PTCAS References???

[amlope03]

Can anyone explain where there is a MAXIMUM of 4 references? What's the logic behind this?

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[Never2Late4Change]

The idea behind a letter of reference is that you have "backers" - people in your corner who can speak to your abilities, personality, and overall fit as it relates to success in a given program. I think four references is actually very generous. In the professional world, I have never been asked for more than three references. Also, DPT admission committee members have a ton of applicants to pan through, and reading any more than four letters of reference seems completely unnecessary, in my opinion.

Unless I have misread your post, it sounds as if you would prefer the option to submit more than four references. If so, why?

 

[JazzKid26]

The idea behind a letter of reference is that you have "backers" - people in your corner who can speak to your abilities, personality, and overall fit as it relates to success in a given program. I think four references is actually very generous. In the professional world, I have never been asked for more than three references. Also, DPT admission committee members have a ton of applicants to pan through, and reading any more than four letters of reference seems completely unnecessary, in my opinion.

Unless I have misread your post, it sounds as if you would prefer the option to submit more than four references. If so, why?

I won't speak on behalf of OP but I can tell you about my frustration with PTCAS' limit of 4 references.

Firstly, each DPT program has their own set of requirements applicants must meet, including LOR requirements. A variety of programs ask for 2 physical therapists or 1 physical therapist or 2 professors or 1 professor or 1 professor from the sciences or 1 professor from your major or 1 health care professional or 1 employer or some nonsense like "someone who can speak to your management and organizational skills", etc. If applying to multiple programs, it literally becomes IMPOSSIBLE to satisfy all of the schools you are applying to because 4 is simply not enough. Perhaps 6 would be feasible.

Secondly, is a personal frustration. I have formed the closest bond with a non-science professor, yet I am pressured to not ask her for a letter of rec, because I am limited to only 4 letters. I have to be choosy and perhaps ask a professor from my major (whom I have a decent relationship with but certainly not the best) in order to better satisfy more schools. But in being choosy, I am sacrificing the quality of the LORs I will be sending to schools (WHICH OBVI SUCKS!). This could all be simply resolved if PTCAS would allow a greater number of LORs to be saved in the system. This brings me to my next point.

Thirdly, why is there no option to specifically choose which LORs we would like to send each school!?!? They do this for medical school applications. Why not PTCAS? This way I am not "overworking" admissions committees by making them read 4 LORs when I'll just send them the 2 or 3 (out of my saved list of 6) that they specifically requested? PTCAS should allow us the option to delineate LORs to specific schools to both convenience the applicant and admissions committees.

End rant.

 

[amlope03]

The idea behind a letter of reference is that you have "backers" - people in your corner who can speak to your abilities, personality, and overall fit as it relates to success in a given program. I think four references is actually very generous. In the professional world, I have never been asked for more than three references. Also, DPT admission committee members have a ton of applicants to pan through, and reading any more than four letters of reference seems completely unnecessary, in my opinion.

Unless I have misread your post, it sounds as if you would prefer the option to submit more than four references. If so, why?

More than four references would be beneficial, as different schools have different requirements. Some schools require two PT's and maybe a professor in your major, while some may require one PT and one professor in your major and one professor outside of your major. I'd like to mix and match as needed- and keep an emphasis of the strongest options that each school asks for. If that makes sense?

 

[amlope03]

I won't speak on behalf of OP but I can tell you about my frustration with PTCAS' limit of 4 references.

Firstly, each DPT program has their own set of requirements applicants must meet, including LOR requirements. A variety of programs ask for 2 physical therapists or 1 physical therapist or 2 professors or 1 professor or 1 professor from the sciences or 1 professor from your major or 1 health care professional or 1 employer or some nonsense like "someone who can speak to your management and organizational skills", etc. If applying to multiple programs, it literally becomes IMPOSSIBLE to satisfy all of the schools you are applying to because 4 is simply not enough. Perhaps 6 would be feasible.

Secondly, is a personal frustration. I have formed the closest bond with a non-science professor, yet I am pressured to not ask her for a letter of rec, because I am limited to only 4 letters. I have to be choosy and perhaps ask a professor from my major (whom I have a decent relationship with but certainly not the best) in order to better satisfy more schools. But in being choosy, I am sacrificing the quality of the LORs I will be sending to schools (WHICH OBVI SUCKS!). This could all be simply resolved if PTCAS would allow a greater number of LORs to be saved in the system. This brings me to my next point.

Thirdly, why is there no option to specifically choose which LORs we would like to send each school!?!? They do this for medical school applications. Why not PTCAS? This way I am not "overworking" admissions committees by making them read 4 LORs when I'll just send them the 2 or 3 (out of my saved list of 6) that they specifically requested? PTCAS should allow us the option to delineate LORs to specific schools to both convenience the applicant and admissions committees.

End rant.

I could not have said it better! You put my exact frustration into perfect words!

 

[Never2Late4Change]

More than four references would be beneficial, as different schools have different requirements. Some schools require two PT's and maybe a professor in your major, while some may require one PT and one professor in your major and one professor outside of your major. I'd like to mix and match as needed- and keep an emphasis of the strongest options that each school asks for. If that makes sense?

Yes, that makes sense! It would be nice if all of the schools using PTCAS could agree on what sort of LOR to accept, to avoid this sort of issue, but that is a whole different conversation!