LOR question

[JKIM02]

Hello everyone!

I have a question about LORs. This is my second time applying and I was wondering how much of a sin it was to reuse a LOR. The first time I applied I only applied to 4 schools (davis, wester, WSU, colorado). Now this time around I am applying everywhere.

The first cycle I used the vet i used to work (3 yr ago) for for bout 2 years for my LOR. I have not worked since then (I was focusing on school .. and I am starting a new job this month) so I have no one to really ask other than to ask him again (which i woould actually prefer not to because i would have to go through the office manager who ... lets just say needs to get off her high horse. ).

I do *techinically* have 1 vet LOR because it would be coming from a professor but hes not actually a practicing vet right now... Would that be okay if hes just a professor?

For all the other schools that i didnt apply to the 1st time around... im scared they are gonna look at my app and wonder why i didnt ask the doc i worked several thous hrs for write me a letter..

*sigh... I hope you guys understand what im asking and I appreciate all and any advice you guys have to give me.

Also ... if you have more than 3 LORs how do the schools decide which ones to read? Is it randomized, or do they pick the 1st three? thanks again...

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[nyanko]

I do *techinically* have 1 vet LOR because it would be coming from a professor but hes not actually a practicing vet right now... Would that be okay if hes just a professor?

I'd honestly say to look at it not in the context of "practicing vet" vs "just a professor," but in the capacity in which the person knows you. If the professor supervised you for something you consider vet experience on the application (ie research, lab animal experience, etc), then it would probably be okay to count as a vet LOR. If you just had him for a class, probably not so much and it would be considered more of an academic LOR.

Just my two cents on that particular question...

edit: as far as reusing a person for a LOR - 2 out of the 4 I'm submitting with VMCAS are people who wrote them for me last time. What I did when I asked them for this cycle was send an updated CV and a summary of what I've been doing since the last time I applied. One of them was a vet that I worked with for thousands of hours, and the other was my undergraduate honors thesis advisor. I didn't feel out of line in asking either of them if they would write a letter for me again. You do want to make sure that anyone you ask will be capable of writing a good letter, though!

 

[JKIM02]

okay so I managed to get a hold of my old vet and he said he would write the LOR again but he asked me if he could use the same exact one he had written last year? He had it saved on his computer so he thought he'd ask and I actually had no idea if this was okay. I applied to Davis, Western, WSU, and Colorado last year and this year im repearted davis, western, and WSU and adding on like 5 other schools. Will the repeat schools look at the old LORs ? Could my vet reuse an old LOR? All advice is appreciated and thanks in advance

 

[nyanko]

Well, if you haven't had any contact with him over the last year then maybe it's okay, but honestly I wouldn't want someone to just completely recycle an old LOR for me. I'd probably just say thanks but I'll find someone who I have more recent experience with who can touch on what I've done since I last applied, in that case. But that's just me.

 

[twelvetigers]

I guess you could ask him to read your CV and at least 'tweak' it a bit if possible... I had one LOR person that was the same, and I think that's probably what he did since I hadn't worked with him any more since the first time I applied. I kept him updated and took his advice, but I didn't work with him.

Some schools will randomize what 3 they use (I know OKSU does that) and some will pick the first three received. Some others take more than three. Cornell wants like, five thousand. So, you'll have to look into it for each school - esp. if you'll only have one vet one. What if they pick 3 and the vet one isn't among the random 3? Does that make your app invalid? (I have no idea!) (All 3 of mine are vets, lol.)

 

[JKIM02]

Thanks for the replies guys! I really appreciate it. I spoke with the doc again and he said he would reword it but he would use the same anecdotes n such .

I would love to ask someone else but the place I work at now, I have only been at for a month and I dont feel comfy enough to ask for an LOR and I dont want to put them on the spot either and guilt them into writing me an LOR. The reason why I am reusing the same vet eval. as last year is kuz all of my small animal exper is w/ him (~4000 hrs)

Do they keep the old LORs on hand? and do they refer back to them if they kno ur a repeat applier??

I thought I would know what i was doing this year since I had applied last year but i have so many new questions that are popping up this year since im re applying. I promise I wont have as many questions next cycle

 

[LaurenKittie]

Thanks for the replies guys! I really appreciate it. I spoke with the doc again and he said he would reword it but he would use the same anecdotes n such .

I would love to ask someone else but the place I work at now, I have only been at for a month and I dont feel comfy enough to ask for an LOR and I dont want to put them on the spot either and guilt them into writing me an LOR. The reason why I am reusing the same vet eval. as last year is kuz all of my small animal exper is w/ him (~4000 hrs)

Do they keep the old LORs on hand? and do they refer back to them if they kno ur a repeat applier??

I thought I would know what i was doing this year since I had applied last year but i have so many new questions that are popping up this year since im re applying. I promise I wont have as many questions next cycle

Pft, you'll get in no problem.

 

[twelvetigers]

I don't think they'd have space to keep all old applications. Besides, it's not like it's against the rules to use the same evaluators! Those 4,000 hours are still 4,000 hours. It's not like you could have gone out and gotten that much experience with someone else within a year.

 

[JKIM02]

Ok cool. Thanks guys. Hopefully he'll change more than just you're to you are. Lol. When I had my app review w wsu they said they kept old apps on hand so I would hav to rewrite my ps and such but I don't remember what they said about lors. Either way. Thanks a bunch.