Just got screwed over

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Originally Posted by IMBD

Hi all,

This is just my rant about my PI. Feel free to comment below or anything like that.
I worked for my PI for a year and then I asked for a letter of recommendation. At first, she refused because she felt that I was kind of clumsy at that time (I went on a trip over the summer for three months, and many things have been changed in the lab, e.g. the locations of the equipment, new enzymes and stuff so when I came back I made a few mistakes and then I had to others for help.)

I thought to myself, "****, I worked for this person for a year and now she's not doing me this favor because I made a few mistakes over the weeks?" and then I decided to move on and ask other profs for letters. After a few days, she came to me and said that she will write me a letter because she and other staffs discussed my performance in the lab and they all agreed that I contributed to the lab and it was not really fair for me to get rejected like that.

When she finished the letter, she told me that it was a strong and positive letter and she will show it other staffs to make sure that she doesn't miss any other good qualities of me.
One of the staffs even came to me and said that it was a really strong letter and she really recommended me using it.

Last week, I submitted my letters to an online service that can look at ppl's LOR's and I just got my result back from them. It turns out that my PI's letter was a negative letter and it has some pretty brutal criticism of me. Now because of her, I need to find other profs to write me another letter and the cycle is opening soon. I am so worried that i will not be able to find more letters.

I am just so pissed at my PI right now that she lied to me and tried to back-stab me like that. People, be careful.

Isn't what you're doing right now - ranting about your PI on a public forum- technically "back-stabbing" too?

Originally Posted by DoeAdeer

Isn't what you're doing right now - ranting about your PI on a public forum- technically "back-stabbing" too?

wow.. but still..His PI should have told him the truth about his performance..
i still dont undersatnd why his PI did such things to a op
unless his PI really hates the op

Originally Posted by DoeAdeer

Isn't what you're doing right now - ranting about your PI on a public forum- technically "back-stabbing" too?

I don't see how the OP is backstabbing at all. He/she is just saying what the PI did.

Originally Posted by DoeAdeer

Isn't what you're doing right now - ranting about your PI on a public forum- technically "back-stabbing" too?

No?

That is a really harsh situation. Are you sure you can trust the online company that reviewed your LORs? How did they even get access to it?

What I would do is sit down and talk to your PI about your letter, ask him/her about what she wrote about you and usually you can tell if someone is lying when they are put on the spot. What's also disturbing is that your other lab mates collaborating with the PI to sabotage you.

Dude, that sucks. No need to confront the PI, just ask for another letter from another prof.

Originally Posted by suarez 7

That is a really harsh situation. Are you sure you can trust the online company that reviewed your LORs? How did they even get access to it?

What I would do is sit down and talk to your PI about your letter, ask him/her about what she wrote about you and usually you can tell if someone is lying when they are put on the spot. What's also disturbing is that your other lab mates collaborating with the PI to sabotage you.

Might be one of those cases where the bio/chem teacher is anti pre-med/dental students...happens a lot seems like, some absolutely despise them. The only science professors I have told that I am pre-dental are the ones writing my LORs, and its usually after I've already received my grade.

But I too am interested in this third party website that reviews LORs, something seems weird about that as the only way they could get them is from your professor. How would you ask a professor who has taken time out of their day to write you a letter to send to a third party so you can make sure they didn't say anything bad? lol

You are doing the right thing by looking for a replacement letter. Nothing you can do about the scathing letter.

sounds like she really doesn't like you

idk how you managed to piss her off but i personally can't imagine being "clumsy" is severe enough to warrant her wanting to screw you over

either way, you'd never get a good letter out of her so i'd move on

Originally Posted by chill45

Might be one of those cases where the bio/chem teacher is anti pre-med/dental students...happens a lot seems like, some absolutely despise them. The only science professors I have told that I am pre-dental are the ones writing my LORs, and its usually after I've already received my grade.

Could very well be. I don't let my professors know I'm predent.

You can't really blame them for hating us...When you start to realize just how many people in the classes are pre-something and have no interest (you know what I mean) in what they are teaching.

I'm actually interested in that service. But I thought you can always just mail the letter to yourself if you really wanted to?

I kind of want access to my LOR's just to see what they said about me haha. Sorry OP, that really sucks.

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Originally Posted by DoeAdeer

Isn't what you're doing right now - ranting about your PI on a public forum- technically "back-stabbing" too?

I don't know if that's backstabbing...He is just venting his frustration, and his PI won't be jeopardized because of his rant. This guy will have a lot of problems because of that though.

I'm sorry that happened to you. I guess it's good that you found out, but shouldn't you not be able to find out? I thought the letters are suppose to be confidential...

Originally Posted by timwatley

I kind of want access to my LOR's just to see what they said about me haha. Sorry OP, that really sucks.

same here- i feel paranoid LOL

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Ask different professors (who has good reputations among students) to have at least total 5 LORs. I'm not exactly sure but if you have more than four, you might be able to choose which LORs to be sent to schools. Provide tons of info. ur resume, PS, transcript, your goal, volunteering experience, etc. More the better. you still have time GOOD LUCK

OP:

Once you get an acceptance make sure to thank your PI. Tell her you used the letter and felt that it really helped you secure a spot in dental school lol.

Originally Posted by DoeAdeer

Isn't what you're doing right now - ranting about your PI on a public forum- technically "back-stabbing" too?

Lol, no.

To the OP, Wow I can't believe multiple people collaborated like that to give you a negative letter.

