Letters of Recommendation

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keepitonthedl

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Hey does anybody know... with the new online application process OPTOMCAS... you don't need recommendation letters addressed to separate individual schools? Is is true that you basically need a maximum of 4 letters that get sent to OPTOMCAS, and these letters will apply for all the schools you end up applying for?

Thanks

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yea thats true. if a school needs more recommendation letter, they will let you know.
 
Im a little confused about the new OPTOMCAS system as well, because there are differences across the board in regards to what each seperate Optometry School requires. So is the old system going to be gone for good? How do you ensure that you've fulfilled each seperate school's admission requirement. Sorry for answering your question with a question, :laugh: but I've been wondering how the new system works as well.
 
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im very confused. OPTOMCAS isnt going to be available until July 15 but I want to start getting my rec letters. So on what and to where do I tell the professors to send the letter?
 
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Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

Letters of Recommendation are critical to the review of your application. To avoid processing delays, please review the directions below to be certain the information you submit is complete and accurate.

Before you enter your LOR information in this section, it is suggested you contact the individuals to confirm they will author your LOR and to find out which format they would prefer (electronic or paper). If they choose to submit your letter of recommendation electronically, please confirm their preferred e-mail address.

The LOR requires completion of two parts, a rating of attributes (Part I) and a letter (PART II). The narrative can be typed directly into the space provided or can be cut and pasted from a word processor. Because some word processor characters will not correctly translate into text, Recommenders are strongly encouraged to compose their letter in a text-only word processor (e.g., Notepad, not Word), review the letter for errors, then cut and paste the final version into the text box.

Designate your Recommenders early in the application process. We strongly encourage you to enter your LOR information first to expedite their receipt of the Recommendation Request Form. Because OptomCAS recommendation requests may be caught by spam filters, applicants are encouraged to contact their Recommenders to ask them to allow their email systems to "permit" the OptomCAS reference mail address: [email protected].

Suggested sources strongly encouraged for LORs include:

An optometrist who can state through documented experience that you know what the profession of optometry entails.

A professor with whom you have done personal work (such as assisted on a specific
project or served as a TA or reader), or with whom you took a course.

An employer or extracurricular activity advisor who can comment about your maturity,
diligence, and conscientiousness.

Do not send LORs from coworkers, someone you have supervised, relatives, or personal and family friends. These are inappropriate and can be detrimental to the review of your application.

Check the status of your Recommenders responses through the Status Section on the main page of the application. Those who use the electronic LOR format will automatically receive a duplicate request one time per month until they either submit the requested recommendation or deny the request.

Finally, it is not necessary to wait until your Recommenders have responded to submit your application.

How and Where Do I Send My Letters of Recommendation?

Applicants should not send LORs directly to OptomCAS; all LORs should come directly from the Recommender to OptomCAS.

Enter up to four (4) evaluator names on your OptomCAS application. Recommenders can submit electronic letters of recommendation (preferred method) or paper references to OptomCAS.

OptomCAS will not determine if you have met the LOR requirements for a particular optometry program. Therefore, please review programs' individual websites to determine the number and type(s) of LORs required by each institution for which you wish to be considered for admission.

The applicant will provide the names, addresses and email addresses of a maximum of four (4) people providing LORs. OptomCAS will send an evaluation to the recommender to be completed and returned.

If your Recommender chooses to submit an electronic LOR, which is the preferred method, enter only their e-mail address and leave the mailing address fields blank.

If your Recommender chooses to submit a paper LOR, complete the mailing address fields and leave the e-mail address blank. For paper-format LORs, you will need to print the appropriate forms and send these to your Recommender(s) to complete. These forms will be made available and printable if you select the paper format option.

Can I Send a Committee Letter of Recommendation?

Please note some schools and colleges of optometry will not accept a Committee Letter, while others will require a Committee Letter. If you are submitting a Committee Letter, be sure to check the requirements of each individual program for the types of letters they will accept.

Some pre-health advising offices compile academic/personal information and will also coordinate the collection of LORs in order to provide a "Committee Letter" for pre-optometry students. If the Committee Letter of Recommendation is a compilation from several individuals and contains one Recommendation Request Form and one letter, it will be considered as one LOR. The individual writing the recommendation must complete the rating of attributes on the Recommendation Request Form; OptomCAS will accept the name of a college pre-health profession advisor in lieu of the evaluator(s) on the recommendation form.

Letter Services

College and university letter services may submit recommendations to OptomCAS.

However, applicants who are submitting letters through college and university letter services cannot submit letters that are dated more than two years (24 months) prior to the opening of the current OptomCAS session. Therefore, for the 2009-2010 application cycle, only letters filed through a college and university letter service from July 15, 2007 and onward will be considered.

If you are submitting LORs through a letter service, you are strongly encouraged to have the original author(s) of the LORs complete the rating of attributes, which is Part I of the Recommendation Request Form.

Please note that while OptomCAS will accept the rating of attributes, which is Part I of the Recommendation Request Form, from a college official who is a designee for the college or university's letter service office, applicants should also check with the individual programs for which they plan to apply to confirm that Recommendation Request Forms completed by a third-party will be accepted.

Can Advisors Use Virtual Evals?

Only recommendations completed through the OptomCAS online portal can be submitted electronically; therefore, OptomCAS will not be able to accept electronic Virtual Evals.

Can LORs be co-signed by a Faculty and Teaching Assistant?

Yes, a LOR from a Teaching Assistant must be co-signed by a Faculty person.


this is what they emailed me when I asked them about how i should collect them ahead of time. i guess you can tell the professors to finish it by july 15th since the applications open then.
 
yes i've read all that. but it doesnt state where I go to to enter this information. it says to provide the info on the application so that they can receive the form or submit it electronically.... well the program doesn't open until July 15. Or am i visiting the wrong website?

(Enter up to four (4) evaluator names on your OptomCAS application. Recommenders can submit electronic letters of recommendation (preferred method) or paper references to OptomCAS.)
 
nevermind. I emailed them my question. Thanks for the help though.
 
Hey does anyone know how far in advanced the LOR are supposed to or rather can be written? DO I have to wait untile I start filling my application to ask for LOR's?
 
I emailed OptomCAS, and this was their reply:


"Good morning! Thank you for your interest in OptomCAS!

I would have your letters addressed to the Admissions Committee or To
Whom It May Concern. You will need to include the names and other
contact information for your Recommenders in order to complete your
application. Once you enter their information, they will be contacted
via email if you are doing electronic LORs. You will be able to submit
your application before your letters are complete. The letters will
usually follow after the applicant has submitted the application."

Basically, you submit your application first with contact information of the people who will write your LORs, and the letters will be submitted afterward.
 
Hey does anyone know how far in advanced the LOR are supposed to or rather can be written? DO I have to wait untile I start filling my application to ask for LOR's?

Ask at least a month in advance of when you actually NEED the letter. Optometrists & professors often take a while to get them to you... so you want to give them enough time to write you a great one without rushing them.
 
Question!

A lot of schools require a letter from an Academic Adviser. If I were to do an internship with a scientific researcher, would he/she qualify to write me a LOR as an Academic Adviser even though they may not be a professor?
 
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