Week 9 Letters of Recommendation Kent L. Barrus Pre-professional Advisor

Bio Professional School Preparation What is your job as a freshman student? Work hard and get good grades. Work hard and get good grades. Get as much out of the university resources as possible. Get as much out of the university resources as possible. Get to know you professors. Get to know you professors.

Bio Professional School Preparation How do you get to know your professors? Arrive at your appointments on time. Arrive at your appointments on time. Find time for extra appointments. Find time for extra appointments. Be honest about any problems you may have with an application. Be honest about any problems you may have with an application. Always feel free to ask questions. Always feel free to ask questions. Have evaluators read your personal statement. Have evaluators read your personal statement. Let your evaluators know where you have been accepted. Let your evaluators know where you have been accepted.

Bio Professional School Preparation Why are letters important? Judgment of your non-academic attributes. Judgment of your non-academic attributes. Character Character Personality Personality Motivation Motivation Maturity Maturity Integrity Integrity Etc.. Etc.. Will you make a good clinician? Will you make a good clinician?

Bio Professional School Preparation Letters of Recommendation Options Individual Letters Individual Letters Advantages: Advantages: Individual letters of recommendation may be more favorable. Individual letters of recommendation may be more favorable. Less time commitment. Less time commitment. Disadvantages: Disadvantages: Schools may disregard non-committee recommendations because they lack credibility. Schools may disregard non-committee recommendations because they lack credibility.

Bio Professional School Preparation Letters of Recommendation Options Committee Letters Committee Letters Advantages: Advantages: Interview experience. Interview experience. Application Preparation. Application Preparation. Feedback on your application Feedback on your application The reputation of a committee letter. The reputation of a committee letter. Disadvantage: Disadvantage: Time consuming process. Time consuming process. If you are not a strong applicant, the letter will reflect it. If you are not a strong applicant, the letter will reflect it.

Bio Professional School Preparation Letters of Recommendation Tips Ask potential evaluators if they can write a ‘good’ letter on your behalf. Ask potential evaluators if they can write a ‘good’ letter on your behalf. Let your evaluator know the type of health profession school you are applying to. Let your evaluator know the type of health profession school you are applying to. Be prepared to furnish information about yourself. Be prepared to furnish information about yourself. Get at least two science evaluations. Get at least two science evaluations. Diversity your evaluations. Diversity your evaluations. Give sufficient lead time. Give sufficient lead time. Collect evaluations after you finish a class. Collect evaluations after you finish a class. Keep track of your evaluations. Keep track of your evaluations.

Bio Professional School Preparation Letters of Recommendation – Don’ts Don’t get a letter from family member. Don’t get a letter from family member. Don’t get letters from well known persons unless they know you well. Don’t get letters from well known persons unless they know you well. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t act unprofessional around your potential letter writers – Ever. Don’t act unprofessional around your potential letter writers – Ever.

Bio Professional School Preparation Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Buckley Amendment Buckley Amendment Your rights Your rights Waived rights is best. Waived rights is best.

Bio Professional School Preparation Confidentiality Buckley Amendment Buckley Amendment Your rights Your rights Waived rights is best. Waived rights is best.

Bio Professional School Preparation The Committee Process During January of the year previous to your anticipated entrance into medical school, you should do two things: During January of the year previous to your anticipated entrance into medical school, you should do two things: 1. Attend the Junior Orientation Meeting 1. Attend the Junior Orientation Meeting 2. Pick up a Personal Data Sheet (PDS) and letters of recommendation packet. 2. Pick up a Personal Data Sheet (PDS) and letters of recommendation packet. Personal Data Sheet. Personal Data Sheet. Personal Data Sheet Personal Data Sheet Copy of your current transcript Copy of your current transcript Personal essay Personal essay Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Coversheet Coversheet Coversheet Declaration of Confidentiality Declaration of Confidentiality Declaration of Confidentiality Declaration of Confidentiality Tracking Sheet Tracking Sheet Tracking Sheet Tracking Sheet

Bio Professional School Preparation The Committee Process Once your file is complete: Once your file is complete: Schedule two interviews with the committee. Schedule two interviews with the committee.

Bio Professional School Preparation What if I don’t want to use the Committee If you do not use the committee, the Pre-professional Advising Center will still be happy to assist you. If you do not use the committee, the Pre-professional Advising Center will still be happy to assist you.