Who to ask for LOR

[bee83]

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I just looked on the VMCAS website and for my school evaluation requirements it says, specifically, that I need recommendations from:

"One must be from a veterinarian; the second from an
educator; and the third is the applicants choice but it
should be someone who knows you."

The thing is, I know none of my science profs. And as the only class I'm taking between now and application time is online, it's a little late for me to start getting to know my profs. I asked my advisor if she would recommend getting an evaluation from one of my previous art professors who know me very very well and have offered to write recommendations for me. She didn't think this was a good idea at all. Since my school simply requires a letter from "an educator" I guess I just don't see why it would be a bad thing to get a recommendation from an art professor instead of a science professor. It's not typical, but then again I'm obviously not a typical applicant if I'm applying with an art degree.
Dunno, what do you guys think?

 

[nyanko]

That's a bit tough - but since the veterinary curriculum is definitely a science curriculum, I think not having any letters from professors in the sciences could raise some concern. I mean, the veterinarian should comment on your dedication to the profession, and the "other person" that's the third they mention should comment on your general aptitude and work ethic and such. The educator, I'd think, should be able to attest to an observed aptitude for scientific reasoning, thinking and curiosity which to me it wouldn't seem like an arts professor would really be able to do. The arts professor would serve a role more like the third person listed, the person who knows you well or whatever. All in my opinion, anyway...

 

[SocialStigma]

Do you do any lab research? I'm asking my lab PI for my educational LOR even though he's never taught me because I think he can assess my academic aptitude from how quickly I'm able to pick up lab skills, how I react when things go wrong in the lab, etc.

 

[Cautionary Tail]

I'm with nyanko... I don't see a problem with soliciting an evaluation from an art professor, especially if s/he knows you well and would be in a good position to offer a genuine and positive recommendation. I wouldn't think the adcoms would raise an eyebrow, particularly if you are an art major. I would definitely try to find a science professor to write the other non-veterinary eval, though. I don't think you necessarily have to have lived in their laboratory or be on a first-name basis in order to get a positive recommendation.

I chose one veterinarian and two science professors (I'm a bio major, so the majority of my professors were science professors). I didn't know either terribly well on a social level (I don't tend to fraternize with professors outside of the classroom), but I'd taken three classes with one of them, did very well in the latter two, was pretty outspoken in lecture and lab, and I felt that she knew me well enough to say something meaningful (and perhaps comment on my growth, as we worked together over a three year period).

The second, I only had for one class, but I rocked it out, was very vocal in lecture, often offered other students assistance in lab, and she was aware that I was tutoring a classmate (whose grade improved from a D to a B+). She responded very positively to me, so I figured that even if there wasn't a very personal relationship, she'd have some things to talk about besides the generic "CT took my class in the fall of 2009 and got an A".

I was concerned about asking, because I wasn't "buddy-buddy" with the biology department the way one of the other pre-vetters I knew was (she applied to Ross last year and got in), but both professors were enthusiastic/nice about writing the evaluations. I wish I hadn't stressed over it as much as I did.

 

[kaydubs]

so, I'd gotten several from my research prof & my fav. philo prof for internships. When vet school rolled around, I started asking mid-spring of the year I was applying. I asked my philo prof (my fav prof of all time - I love his classes!), my pre-vet advisor man who had me for a class & lab, and the ONLY vet I ever shadowed with (my vet experience hours are still skimpy compared to some of my fellow SDN-ers). I got all of the letters but my pre-vet/bio teacher was a wee bit slow and kept me hanging til mid-September (I gently nudged him frequently about my letter...while in Philadelphia on internship, both semesters...) and I ended up getting an additional letter from my research prof who offered to write it without me ever asking (WOO!).

bee83, I think it's best to go with at least 1 science prof if you can. However, since I'm a double major (philo & bio), I wanted to represent myself fully (academically speaking). But, if your art prof is an excellent choice in your opinion, I would consider it. I do agree with other posters so far who suggest 1 science prof if possible.

Let me know how it turns out! 👍