How to Ask for a Strong Letter of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation carry real weight in PT school admissions, accounting for roughly 10-15% of the overall application evaluation at many programs. For borderline candidates or at programs that do not interview (like Pitt), they can make or break a decision. Here is how to approach them strategically.

How Many References Do You Need?

Most programs require 2 to 3 references, though PTCAS allows a maximum of 4 evaluators per program. You can compare requirements across all PTCAS-participating programs using the APTA reference requirements directory.

Requirements vary by program. Some examples:

Program	References Required	Specific Types
Central Michigan	2	1 licensed PT + 1 professor
Emory	3	1 professor (not a TA/GA/advisor) + 1 licensed PT + 1 choice
Pitt	3	1 academic + 1 PT + 1 additional
UCSF	3	At least 1 licensed PT; science instructors suggested
South College	2	1 must be a U.S. licensed PT

Check every program on your list individually. Do not assume one program's requirements match another's.

Who to Ask

The strongest applications include a mix of clinical and academic recommenders. Here is who programs value most:

Licensed Physical Therapists

Nearly every program requires or strongly prefers at least one reference from a licensed PT. Vicki Mason, DHSc, a former admissions committee member, noted that she would have traded all other letter types for one insightful letter from a PT who had observed the applicant working with patients. A PT who has supervised your observation hours or employment can speak to your clinical aptitude, professionalism, and patient interaction skills in ways that no professor can.

Science Professors

Faculty from anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, or kinesiology courses can speak to your academic ability and work ethic in the subjects most relevant to a DPT curriculum. Programs like Emory specifically require a letter from a professor who taught you, not a teaching assistant, graduate assistant, or academic advisor.

Other Strong Options

• Non-science professors who can speak to your communication, critical thinking, or writing skills
• Work or volunteer supervisors from healthcare settings
• Research mentors if you have research experience
• Pre-PT advisors who know you well through sustained interaction

The ideal mix for most applicants: 1 to 2 PTs who know you well, 1 science professor, and 1 additional recommender of your choice. Pitt notes that submitting two letters from a similar source is permissible.

Who NOT to Ask

Most programs explicitly prohibit references from:

• Family members (even if they are healthcare professionals)
• Personal friends (even if they are PTs or professors)
• Clergy or religious leaders
• Politicians or elected officials
• Peer-level coworkers (as opposed to supervisors)

Baylor, Emory, University of Montana, and Colorado Mesa all list these exclusions in their admissions materials. The PTCAS reference form includes a role selection dropdown with 15 options including "Family Member," "Friend," "Clergy," and "Politician/Elected Official," so programs can see exactly what role the recommender identified.

When to Ask

Start building relationships with potential recommenders 3 to 4 months before your application deadline. Creighton's admissions chair describes getting a strong letter as "a minimum three- to four-month process," which includes building the relationship and then making the formal request.

Make the formal ask 4 to 6 weeks before your deadline to give recommenders adequate time. Two to three weeks is the absolute minimum but risks a rushed, generic letter.

You can ask recommenders to prepare before PTCAS opens. They just cannot complete the electronic submission until you send the formal request through the portal, which requires the application to be live. For the 2025-2026 cycle, PTCAS opened June 16, 2025.

Important: References do not carry over between application cycles. If you are reapplying, you need to request new references.

How to Approach the Conversation

Ask in person whenever possible. Face-to-face requests tend to produce stronger letters because the recommender has a vivid memory of you when they sit down to write.

The key phrasing: "Would you be willing to write a strong letter of recommendation for me?" The word "strong" is intentional. It signals that you want a substantive, positive letter and gives the person a graceful way to decline if they cannot provide one.

A practical script:

1. Open with context: "I am applying to DPT programs this cycle and I really valued my experience working with you."
2. Explain why you are asking them specifically: "You've seen my work with patients firsthand, and I think you could speak to my clinical skills and professionalism."
3. Make the ask: "Would you be willing to write a strong letter of recommendation for me?"
4. Offer to provide supporting materials: "I can send you my resume, personal statement, and the list of programs with deadlines."
5. Follow up with an email containing everything they need.

If someone hesitates or declines, thank them and move on. A "no" is far better than a lukewarm letter. As one admissions reviewer noted, if a recommender checks "Excellent" on everything but writes nothing substantive, it signals that the person is well-liked but the recommender is not truly assessing the candidate.

