Reference letters. ???

[fly10]

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I need to know how this whole reference letter thing works.
My TA who is writing one for me keeps asking me questions that i don't know the answerers to.

Am i supposed to send the reference letters with the rest of my optomcas application? or is he supposed to send them?
and if im applying to five different schools is he supposed to write me separate one's for each school or do i just get him to write one general one and send it to all the schools??

Im very confused.

 

[iiii]

Can be one letter. Just make sure it gets routed to all schools you're applying to.

I'd hesitate to have a TA writing a LOR though.

 

[fly10]

Can be one letter. Just make sure it gets routed to all schools you're applying to.

I'd hesitate to have a TA writing a LOR though.

I got turned down by 3 profs already, one told me that she doesn't write them any more. One said she only writes them for students who do research with her and the last one told me that they only write them for students who get an A in their class.
My only other option is to get one from a TA. My calculus I prof did agree to writing me one.

 

[fly10]

Ok, i figured it out from other posts on here

 

[Hoffy]

I thought TA rec's were unacceptable for most schools? I may be mistaken.

 

[Cappuchino]

I don't remember where I read this... but I believe the LORs written by TAs/grad students/doctorate candidates have to be co-signed by a prof .__.

You should call each of the school you are planning to apply for and ask for their policies on LOR submissions.

 

[Rhodopsin]

I thought TA rec's were unacceptable for most schools? I may be mistaken.

Yeah I agree- and if it is considered "acceptable" it's something you definitely want to steer clear of. For some of the schools you only need one professor letter anyways- I got into PUCO with one prof and two optometrist letters. So go with that calc prof and maybe ask some optometrists! (the ones you shadow kind of expect to do the refs, don't worry about asking they usually don't mind)

 

[Bioflare]

Yeah I agree- and if it is considered "acceptable" it's something you definitely want to steer clear of. For some of the schools you only need one professor letter anyways- I got into PUCO with one prof and two optometrist letters. So go with that calc prof and maybe ask some optometrists! (the ones you shadow kind of expect to do the refs, don't worry about asking they usually don't mind)

Some schools require 2 LORs from science professors, so it'd best not close some school options. I think LORs from volunteer supervisors help a lot, assuming you at least volunteer a bit?

 

[lsmc888]

i got a letter from a TA cosigned by a professor and I was fine

 

[fly10]

I emailed PCO and they said they were fine with letters from TA's as long as they are co-signed.
Most of my other profs have refused to write me one, saying that in a class of 400, they are incapable of commenting on my suitability for optometry school. So i decided to leave it after approaching 4 science profs that all made up excuses like that. Just thought it would be better to get one from a TA then a forced letter from a prof who already told me that they have no idea about my suitability for optometry school.

I have talked to a few students that were successful in getting reference letters from the same professors after doing research with them in the summer, how ever i have no time to do that since every summer i take classes so i can finish my degree in 4 years.

 

[lsmc888]

basically, if you want to get a recommendation from a professor, you have to know them well and they have to be able to remember you not just by being in their class, but as an active member of the class. by active, i mean either participating often in class if possible or going to the professor's office for help.

all the professors that i got a recommendation from were one that remembered me because of how well I performed in their class and another that i took multiple classes with and sat in the front of class and went to his office for help and questions about general stuff

 

[imemily]

basically, if you want to get a recommendation from a professor, you have to know them well and they have to be able to remember you not just by being in their class, but as an active member of the class. by active, i mean either participating often in class if possible or going to the professor's office for help.

all the professors that i got a recommendation from were one that remembered me because of how well I performed in their class and another that i took multiple classes with and sat in the front of class and went to his office for help and questions about general stuff

It's almost like you did all this stuff just for the purposes of getting a reference letter. True?

 

[Bioflare]

It's almost like you did all this stuff just for the purposes of getting a reference letter. True?

The things the poster above listed are things you should consider. If they have office hours, go to them, ask questions show you're generally involved. Even a simple email to them saying you enjoyed _______ lecture. The reason most profs do not like giving out rec's are because they don't know the student.

 

[lsmc888]

the teacher that remembered me for how well i did remembered me because we had to pick up our tests from his office and he kept seeing that i had a high grade on all his tests. the other teacher had office hours and I went to his office for questions whenever i was stumped. i didn't do it necessarily for the recommendations, but you need to have in the back of your mind that you are trying to build up relationships with these professors. so the more often they see you, the more they will remember who you are

 

[fly10]

Trust me i did go to office hours and they did see my good grades, despite that they still refused to write me one, making up lame excuses. like, "i stopped writing reference letter's" or "I only write them for students who get A's in my classes" or "i only write them for students who take 3 or more classes with me"... i mean what about ppl who get B's.