How should I go about asking for a LOR?

[bangn]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I will be applying for the 2015 cycle this summer and plan to apply right away in July. I have 140 observation hours under my belt in two different settings and have met many wonderful PTs along the way. There are two PTs I am considering asking for LOR; however, because I plan to apply in four months and am thinking about reaching out to a different setting how should I go about asking them to write me a good LOR in the future? Should I ask now? Reach out to them later? What is the proper way to do so?

 

[dcscott325]

I got my observation hours more than a year in advance. Since they can't write the LOR until the application is officially open, I just asked the PT's if they would mind writing one once they were able to do so (and gave them a general idea of when that would be). That way they had a heads up about it. Plus, you don't want to risk waiting any extended period of time to ask so they don't forget you. One of the PT's I observed gets several students a year so I'm sure it's easy for them to get confused or forgetful.

 

[zdetsch]

Usually (i have 6 settings with multiple different therapist at once that i have done clinical's with) usually the therapist knows you will need a LOR its a standard in our future field now. usually after at least 20 or so hours (hit 40+ if you have the time that's usualy enough to show them your committed and that your a good hard worker so long as you have been a good hard worker) i ask "hey im applying to xxxx do you think you would feel comfortable being one of my LOR"