LORs

[Maddiegirl]

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This has probably been asked and answered a half dozen times, but I was wondering if anyone could offer advice on asking for the LOR. I've been away from SDN for the last couple of years working hard on my prerequisite classes and getting as much veterinary experience as possible. I finally quit my law firm job and started working for a seven doctor small animal veterinary practice. I've been working hard to develop relationships with the vets there. I'm just a little nervous about how and who to ask for that all important letter. With the application cycle for 2019 fast approaching it's time for me to get the lead out!

I'm also wondering if the school the vet went to vs. the school(s) I'm applying to really matters. Obviously, I want whomever will write me the strongest letter, just curious to hear other's experiences.

Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[Gwenevre]

I've been told that while getting people in the profession to write you letters is a good thing, make sure that you ask someone that knows you really well and that can write a good and positive LOR.

 

[Maddiegirl]

I've been told that while getting people in the profession to write you letters is a good thing, make sure that you ask someone that knows you really well and that can write a good and positive LOR.

Yea, I've heard this too. One letter has to be from a DVM, so I will probably ask the doctor that recently pushed for me to a promotion to technician. I figure his vote of confidence at work will likely translate into a positive LOR for school.

 

[Lightinthedark]

I would second what Gwenevre said. Plus, be transparent about where you are applying to. Good references usually are very understanding about why you are applying to multiple schools. Good luck!

 

[variegata]

I'd say not to worry about where the doctor went - go for the one that you work well with and who you think is articulate enough to write a great letter. If they went to one of the schools you're applying to, great, but I wouldn't expect that to make or break your application. It's more important that they have nice things to say about you. 😉

 

[WildZoo]

I went to a recommendation letter seminar about a month ago so here's some advice they gave us:
If you're uncomfortable with asking for the letter in person initially, send an email first and ask to set up a meeting to discuss it. Offer to send them your CV/resume, transcript, and personal statement in advance, or to bring these with you to the meeting. Ask what other information they would like from you.

Think about what you would like for them to focus on in their letter. For med schools, they have a list of competencies that they like to see in applicants, and some of the same things can apply to vet school (see the handout on this page https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/admissionsinitiative/letters/ ). For any specific quality that you want them to discuss in your letter, think of how the writer saw you demonstrate that quality so that you can remind them of it. I have a worksheet that I've filled out for each evaluator that has a space for a particular quality, why it is important for vet school, and how they saw me demonstrate it.

I also gave my evaluators a link to a sample evaluation from the VMCAS website so they could see ahead of time what the evaluation looks like and links to the admissions info for the schools I'm planning on applying to. Also make sure to include deadline information.

As for choosing who to ask, just really think about your level of contact with the person. Not everybody can have three evaluators who know them really well (I know I don't), but I think you should have at least one who really got to know you as a person, beyond just your working relationship. Make sure to ask them if they think they can provide an outstanding positive recommendation.

 

[WillowLeaf]

I would second what Gwenevre said. Plus, be transparent about where you are applying to. Good references usually are very understanding about why you are applying to multiple schools. Good luck!

LOR: "Maddiegirl will be a perfect fit for --your top choice school--, and she's so enthusiastic about the curriculum at --top choice--..."
Your Second Choice School:

Also, in case you haven't looked too closely at specific application steps yet, you might want to check the admissions process at each school you're applying to, and make sure you know what evaluation they accept. Some schools use VMCAS but also have their own evaluation system, so your letter writers would have to write two separate letters using two different forms. I'm sure the vets you work with would understand that, but it's nice to give them a heads up if there are special LOR requirements like that.

If you have a draft of your personal statement, you can offer to give that to whoever you ask to write your letter. Especially if they only know you through work, the letter can give them some extra background about you.

You could also consider asking for an academics-based LOR, maybe from a department advisor, pre-vet advisor, or a professor you know. Some schools even require a letter like that, I think.

 

[pp9]

LOR: "Maddiegirl will be a perfect fit for --your top choice school--, and she's so enthusiastic about the curriculum at --top choice--..."
Your Second Choice School:

This actually bit me in the butt this past cycle and I had no idea one of my letters was written like this. It was cited as a huge weakness in my application.

For LORs, you honestly need to talk to each school you apply to. I applied to 5. One wants LORs only from people who have known you for a year+. One doesn't care about time frame, just that they are positively written. One doesn't even take your LORs into consideration unless you actually get a negative one. They are required everywhere (I'm pretty sure), but tend to be the least weighted part of an application based on what my file reviews tell me.

When asking your writers, make sure they know you are applying to multiple schools, like mentioned. Ask "Would you be comfortable writing me a positive, helpful letter?" I also got burned because I asked a busy vet, and she wrote me about 5 sentences the night before it was due. A school told me it wasn't harmful, but wasn't helpful either.

Also, depending on the school (again, talk to them) some highly value non-veterinarians as well. Some do not care to read the letter from your professor at all. Be familiar with the requirements from each school. I know I read about a few applicants getting outright denied because they did not include a professor/adviser in their letters. Researching and calling schools will help you in the long run!

 

[neocia]

Is there a way, other than just laying out a handy dandy list of bullet points per person, to make sure they all talk about different & unique things? For instance, everyone's who's writing my LORs knows I volunteer at the zoo, the aquarium, have worked at XYZ clinics. Would it be rude or odd to give each person a little list of things I would like them to talk about, if they can/want to so that they all don't cover a majority of the same things (even though they all know me very well, I feel there would be some significant overlap)?

 

[WildZoo]

Is there a way, other than just laying out a handy dandy list of bullet points per person, to make sure they all talk about different & unique things? For instance, everyone's who's writing my LORs knows I volunteer at the zoo, the aquarium, have worked at XYZ clinics. Would it be rude or odd to give each person a little list of things I would like them to talk about, if they can/want to so that they all don't cover a majority of the same things (even though they all know me very well, I feel there would be some significant overlap)?

I don't think it would be rude/odd at all. Generally they want to talk about the things you would need them to talk about. Giving them a list of things you would like for them to mention specifically is really helpful for them too, since they may not remember everything.

 

[equineconstant]

Is there a way, other than just laying out a handy dandy list of bullet points per person, to make sure they all talk about different & unique things? For instance, everyone's who's writing my LORs knows I volunteer at the zoo, the aquarium, have worked at XYZ clinics. Would it be rude or odd to give each person a little list of things I would like them to talk about, if they can/want to so that they all don't cover a majority of the same things (even though they all know me very well, I feel there would be some significant overlap)?

When I asked my LOR writers, I definitely gave a couple of them things I wanted them to focus on. I felt a little weird asking, but they didn't seem to mind at all.