LOR question (is optional really optional?)

Applying to College
1

My D26 would like to get a few applications submitted in August. She is applying to a competitive major (BSN). A few schools on her list have rolling admissions and strongly recommend nursing applicants submit early. None of these schools require a LOR – but at least one will accept up to two optional LORs.

Is it okay for her to submit her application without the optional letters? In other words, is optional truly optional? Or will it hurt her application?

As background, she attends a very large (4500+) public high school in a district with limited resources. Her teachers have been pretty clear that they will not have LORs done much before Nov 1. Also, for what it’s worth, I don’t expect her LORs will be anything special. She is a good student but flies under the radar.

Thanks in advance!

2

My advice would be to apply as soon as the application opens and not worry about the LORs.

Rolling admission schools know that LORs usually aren’t available in the summer anyway, and often schools will accept them later if they haven’t made a decision.

Hopefully she’ll have acceptances before you need to worry about the LORs.

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I agree with momofboiler1 – but I wonder if she has any non-academic letters of rec? Like did she work in a nursing home or as a CNA? That type of letter might be good to fill the optional slot.

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She volunteers at a hospital. I am not sure how much day-to-day contact she has with the volunteer coordinator, but I will ask her. Good thought.

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I think those programs REALLY want to make sure the students know what they are getting into regarding a Nursing career --so a strong letter from where she volunteers might be helpful.

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I mentor students in my practice. A good recommendation in a medical setting can go a long way. That would be the LOR I would get. But also agree to apply as soon as the apps are available for rolling school admissions.

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She can fix that with a self made meeting with her counselor that she should do anyway since they have sine influence and meeting early with teacher’s sorta to remind them who she is.

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