Pre-PT Recommendation Letters

[RozeK]

Hi everyone! I have a kind of different question that I don't think has been talked about much (if at all) on these forums. I'm currently in my second year of undergrad and have gotten almost 50 hours of volunteering/observation hours at an ortho clinic. I've made some real good connections with the PTs and I know who I'm going to ask for a rec letter (I can probably even ask two of them). The problem is I don't know if it will stay on my PTCAS application for another 2 years while I'm waiting to finish up my undergrad degree. The new layout of PTCAS allows you to make an account and put in your rec letters but I'm not sure if it will delete my account next year when the new line of applications come in for the 2019-20 students.

I'm just wondering, if I were to get a rec letter right now and put in my hours into PTCAS now, would they still remain there when it actually comes time to apply next year? As fun as these last couple month have been, I don't want to have to just cut my losses or wait 2 more years to ask them for obvious reasons. Thank you in advance for your advice!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Smash Atoms]

PTCAS would likely delete them at the end of the application cycle when it closes for a month.

Why not just tell the PT(s) that you will probably be reaching out to them for letters of recommendation in a year or two? And who knows, you may decide to ask someone else at another location for a letter instead when you get closer to pulling the trigger on your application. (More settings = better shot at getting in anyways)

Good luck!

 

[Abudara]

Hi everyone! I have a kind of different question that I don't think has been talked about much (if at all) on these forums. I'm currently in my second year of undergrad and have gotten almost 50 hours of volunteering/observation hours at an ortho clinic. I've made some real good connections with the PTs and I know who I'm going to ask for a rec letter (I can probably even ask two of them). The problem is I don't know if it will stay on my PTCAS application for another 2 years while I'm waiting to finish up my undergrad degree. The new layout of PTCAS allows you to make an account and put in your rec letters but I'm not sure if it will delete my account next year when the new line of applications come in for the 2019-20 students.

I'm just wondering, if I were to get a rec letter right now and put in my hours into PTCAS now, would they still remain there when it actually comes time to apply next year? As fun as these last couple month have been, I don't want to have to just cut my losses or wait 2 more years to ask them for obvious reasons. Thank you in advance for your advice!

You can ask them to write the letters right now and just save them. Inform them that you plan on applying to schools in a couple years, not now. Try to stay in touch with them and whenever you’re ready to apply they can just submit them into PTCAS.

Also, you never know what new connections you’ll make, I would be surprised if you don’t meet other PTs in the future that may write your LoRs. My letters were written after I completed my undergrad when I was working as a part time aide and I believe I have a couple of awesome LoRs. Just keep your mind open to that, you’re still very early in the process, but it’s great that you’re planning these things ahead.