LOR requirements...

[blueblueblue]

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I have three letters (fyi, my college doesn't offer a committee LOR 😡):
1. Research scientist: mentored under him, co-authored a paper with him (for which I received a grade), teachers assistant for one of his classes (2 years).
2. Physician: Assisted him at his out-patient clinic (1 year)
3. Executive Director of an institute: I never really worked under her, but she was always in our office and I got to know here really well.

So I'm currently in the process of applying for 2011 and have hit a roadblock. I've already received a lot of secondaries (2/3 of the schools I applied too), but had to discard half of them because I don't meet their LOR requirements. I've heard that some schools are very lenient with the LOR requirements, but that still hasn't been confirmed.

Anyways, should I still apply to schools even if I don't meet their LOR requirements? I'm out of school now, but have been working in an ER as a scribe. Would LORs from the doctors I work with be good enough to send if I don't get in this year (sigh)? Thanks

 

[Catalystik]

The majority of schools want two letters from science faculty who've taught you, and one nonscience faculty. Most who've done research also submit a PI letter, and it sounds like yours should be excellent. Allopathic schools rarely ask for a phsician or employer letter.

Even though you are out of school, you might contact old science profs and discuss your emergency situation.

In one of the stickies at the top of the non-trad forum, you'll find a link to "Getting LORs when you are not a traditional age student," (or something like that). You might find some ideas there.

And yes, some schools are lenient about allowing alternate LORs. It's probably going to take a phione call to each admissions office to find out what is possible. Some require a letter of petition. For some a phone call or email contact will give you permission. And some will be rigid: those you should probably discard if contacting old professors is impossible or proves unfruitful.