Tufts Letters of Recommendation

[jtom]

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I want to apply to tufts this year and went over their requirements for letters of recommendation along with emailing them to confirm everything. They told me that they require two letters to come from academic persons. I am a non traditional student and graduated in 2008. I did have professors write letters of recommendation for me back then when I was pursuing ecology but have not spoken to them since deciding to pursue veterinary medicine last year. I also did not have any relationships with advisors/deans throughout undergrad.

Tufts said that I could contact them regarding writing a letter for me even if I have not spoken to them in a while but since I already had them write letters for me in another field and since I have not spoken to them in about two years I am a little apprehensive about just randomly emailing them now. I am nervous about the quality of their letter as a result. I have had to take a few pre-reqs since then for vet school admissions and am having one professor from last semester write me a letter. I just finished taking biochemistry and while I am almost certain I got an A in the course, I had to take the online version of the course due to lack of in-class availability. I am not sure if I should even attempt to ask this professor since I have had only a few email conversations with him and I have never met him etc.

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[LetItSnow]

I have not spoken to them in about two years I am a little apprehensive about just randomly emailing them now. I am nervous about the quality of their letter as a result. I have had to take a few pre-reqs since then for vet school admissions and am having one professor from last semester write me a letter. I just finished taking biochemistry and while I am almost certain I got an A in the course, I had to take the online version of the course due to lack of in-class availability. I am not sure if I should even attempt to ask this professor since I have had only a few email conversations with him and I have never met him etc.

I wouldn't feel apprehensive about getting in touch with the profs - it's only been a few years. I mixed in an academic letter that old without any problem. But, I took the time to meet with the prof and we went out and had lunch and reviewed my personal statement to ensure her letter dovetailed nicely with it, etc. I don't know that I'd do it solely via email. Even a phone call (if you're not in proximity anymore) would be better.

I would not use the biochem professor: all he'll be able to write is "this person took my class and performed excellently"..... you want a prof that has seen you in person and can speak to your personal characteristics, how you handle yourself in class, how you interact with classmates, etc.

Part of the online LOR is a few pages of "rank from 1 to 5" kind of things. It covers a variety of things, and a prof who has never really seen you in person is going to have to sit there and check "n/a" for all of them. 🙂

I don't know anything about Tufts requirements, but if they require two academic, you've got the recent prof and you ought to be able to pull in one of the profs that wrote you a letter before.... that sounds like your best option.

 

[Bisbee]

I bet they would let you replace on of the academic LOR's with one from a supervisor at a job or volunteer experience since you have been out of school for a few years. I would call or email the Tufts admission office and ask them directly.

 

[phaedraeos]

I bet they would let you replace on of the academic LOR's with one from a supervisor at a job or volunteer experience since you have been out of school for a few years. I would call or email the Tufts admission office and ask them directly.

That's what I did. I had one professor, one vet, and my direct supervisor (who's an assistant professor, but of course he never taught me.)

I'll PM you with what I wrote in my "additional information" section.

Good luck!

 

[pooter]

Is your undergrad within driving distance? If at all possible, I would go visit. It doesn't have to be an elaborate affair with lunch and everything, but you can drop by, catch up, shoot the **** for a while. This leads to the inevitable question "so, what have you been up to?" At which point, "Well, funny you should ask . . ."

Just my $0.02.

 

[seansie]

I had a bit of the same problem when I applied to Tufts. I phoned them and they seemed pretty adamant about the letters being from academics.

Stopping by in person is not a bad idea but i wouldnt do it that way. Be upfront about why you are there. Don't just casually throw it in. It would be pretty transparent. Oh...i haven't seen you in years and love to catch up and oh, im doing this thing applying to school. Say, would you write me an LOR...
don't do that!

my experience is most professors especially if they dont remember you dont want to shoot the **** with you. They are used to writing LORs for kids they haven't seen in years.

The best thing to do is write out something about yourself and what you've been doing and your intents with school and that will greatly help them write a letter for you. They usually will want you to provide a copy of your transcripts especially the grades of the classes that they taught you.

I provided my transcripts and a background letter about myself and they wrote out the LORS within a week and I hadn't seen them in years.
Contact each person prior and see what they want from you to write the letter. Some professors can be pretty specific about it.

 

[jtom]

Im sorry I havent replied in a while. I do have a few teachers from undergrad that I could contact, I last spoke to them a little over two years ago. I know one of them would remember me but I guess I am just uncomfortable being like "hey remember me, I decided to change my field again and am pursuing veterinary medicine, I need a letter of recommendation...."

But obviously if it needs to be done I will do it, I guess I can email them sometime over the summer to see what they say. I just wish there was an substititue that I knew would be acceptable and not second rate to tufts. I am mainly concerned with the quality of their letter; the idea of sending them a summary of what I have been doing since graduating is a great idea.

Tufts is really adamant about two coming from academics. I have an extremely good LOR from a theraputic riding facility that I volunteer at but that is not an academic related person.

Thanks!