asking early for LORs?

[Ayuka001]

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Hey guys,
I'm planning to apply this June and I was wondering how early is TOO early to ask for LOR's? I'm a little confused about the process. I want to ask my professors in late April/May but since Pharmcas wouldn't open until June I wouldn't have my ID yet so how would I go about doing this?

Also the professors that I want are from winter quarter so before the quarter ends should I mention that I'd like a letter in the future and that I'd like to meet them sometime in April/May to give them my info?


Sorry for the all questions ><

Thanks for the help !!

 

[sdpharm]

How would one go about asking a professor for a LOR? I have 0 LORs so far and i graduate in Aug of this year 🙁

 

[fullmetalphrm]

The way I see it it doesn't matter how early you ask, since half the time they put it off until right before the deadline regardless (but what can you do...).

In all seriousness, it couldn't hurt to 'lock' them in by asking for their future commitment in completing a LOR for you. This could be a great way to see where you stand in LORs, and if something goes wrong with one you still have months to find a new source for one in case you don't have a fall back one.

 

[BabyBelle]

Hey guys,
I'm planning to apply this June and I was wondering how early is TOO early to ask for LOR's? I'm a little confused about the process. I want to ask my professors in late April/May but since Pharmcas wouldn't open until June I wouldn't have my ID yet so how would I go about doing this?

Also the professors that I want are from winter quarter so before the quarter ends should I mention that I'd like a letter in the future and that I'd like to meet them sometime in April/May to give them my info?


Sorry for the all questions ><

Thanks for the help !!

If you are going to do the electronic way through PharmCAS, then it would be a good idea to let the professors know that you would like a LOR for pharmacy school and that they could start writing it. However, just let them know that they would have to wait for the email in June from PharmCAS in order to submit. There is also an evaluation (if I remember correctly) that the professors also must submit in addition to the LOR.

How would one go about asking a professor for a LOR? I have 0 LORs so far and i graduate in Aug of this year 🙁

Are you asking how you would actually ask a professor for a LOR or how you would know which professor to choose for a LOR?

 

[sdpharm]

If you are going to do the electronic way through PharmCAS, then it would be a good idea to let the professors know that you would like a LOR for pharmacy school and that they could start writing it. However, just let them know that they would have to wait for the email in June from PharmCAS in order to submit. There is also an evaluation (if I remember correctly) that the professors also must submit in addition to the LOR.



Are you asking how you would actually ask a professor for a LOR or how you would know which professor to choose for a LOR?

asking how one would ask a professor for a LOR.

 

[Busta919]

You will need to request the LOR through PharmCAS, so until you have an application started, the LOR cannot be generated....However.

Do your professors know you? If not, this is a great way to get them looking at you and remembering you. You do want them to know who you are rather than them trying to recall that person who sat in a chair among many other people. If you are known by the instructor, when the LOR request is recieved, then they will remember who you are and will be more likely to respond favorably and quickly. Don't wait until the next semester begins because you could fall back to the anonymous, especially large schools.

Do not shanghi your professor with an unannounced LOR request. Just like you would with a Resume and References, ask well in advance This will also give them time to specifically observe you in class wtih the remaining semester. I personnally interact with all my instructors because I cannot stand to be a semi-permeable sponge for the lectures (most professors like to have a little interaction with their classes)

You will probably need a committee letter of recommendation as well. Talk to your coordinator about this. Typically you will need a Professor LOR, a Professional LOR and an Personal LOR. The Professor, I would recommend a Science class with Lab instructor. The Professional, if you have a job, or are shadowing, you will need a LOR from someone who has observed you in a professional setting. The personal LOR, I personally would rather see a professional person as the LOR than John Q, who lived down the street from you your whole life (there should be some history with that person, more than a couple of years of acquaintance, I have met Buzz Aldrin, but I wouldn't use him as a reference).

Hope at least a little of this has helped.

 

[BabyBelle]

Office hours or making an appointment with a professor would be a good approach to ask a professor for a LOR. You want to make sure you get one-on-one time so that you are able to explain to him/her what it is that you are requiring from them for the LOR. Remember, there is an evaluation in addition to the LOR that they have to fill out when PharmCAS sends them that email.

If the professor agrees to write your LOR, you should begin by filling them in on the details of the procedure and when to expect an email from PharmCAS. They may request a resume or an interview with you so that they can get to know you better.

This leads me to this point. Make sure that you ask a professor who can really talk about the great qualities you have and what a great pharmacist you will be. Just because you got an A in science class from a professor doesn't necessarily mean that he/she knows you well enough to write you a great LOR. If the only thing the professor can say about you is "Well I recommend this student because he/she got an A in my class" and that is the only thing they can say, then you better go and find someone else.

Another thing to remember is to definitely give your professors/pharmacist/whoever is writing your LOR a deadline and make sure you touch bases with them to make sure they are in the process of writing your LOR. You don't have to be pushy but remember that they are busy people and sometimes they need reminders.

Also remember to check the LOR requirements for each school that you are applying to. Some schools put strict requirements on who you must get your LOR from so you want to make sure you get those.

 

[Ayuka001]

1. So it's absolutely ok for me to ask them for LOR's in April/May so they can get started as long as I tell them that they wouldn't be able to submit until June?
2. Also, all I need is their email to put into pharmcas correct?
3. when I ask them do I need to give them my pharmcas ID? (since I wont have that until June....)



thanks everyone 🙂 !

 

[BabyBelle]

1. So it's absolutely ok for me to ask them for LOR's in April/May so they can get started as long as I tell them that they wouldn't be able to submit until June?
2. Also, all I need is their email to put into pharmcas correct?
3. when I ask them do I need to give them my pharmcas ID? (since I wont have that until June....)



thanks everyone 🙂 !

