Who should I have write my LOR's?

[TabbyCat2]

Hi everyone,

I'm a second time applicant this year and I was wondering if I could have some help deciding who I should have write my LOR's. Last year I had a
-veterinarian (not a super strong letter, I only started shadowing then)
-forestry professor that I was a TA for
-swine barn superintendent for the county fair I grew up showing in (I know she would write a strong letter)

This year I have 3 veterinarians that I have been working with that I could ask. I also could ask my forestry professor again and see if he would be willing to write another this year, or I could ask my biochemistry professor that doesn't know me that well, but could write one for me. I also worked on a wildlife research project last summer and I could ask my crew lead who got to know me really well. Or I could ask my 4-H MSU extension coordinator that oversees my volunteer hours.

I have been really struggling with this decision and would appreciate any insight!

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[mmmdreamerz]

My two sense: you need to have one DVM for sure and then beyond that choose the people that know you best and will write you the strongest letter.

 

[WildZoo]

Are the vets from different clinics or all from the same one?

 

[TabbyCat2]

Are the vets from different clinics or all from the same one?

I work at a huge clinic (we have three locations) and I work with about 8 veterinarians total. I asked the owner and head veterinarian to write me one and he said he would. The second veterinarian that I was considering asking is the veterinarian that I grew up taking my pets to. Since knowing him I have shadowed him at three different clinics, and he does currently fill in at the clinic I work at. I was thinking he could really highlight my growth over the past few years since he has known me the longest. In the past I have shadowed lab animal vets and large animal vets and I was really hoping to do more shadowing this summer and get a LOR from one of them, but due to COVID, I have not been able to.

 

[WildZoo]

I work at a huge clinic (we have three locations) and I work with about 8 veterinarians total. I asked the owner and head veterinarian to write me one and he said he would. The second veterinarian that I was considering asking is the veterinarian that I grew up taking my pets to. Since knowing him I have shadowed him at three different clinics, and he does currently fill in at the clinic I work at. I was thinking he could really highlight my growth over the past few years since he has known me the longest. In the past I have shadowed lab animal vets and large animal vets and I was really hoping to do more shadowing this summer and get a LOR from one of them, but due to COVID, I have not been able to.

Ok I was just checking that you weren't getting letters from multiple vets that wouldn't be able to speak about different things! I like the idea of the head/vet owner and then the vet who has known you for a long time. Make sure they both say they can write you strong, personal letters. Otherwise I agree with 3m that additional letters can come from whoever you think will write you very strong ones, and hopefully be able to talk about different things than what the vets will talk about. Also check with the schools you're applying to because some of them have more strict requirements for letters than others (some require a letter from a professor for instance).