What to Provide Your Recommenders

Make their job easy. After they agree, send them:

Essential materials:

• Your resume or CV
• Your personal statement (even a draft)
• List of programs you are applying to with their deadlines
• Brief instructions about the Liaison Letters process (they will receive an email from support@ptcas.myliaison.com with a link)

Helpful extras:

• A "talking points" sheet highlighting specific qualities or experiences you would like them to address
• Your observation hours summary
• Your unofficial transcript
• Context about why you are pursuing PT and what makes specific programs appealing to you

The more context you provide, the more specific and compelling their letter will be.

What Recommenders Actually Complete in PTCAS

Understanding what your recommenders will face helps you prepare them. The PTCAS reference form submitted through Liaison Letters includes:

Structured Ratings

Recommenders rate you on 11 traits using a 5-point Likert scale (Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor, or Not Observed):

1. Commitment to Learning (self-assessment, self-correction, self-direction)
2. Interpersonal Skills (effective interaction with patients, families, colleagues; cultural awareness)
3. Communication Skills (speaking, writing, listening, body language)
4. Effective Use of Time (efficiency, resource management)
5. Use of Constructive Feedback (seeks out and applies feedback)
6. Ethical and Professional Behavior (appropriate conduct, represents the profession)
7. Responsibility (fulfills commitments, accountability, perseverance)
8. Critical Thinking (logical questioning, evaluating arguments, distinguishing facts from assumptions)
9. Stress Management (identifying stressors, coping, adaptability)
10. Problem Solving (recognizing problems, creativity, analyzing data, implementing solutions)
11. Leadership (initiative, motivation, generating ideas, sharing vision)

Overall Recommendation

A four-tier rating: Highly Recommend, Recommend, Recommend with Reservations, or Not Able to Recommend.

Written Letter

A letter on institutional or professional letterhead, attached to the form.

Knowing these categories lets you guide your recommenders. If you worked through a stressful situation together, mention that so they can speak to your stress management. If you demonstrated leadership during observation hours, remind them of that specific example so they can rate and describe it accurately.

Reuse Across Programs

References in PTCAS are program-specific. You initiate a separate request for each program, and your recommender receives a separate email for each. However, Liaison Letters includes a reuse feature: recommenders can opt to allow their letter to be automatically reused for subsequent requests from the same applicant. This means they complete the form once and approve it for reuse, rather than redoing everything for each school. Recommenders can also choose to write different letters for different programs if they prefer.

The FERPA Waiver

Before requesting references, you must complete a FERPA waiver in PTCAS, choosing whether to waive your right to view the references. This decision is binding. Most admissions consultants strongly recommend waiving access. Programs may view non-waived references skeptically, questioning whether the recommender felt free to write honestly.

Follow-Up Etiquette

Reminders: Check the status of your references in your PTCAS account under "Check Status." PTCAS does not notify you when references are missing. If a reference has not been submitted 10 days before your deadline, send a polite reminder. At 3 days out, consider calling. Frame it as "I wanted to check if you need anything else from me" rather than "Where is my letter?"

Thank-you notes: Send one within 24 hours of learning that a reference has been submitted. A handwritten note is more personal and appreciated than an email. Mention specifically what their support means to you. After you receive admissions decisions, update your recommenders on the outcome. They invested time in your future and want to know how it turned out.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Asking too late. Give recommenders at least 4 to 6 weeks. Last-minute requests produce generic letters.
2. Choosing someone who barely knows you. A famous professor who cannot recall your name will write a weaker letter than a lesser-known instructor who watched you grow over a semester.
3. Not including a licensed PT. Missing a PT reference when programs require one can disqualify your application.
4. Requesting from prohibited sources. Family, friends, clergy, and politicians are explicitly banned at most programs.
5. Not providing supporting materials. Without your resume, personal statement, and program list, recommenders are writing blind.
6. Not waiving FERPA access. Programs may question the candor of non-waived references.
7. Ignoring program-specific requirements. Some programs require a professor (not a TA), some require a U.S. licensed PT, some have exact counts. Check every program individually.
8. Too many from one category. Three PT letters when a program wants academic plus clinical perspectives will not serve you well.
9. Failing to explain the electronic process. Warn recommenders that the Liaison Letters email may land in spam. Give them clear instructions.
10. Not following up with gratitude. A handwritten thank-you note goes a long way, and updating recommenders on your results closes the loop respectfully.

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For more on the PTCAS application process, see our comprehensive PTCAS guide and our posts on writing a personal statement and building a competitive applicant profile.