1 & 2. Yup!

3. Nope.

 

[monkieez]

1. So it's absolutely ok for me to ask them for LOR's in April/May so they can get started as long as I tell them that they wouldn't be able to submit until June?
2. Also, all I need is their email to put into pharmcas correct?
3. when I ask them do I need to give them my pharmcas ID? (since I wont have that until June....)



thanks everyone 🙂 !

2) i think you need all their contact information (address and phone number) as well as email address. but i wouldnt ask for that until much later when you are filling out the electronic lor request form on pharmcas. then pharmcas will fwd all information to them by email.

 

[pharmschooler]

I think it's never too early to get the ball rolling. 👍

I told my general chemistry professor about my plans for pharmacy and mentioned I'd probably be asking for a recommendation eventually right after we completed our first test. I didn't actually start my PharmCAS application until about nine months later.

It's nice to let the professor know ahead of time so they can have time to observe you and get to know you before writing a recommendation. I was really upfront about my plans with all my science and math professors and made sure I took some time to get to know them. I also wrote up a bit of detail for my professors about why I wanted to pursue pharmacy and my previous experiences that have led me to this point in my life. I think this approach helped quite a bit because my professors nominated me for a scholarship for next year, probably because I made time to make my story memorable.

 

[Ayuka001]

In addition to the evaluation form, how long should the LOR itself be? a page?

B/c I was talking to one of the pharmacists and she said she had written a LOR before for some other volunteer and that she only had to write a paragraph :O !!!

 

[BabyBelle]

In addition to the evaluation form, how long should the LOR itself be? a page?

B/c I was talking to one of the pharmacists and she said she had written a LOR before for some other volunteer and that she only had to write a paragraph :O !!!

Quality over quantity. But I believe it's typically no more than 1 page.

 

[sdpharm]

You guys wouldnt think it would be weird to ask a professor who barely knows you for a LOR early on in the semester?

I feel like maybe its best to ask during the middle/late middle part of the semester.

I'd like to ask one of my professors for a LOR, but this would be the first class i've taken with him and we have no past history. But he's very approachable and seems like a cool person, been to one of his office hours and introduced myself. Talked about the exam prior and also had a few relative non-school topics to talk about. The class i take with him is also pretty small, roughly 25 people.

You guys think i can get a LOR?

 

[BabyBelle]

You guys wouldnt think it would be weird to ask a professor who barely knows you for a LOR early on in the semester?

I feel like maybe its best to ask during the middle/late middle part of the semester.

I'd like to ask one of my professors for a LOR, but this would be the first class i've taken with him and we have no past history. But he's very approachable and seems like a cool person, been to one of his office hours and introduced myself. Talked about the exam prior and also had a few relative non-school topics to talk about. The class i take with him is also pretty small, roughly 25 people.

You guys think i can get a LOR?

Is it really urgent? If you are not applying until June, then you have quite some time to ask him. Keep going to office hours and do well in this class. Since your class is small, it would be easy for him to remember you, especially if you participate in class. It'll give him great things to say about you in the LOR. When class is about to end and you know where you stand in class, it would a good idea to ask for the LOR then.

 

[peeps1234]

1. So it's absolutely ok for me to ask them for LOR's in April/May so they can get started as long as I tell them that they wouldn't be able to submit until June?
2. Also, all I need is their email to put into pharmcas correct?
3. when I ask them do I need to give them my pharmcas ID? (since I wont have that until June....)



thanks everyone 🙂 !

Telling them in April is the best time to tell them, imo. Sure, they won't do it till last minute maybe, but what if theyre going on vacation...or what if they have a busy June...
There is no such thing as early. Even asking a year ahead and telling them you won't need it till next year. (Just so they remember you).

 

[klar06]

Letters of recommendation can make or break your application. They should be from someone who knows more than just your good grades/volunteer experience/ etc. The best letter someone can write for you demonstrates both your professional capabilities and personal qualities.

Do not wait until the last minute to ask for a letter! In my case, I let my PI, pharmacy manager, and one or two other possible letter sources know that I was applying to pharmacy school in the coming months, and asked if they would be willing to write a LOR. A month or two before they were due I reminded them of coming deadlines, and again when the were due in a week or two (be persistent but not pushy, lol).

I would refrain from asking someone who barely knows you for a letter, simply because the quality of what they could write is so small compared to a person who has known you for a year+. Example: saying you came to class, sat in the front, and made an A doesn't carry the same weight as a letter that talks about your amazing troubleshooting capabilities in a research lab.

Most important, they are doing you a HUGE favor by writing you the letter, so be appreciative! At the very least write a thank-you note afterward. If you're like me and know your LORs very well, cupcakes also suffice 🙂

/rant

 

[klar06]

Quality over quantity. But I believe it's typically no more than 1 page.

I've talked to a professor reviewing grad school apps (not pharmacy school) and he said that the longer letters are usually much better, simply because its obvious the writer has a lot of good things to say about the person. Short LORs are usually a red flag, unless the writer is limited to a certain space or character limit.

 

[BabyBelle]

I've talked to a professor reviewing grad school apps (not pharmacy school) and he said that the longer letters are usually much better, simply because its obvious the writer has a lot of good things to say about the person. Short LORs are usually a red flag, unless the writer is limited to a certain space or character limit.

Well given that there are 1,000+ applicants for each school and each student is required to send in on average at least 3 LOR, I'm sure the adcom would appreciate concise LORs. Longer letters are not always better and shorter letters are not always red flags. If someone is an excellent writer and can eloquently get his/her point across about a student in a shorter letter, then why wouldn't that be the same. Like I said, quality over quantity.