references

[wolf30]

Hi

 

I was wondering if it mattered if my references from faculty who have taught me came from college instead of university? I had really good relationships with several of my college profs but I feel my relationship is only ok with my university profs. Being in large classes makes it kind of hard to speak to the profs on a personal level. I know if I asked my college profs they would write me exceptional reference letters but I'm not too sure about my university profs. Would it work against me if I asked a college prof instead of my university profs? Also my college profs also teach courses at my university but not ones I am taking. Do they require that you list where they profs taught you on your reference forms?

 

thanks

[Guest Physioprospect]

Refs don't matter at all, the only thing they use them for is to find people with bad references, if ur reference is good ur fine, queens is the only school that matters for reference letters and your college ones are fine

[Jonnny]

Actually...references DO matter. For some schools you need a professional reference and an academic reference. We don't know exactly how each school scores references for admissions (especially Queen's) but it's better safe than sorry. I think college profs are ok as the requirements are only that they have taught you in an "academic" setting. check with each school to make sure.

[Guest Physioprospect]

Actually.... they dont, I talked to admissions at everyschool and queens was the only one that said they actually use them for any sort of scoring. Every other school simply uses them to find bad apples.

[rasta]

wolf30, it depends on the school

 

From UofT:

Examples of academic references include professors or instructors from a university setting.

http://www.physicaltherapy.utoronto.ca/admissions/how-to-apply#Non-Academic

 

From Queens:

At least one of the Confidential Reference Forms must be from someone holding an academic faculty position in a postsecondary university or college, who has taught you and is qualified to judge your academic ability.

http://www.rehab.queensu.ca/prospective.php?id_mnu=13

 

UWO and McGill don't specify anything about college/university. Your best bet is to call or email the schools

 

You also have plenty of time to between now and the next admissions cycle to get to know some university profs. Go to their office hours and have a chat with them.

[rasta]

Actually.... they dont, I talked to admissions at everyschool and queens was the only one that said they actually use them for any sort of scoring. Every other school simply uses them to find bad apples.

Do you have any idea what the admissions process is like at Queens? It's the least transparent of the Ontario schools..

[wolf30]

wolf30, it depends on the school

 

From UofT:

http://www.physicaltherapy.utoronto.ca/admissions/how-to-apply#Non-Academic

 

From Queens:

http://www.rehab.queensu.ca/prospective.php?id_mnu=13

 

UWO and McGill don't specify anything about college/university. Your best bet is to call or email the schools

 

You also have plenty of time to between now and the next admissions cycle to get to know some university profs. Go to their office hours and have a chat with them.

 

Does it matter how long they have known you, or how many courses they taught you? Most of the profs at my university so far have only taught me once, with the exception of 2 profs and I don't like one of them for screwing me over with grades and the other doesn't seem like he cares about anyone.

[rasta]

Does it matter how long they have known you, or how many courses they taught you? Most of the profs at my university so far have only taught me once, with the exception of 2 profs and I don't like one of them for screwing me over with grades and the other doesn't seem like he cares about anyone.

There's a section on the reference form for them to note how long they've known you (I don't know how this is weighted though - my guess is that it's just a part of the form and schools don't really care about it).

 

Sometimes a prof might seem like a **** in class..go to his/her office, chat with them for a bit, and see how things go from there.

 

Are you applying next year or the year after?

[rasta]

This is what the reference form will look like: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/orpas/rf_orpas_e.pdf

[Scram]

Do you have any idea what the admissions process is like at Queens? It's the least transparent of the Ontario schools..

 

They project everyone has good grades as well as some form of experience as a PTA/shadowing a PT. The applications that will stand out from the rest are the ones that elaborate on how their experiences affected them and what fresh approach they bring to the profession. They don't care too much about how many hours of experience you have accumulated; it's all about what you were able to derive from the experience.

[wolf30]

There's a section on the reference form for them to note how long they've known you (I don't know how this is weighted though - my guess is that it's just a part of the form and schools don't really care about it).

 

Sometimes a prof might seem like a **** in class..go to his/her office, chat with them for a bit, and see how things go from there.

 

Are you applying next year or the year after?

 

applying for the 2013 term.

[rasta]

applying for the 2013 term.

So you have from now till October to befriend a professor.

 

That's roughly the same amount of time that I knew my referee.

[KinKid8]

Does it really matter who you get as a professional reference? (e.g., say if you had the choice between your boss at your part-time job who've you known longer compared to a physiotherapist you've just started shadowing).

[lancer_PT]

I'd go for the University prof reference. Professors have been in your position before and I'm sure they felt intimidated by their own professors. It's really difficult to have a university professor that knows you really well unless you make an honest effort to know them from day 1. In my experience, they want to help students, so I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting a reference if you have met with them a few times (just go to their office hours before a midterm or two and ask a few questions--let them know you're serious) and did well in their class.

 

For the ORPAS application, I used two academic and one professional. That will cover the requirements for all of the schools. If possible, use a reference that is in a related profession to physiotherapy. My pro reference is the owner of a local gym franchise and exercise rehabilitation company.

 

I agree with those that say the references are basically to screen out those that were given a bad reference. They just want to know that you can find three people of considerable status that respect you have and have faith in your ability to succeed in the profession.

 

And to answer someone's post about Queen's: I saw that a lot of people that were accepted had experience doing research as well, in addition to unique and diversified relevant experiences.

[Etude]

One question! I know that many schools want a LOR from clinics. I have volunteered at ER. I think I can get a letter from the head nurse at there. Is this going to be a feasible LOR for PT and OT? (I remember OT does not require LOR from clinic) THanks!