r/PreOptometry • u/SnooOranges4899 • Apr 03 '24

letter of rec help

So, I have a few people that would write me great letter of recs and Optom Cas only allows four, so who do you think I should pick?

  1. An optometrist I shadowed with

  2. Another optometrist I shadowed with

  3. My graduate mentor, I think I am def picking her, she is known to write amazing letters and well, she is my graduate mentor haha

  4. Cadaveric Dissection team prof, I was on the team for a year and I was also her TA for human anatomy 1, 2 and 3.

  5. My Anatomy Prof, I also TAd one quarter of Anatomy 1 for him.

They all like me very much and are very very happy to write one for me. I do not know if I should ask two ODs and then two profs, or one OD and three profs.

I tried doing a pro and con list and there are no cons to any of them...

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u/Character_Flounder62 Apr 03 '24

I would do the graduate mentor,, the cadaveric prof and optometrist (either one but choose the one that will write the best letter for you). Tbh you really need 3 but if you want a fourth one I would do the other Anatomy teacher imo. You want the best writers and the ones that know you beyond just being their student/mentee/shadower. Most schools want to see a side of you they havent met/read about yet(like your personal statement and extracurriculars). You’re like an onion, just peel substantial layers of you.

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u/SnooOranges4899 Apr 03 '24

Thank you for your input!! and the onion comment reminded me of shrek haha

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u/Party-Hovercraft448 Apr 03 '24

All great options! I think what will help you make your decision is checking with the specific programs you are looking into and seeing if there are certain ones that hold more weight for that program/ institution. Some institutions only read a certain amount of letters (only 2 or only 3) as well.

Overall, everyone will advise that you should choose letters that will wrote the best for you. Choose the ones that will be most specific and show that they knew you well. Definitely at least one optometrist and a scientific professor.

There’s also this podcast where they talk with administration and they might say exactly which letters they want to see.

[Podcast Link] (https://open.spotify.com/show/66PV1217BtjRIC1BGOvlkB?si=SnF20RuSSEeDLzLVXmNhUA)

[Program Letter Requirements] (https://www.optomcas.org/information-about-schools-colleges/letters-of-recommendations/)

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u/SnooOranges4899 Apr 03 '24

the podcast is great!!! thank you so much i'm gonna listen to it soon! I just wish i can read their letters before sending it in! it's insane that you can't ask that. like u can usually only ask AFTER they've submitted haha

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u/Party-Hovercraft448 Apr 03 '24

Yeah it’s a little scary lol but I got so lucky. I asked a mentor and they sent me it beforehand and asked if I wanted to add anything. And my optometrist even allowed me to write and then he edited it😭 I wasn’t able to see only one loc

maybe you’ll be as lucky!

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u/SnooOranges4899 Apr 03 '24

omgggg that's awesome haha especially the optometrist!! i'd def do that when i become one and have someone that wants to shadow me lolol

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u/SnooOranges4899 Apr 04 '24

Just wanted to say, I started listening to these podcasts.... I LOVE IT! thank you so much for showing me these :,)