose class you took last semester and went to their office hours semi-frequently but got an A- in the course...

[i'm only asking bc this is honestly the only "academic" LOR i can get since this is the only science course in which i've gotten a highest grade in...i know sad. but anywho...it's quite detrimental for me and i haven't figured a way to ask her yet...i don't know her OH this semester, so should i shoot her an e-mail first and be like....oh, hiii Dr. so&so.... or just stalk her OH everynow and then to see when she's in there and pop in?]

I emailed my academic evaluator because I was no longer seeing her on a regular basis. There's nothing wrong with popping in either.

 

[twelvetigers]

I asked my academic adviser from a previous degree for a letter. I knew that she remembered me and would be able to write a positive letter. We got to be pals, lol. We would meet for enrollment and I'd tell her what I was planning to take, and then we would sit and chat about random stuff. 🙂

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

What's wrong with an A-? Unless it was a course in which only grades were distributed such that only mediocre students got an A-, I don't see a prob with it.

Definitely...man, if an A- is a sub-par grade, then I really effed up in school 😛

I also had LORs from vets in the same practice, since I only worked at one. The other was from a research PI who had known me a good long time.

 

[LetItSnow]

sorry i bit OT, but how would you go about asking a LOR from a professor whose class you took last semester and went to their office hours semi-frequently but got an A- in the course...

I wouldn't do it differently than any other professor. Don't sell yourself short: there's nothing 'sad' about your highest grade being an A-, it just is what it is. The important thing isn't necessarily your grade; it's how you composed yourself in class, how you participated, what sort of character or work ethic you displayed, etc.

I liked Minnerbelle's comment about telling them up front why you want a meeting. I didn't think of that when I was doing it, but it makes perfect sense to me.

Just make sure you ask very specifically if she can/will write you an excellent LOR (or whatever words you like).

Can they each write me a separate LOR even though they work at the same practice?

Sure you can. The question really is "will an ad-com view them as redundant." With that in mind, I think the right approach might be to consider the order you put them in, taking into account how the schools you are applying to handle LORs, and how many overall LORs you have.

For instance, UMN looks at the first three and "may" look at more. If I were in your shoes and had 4 or 5 strong LORs, I may consider putting one of those vets in the first three spots and the second vet in the last two slots.

If the schools you're looking at don't have limits, then it probably doesn't matter in the least.

This is one of the weaknesses, btw, with VMCAS: it orders your LORs purely by the order you enter them. Since some schools have restrictions on the number they'll look at, the system ought to allow you to enter them in any order but specify a 'ranking'.

 

[Allthingsequine]

I was warned by UC Davis and WSU NOT to have LOR's from the same practice because they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough of a difference to make it worth their while.

Add me to the list of people who had two vet references from the same practice and still got into WSU. I also had no academic references, my 3rd LOR came from a vet at another practice. I never really got close to any professors as an undergrad and didn't feel like any could give me a reference with any info past what was on my transcripts. Apparently I didn't know much about standard LOR customs when I applied!

 

[thaowey]

haha thanks y'all for the advice!

oh and i guess i didn't really think about what i was typing...[the "but i got an A-" part]...technically i meant to say and. haha