recommendation forms???

[afasano]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I know that most applications require recommendations. I am applying to almost 10 optometry schools, and some of them require your references to fill out a reference form.

Unfortunately, all my recommendations have all been written on letterhead stationary from the school, or my employer. Does the school require those forms or is ok to just send in the recommendations on letterhead????

or does the health-committee fill out those forms...

cause im so confused. 😕

any and everyone please respond!

 

[JMU07]

Call the schools, they probably have different policies.

Why 10 schools? That's a lot of application fees to pay. I'm not trying to be smart, just curious.

 

[lovelydisaster]

Some want the letterhead only, some want the rec form only, some want both, so I'd email/call and check with the admissions counselor. Btw, why in the world 10 schools? It's about 50-60 bucks in app fees :\ Money issue aside, why, though?

 

[afasano]

im really nervous about getting in. In the beginning I had plans to apply to all of them (except those who rqd you to be part of a particular state, or rqd anatomy lab)
overall 3.1 science 3.0 psych major.
taken biochem, orgo lab, 3 different microbio, 2 different physiology. bunch of psych class, additional stat classes. (so a bunch of the recommended classes)
visual Cognition research...using eye trackers 1 year
volunteer 2 years...250 hours. peds, pathology, and ER @ hospital
TA: 2 chemistry classes, and stat class.
RA for 4 years.
worked in the hospital for past 2 years. Nursing asst, and surgical tech asst.
plan on applying by sep 15- oct 1st.
im taking my OAT on AUG 15
i took kaplan class.

so what do u think...

 

[JMU07]

I think you're fine, especially if you do well on the OAT. You have a lot more EC's than I did. I also had a 3.1. I planned on applying to four schools but ended up only applying to my first choice.. if I hadn't gotten in I would have done the other three. 🙂

Good luck!!!

 

[afasano]

what is fine on the oat???

plus i go to well known school. stony brook university.
like i went to ico last week and they said 320. and nothing below 300.
im just a really bad test taker.

thanks for your help.

btw, when did you apply, like early in the application pool?

 

[lovelydisaster]

Ok you have a really good background in volunteering and if you did well in the classes that you mentioned, I really don't think you need to apply to 10. Just sit yourself down and study for a good month or two (every day for a couple of hours), ace the oat, and you should be able to judge yourself, which schools will accept you. I'm a bad test taker too, but you shouldn't be scared of the test, or else the test will own you.. majorly.
Depends on what school(s) you are applying to, but in your case, since you're going to apply to 10, I'd say anything about a 300 is good, anything above a 340-350ish is competitive.

 

[JMU07]

what is fine on the oat???

plus i go to well known school. stony brook university.
like i went to ico last week and they said 320. and nothing below 300.
im just a really bad test taker.

thanks for your help.

btw, when did you apply, like early in the application pool?

I applied as early as I could, but if you're applying in September that's perfectly fine. Definitely nothing below 300 on the OAT.. You'd probably be fine with a 320, since you have good EC's. I'm a bad test taker too, you just have to sit down and focus and take the test question by question, don't let it freak you out!!