Letters of recommendations (LORs) are an important part of your PA school application. Since Pre-PAs are limited in how many letters they can request, students need to be strategic about who you ask to write these letters.

Here are a few things to consider when deciding who to ask for a LOR to get accepted into PA school:

• How well do they know you? 

A LOR written by someone who you’ve shadowed for 4 hours isn’t going to be strong. Someone who has known you for a few months (at least) can attest to your character, passion, dedication, etc and can write a fantastic recommendation for you! Choosing someone who truly knows you (and can give DETAILS) will help you tremendously. Remember, as part of the letter of recommendation they submit through CASPA they will fill out how long (and in what capacity) they have known you. This information is seen by the admissions committee for every letter submitted.

• What is your relationship?

Many schools do NOT accept letters from family or friends. PA programs want letters from those who have known you in a professional, work or academic type setting. It’s often seen as a conflict of interest if you choose relatives or close friends, so make sure you choose those who don’t have a close personal relationship with you.

• Will they recommend you?

Once in a while a pre-PA student chooses poorly and schools receive a letter that does not recommend a student. It’s going to be very hard to get accepted if your LOR is negative or if the writer doesn’t recommend you. To avoid this, make sure you’re asking the right people who you KNOW will write a strong letter. It’s heartbreaking to ruin your chances of getting accepted because you asked the wrong person. 

• What do you want to highlight about yourself?

Maybe you want to stress your academic prowess… or perhaps you’re proud of your patient care skills. Decide what attributes you want highlighted and then decide who in your life can BEST attest to these things. Having each writer corroborate a different aspect of your character can make you seem well-rounded and ready for PA school.

LORs are an important part of your CASPA  and can help make (or break) your PA school application. Make sure to choose individuals who know you well, will recommend you and can vouch for one of your strengths. 

And as always, make sure the rest of your PA school application stands out too! Get your CASPA application edited and reviewed – including personal statement editing – then meet with us on Zoom for a feedback session to ensure you have your most competitive PA school application! Learn more here!