LOR question

[dukeof40]

I have a question regarding letter of recommendations that I wasn't able to find anywhere else, so I'm asking it here. According to CASPA you can only enter a total of 3 letters in your application. I am applying to multiple programs that want letters from different sources. Some want letters from a supervisor at work, PA, professor...while some want a letter from two PAs, and a work supervisor...and one wants a letter from an MD, PA, and a professor. My question is, what can I do if I'm only allowed 3 letters on CASPA and I want to apply to these programs of interest? Has anyone come across this dilemma? Any help would be appreciated!!

[AliB]

My LORs submitted via CASPA were from an MD, an NP, and a Ph.D (professor). I applied to more than one school; the schools that had very specific reqs for the LORs accepted additional LORs (e.g. from a PA or from a supervisor) sent directly to them either from the writer, or delivered by me at the interview sealed & signed.

[Allegro]

You might want to take a look at the new CASPA instructions for the 2016 cycle; it looks like they are accepting up to 5 LORs now that they are moving to the new application platform:

 

https://portal.caspaonline.org/caspaHelpPages/frequently-asked-questions/additional-information/letters-of-reference/index.html

[ddisilvestro]

If you end up applying to enough schools where you will have to submit four letters (or more, which is very rare), then you should reach out to your schools to confirm which one will accept a letter outside of CASPA. It is not secret to the programs that CASPA only accepts 3 letters and they may each have slightly different requirements so we ask them to be flexible on this policy. If one programs says no, absolutely not, ask the next one. There will be a program that will accept a letter, if necessary, outside of CASPA.

 

Best of luck,

Danielle