Getting a good LOR: Worth another year off?

[muffinman853]

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OK, so I've posted here about LOR's a couple of times on here, mainly b/c I know they're going to be the weak point in my application.

I've already had one year off, and it's about to be 2 b/c I'll be applying for 2009. I'm working on upping my clinical and research experience right now, but my advisor told me that, since my MCAT is slightly below average, I should consider taking ANOTHER year off, taking a class or two to try and get letters from professors. I will already have 2 solid LORs from 2 professors who told me they wrote me good ones, but I'm just wondering if it's worth it to try and get another good one when I'll already have 4 good ones (the two from the profs, one from my boss, and one from my volunteer coordinator) and I can probably get one standard-fare letter, which I'll be asking for next week.

Anyways, I just don't know if it'd be worth it, but considering that my MCAT is slightly below average, it's starting to seem like a good idea....I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts.

 

[aliDO]

NO, not just for more letters when you already have them. Some schools won't even accept additional letters. I think your fine with you LOR

 

[slim78]

Absolutely positively not

 

[EEL08]

Your advisor is on crack. I wish someone would pay me to be an advisor because I could at least come up with better advice than that.

 

[prionsRbad]

Nooooooooo! Advisors are stupid, everyone knows that!

Seriously, just go ahead and apply. You are in great shape for the upcoming application cycle!

Good Luck!

 

[ThisIsYourLife]

my cousin took two years off for this reason.. and it ****ed her over. she didn't get in.. and she didn't get in this year either.. lors don't hold enough weight.

 

[EEL08]

my cousin took two years off for this reason.. and it ****ed her over. she didn't get in.. and she didn't get in this year either.. lors don't hold enough weight.

Well there you have it.

 

[muffinman853]

Thanks for the advice, I guess I'll just go ahead and try to get one more letter regardless of its quality. I didn't really want to take another year off anyways, as much as I like working and doing some extracurriculars I honestly think I'll be ready to get back to school by next fall!

 

[Powdermonkey]

Do you have a letter from a physician? Some of the D.O. schools require one from a D.O., and some just want a letter from a physician. Make sure you know where you are applying so you can tailor your LORs accordingly.

 

[muffinman853]

Do you have a letter from a physician? Some of the D.O. schools require one from a D.O., and some just want a letter from a physician. Make sure you know where you are applying so you can tailor your LORs accordingly.

Not yet I don't, but I have a little time to correct that. I'm really looking at Pikeville so I'll need one.

 

[Flushot]

You know, today must be LOR day, because this is the third thread with me poking at LORs!

As a word of futuresight: your DO that you ask might ask you to write the LOR yourself and have her/him look at it. I just asked for one today and I'm seeing him again tomorrow so I'm bringing draft #1 for him.


As for the topic, I can't imagine taking a year off for this. Maybe if you add in retaking the MCAT or doing an informal post-bac, sure...

 

[RockfordWF]

OK, so I've posted here about LOR's a couple of times on here, mainly b/c I know they're going to be the weak point in my application.

I've already had one year off, and it's about to be 2 b/c I'll be applying for 2009. I'm working on upping my clinical and research experience right now, but my advisor told me that, since my MCAT is slightly below average, I should consider taking ANOTHER year off, taking a class or two to try and get letters from professors. I will already have 2 solid LORs from 2 professors who told me they wrote me good ones, but I'm just wondering if it's worth it to try and get another good one when I'll already have 4 good ones (the two from the profs, one from my boss, and one from my volunteer coordinator) and I can probably get one standard-fare letter, which I'll be asking for next week.

Anyways, I just don't know if it'd be worth it, but considering that my MCAT is slightly below average, it's starting to seem like a good idea....I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts.

I can't even understand the logic. Why would you not go ahead and apply, see what happens, and THEN proceed with plan B.

Who would start with plan B first??????