Letters of recommendation

[otismypassion]

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This is my 2nd year applying to schools. Last year I applied to only one school through OTCAS so I did not run into a dilema. This year I am planning to apply to 5+ schools. My question is, are most people willing to write more than one LOR? Do you have them send it to the schools or to you? I am trying to think what would be easiest for them.

Any advice would help!! Thanks

 

[mlc54]

As long as you have your LOR writers make their letters general (NOT geared toward a specific school), you should be just fine. Most schools want the LORs to come directly from the person writing it (and want them to sign their name across the seal on the back of the envelope). Most people are willing to let you see the LOR if you ask them nicely (if you are concerned about what they might write...but then again, if you are worried they might not write something good I would recommend asking a different person for a LOR).

What I did was ask my 3 people (a professor, my job supervisor, and an OT I shadowed) if they would be willing to write me a positive letter of recommendation. After they agreed to it I got all of the supplemental forms for each school along with a short description (bullet points) of items I would like them to include (mostly the fact that the LOR was for an OT master's program) along with a friendly reminder of the deadline/date I needed the letters sent out by. I also gave them pre-addressed and stamped envelopes so that way all they had to do was drop them in a mailbox when they were done with them (if you are going to do this, make sure you keep the correct supplemental form with the correct envelope). I gave them all of the materials in a folder.

Basically, I tried to make the process as easy as possible for them since they took the time to write me a letter. Let me know if you have any other questions! Good luck 🙂

 

[c2902]

If you apply using only OTCAS, then they won't have to write more than one, unless for some reason the school wants an additional copy sent to them (which I doubt). Most people are fine with sending more than one copy, and as was previously mentioned, will just send roughly the same, if not the exact same letter to the schools to which you are applying. Some non-OTCAS schools do it online now too - you submit the reference's info in your online application, and they receive a link where they can drop in their letter. I can't think of any cases where the letters would go to you - it's standard for them to be submitted directly to the school, or to OTCAS. However, on OTCAS you are able to accept or decline the right to view the references, which you usually cannot do. (Though I personally think it is more professional if you do NOT accept the right to view them)

Just be sure that you provide all of the information to those whom you have asked to write a letter - which schools, the deadlines for each (for OTCAS, make it your deadline to submit your stuff, not the school deadline), and what they need to watch their inbox for, or where they need to send a letter.