There's got to be more to this story.. People don't just screw people over like that. I'm not accusing you of being a bad worker, but i've worked with people in the lab and my spouse has too, and there are some people that can just be ridiculously annoying. They are messy, they don't do work, they don't learn well (ie dont take notes and then constantly ask the same questions over and over, and take their nice manager for granted), show up late, leave early, disrupt others in the lab because they're always looking online at youtube videos etc. And just play stupid immature practical jokes all day. If this sounds like you, think about it. I"m not saying it happened, but some people are kind of oblivious to the fact that they're being disruptive. Also, leaving for three months probably left a real sour spot on your PI. Now i'm not criticizing you, just bringing up something i've noticed first-hand in the lab. Just saying.. there's more to this story.
Regardless, if your PI didn't think she could write a positive letter of recommendation, then in good conscious should have told you that and not offered to write a negative one.

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Originally Posted by yappy

OP:

Once you get an acceptance make sure to thank your PI. Tell her you used the letter and felt that it really helped you secure a spot in dental school lol.

+1. Lmao that's just awesome.

that really sucks OP. What I don't understand is why did the other faculty person tell you that it was indeed a strong letter??? It seems like you pissed off the multiple people OR your school has some vendetta against pre-dental majors or something lol.

I think you are doing the right thing by trying to get an alternate letter from professor. Don't confront the PI about anything and goodluck in ur search.

Originally Posted by goffdent

There's got to be more to this story.. People don't just screw people over like that. I'm not accusing you of being a bad worker, but i've worked with people in the lab and my spouse has too, and there are some people that can just be ridiculously annoying. They are messy, they don't do work, they don't learn well (ie dont take notes and then constantly ask the same questions over and over, and take their nice manager for granted), show up late, leave early, disrupt others in the lab because they're always looking online at youtube videos etc. And just play stupid immature practical jokes all day. If this sounds like you, think about it. I"m not saying it happened, but some people are kind of oblivious to the fact that they're being disruptive. Also, leaving for three months probably left a real sour spot on your PI. Now i'm not criticizing you, just bringing up something i've noticed first-hand in the lab. Just saying.. there's more to this story.
Regardless, if your PI didn't think she could write a positive letter of recommendation, then in good conscious should have told you that and not offered to write a negative one.

+1

multiple people do not collaborate against you for no reason.

This brings up a good point. Can I have my writers upload their letters to interfolio n then send those letters to myself n see if I need to get new letters?

Originally Posted by hmmmmm

+1

multiple people do not collaborate against you for no reason.

Unless the PI was really conniving and changed the letter after showing the other professor.

Burn that bridge, and move on.

Originally Posted by goffdent

There's got to be more to this story.. People don't just screw people over like that. I'm not accusing you of being a bad worker, but i've worked with people in the lab and my spouse has too, and there are some people that can just be ridiculously annoying. They are messy, they don't do work, they don't learn well (ie dont take notes and then constantly ask the same questions over and over, and take their nice manager for granted), show up late, leave early, disrupt others in the lab because they're always looking online at youtube videos etc. And just play stupid immature practical jokes all day. If this sounds like you, think about it. I"m not saying it happened, but some people are kind of oblivious to the fact that they're being disruptive. Also, leaving for three months probably left a real sour spot on your PI. Now i'm not criticizing you, just bringing up something i've noticed first-hand in the lab. Just saying.. there's more to this story.
Regardless, if your PI didn't think she could write a positive letter of recommendation, then in good conscious should have told you that and not offered to write a negative one.

I kinda agree with this. People that are annoying really are oblivious to what they are doing lol. But you're right, no point in writing a negative letter just don't write one at all.

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Get both- well get the generic first and see what the service ranks it as. If your scores are good, I'd send it with the generic and save the better letter as a backup- say if you are waitlisted and they ask for another LOR? you'll have this good one ready.
If the generic letter isn't too good, I'd wait. Especially if your scores aren't too competitive.

Go to your PI and sit down with him/her. Look at your PI in the face and ask if she enjoys preventing people from reaching their goals and aspiration. Tell your PI how much their life sucks. haha

Originally Posted by parham3

Go to your PI and sit down with him/her. Look at your PI in the face and ask if she enjoys preventing people from reaching their goals and aspiration. Tell your PI how much their life sucks. haha

Ignoring the bolded line, I would be tempted to do this. The PI is supposedly a mature individual, yet they resort to lying and conspiring behind your back. It is pathetic and I think they should be called out for it, face to face being the most enjoyable manner. A professional would have politely decline your request, this person has the mentality of a passive-aggressive schoolyard bully.

well at least you got your letter.
one of my professors did not even wrote it. I graduated last year, so I asked my professor to wrote one for me before I left the town. He said he will write me a good one. and I did give him a deadline (even though I wasn't going to use it until now...). I sent him reminder emails but no response. past the "deadline" I gave him, so I sent him another emails, no response... but funny thing is when I told him that I am willing to go and visit him (this was before the deadline), he responded to the email...meaning he is ignoring my reminder emails!!! wow...
I took his class and got an A and did TA for him for like two quarters...
Good thing I asked other professors to write me recommendations... if not, I probably had to go back to school to search for professors..argh...!!!

I would rather get turned down to get a letter than get a bad letter and not know about it.

wow IMBD, i am very sorry to hear that.

my PI can be really unprofessional too (always forgets the days that i'm coming in, barely responds to my emails) but he's a nice guy. i asked him to write me a letter 2 weeks ago and he probably forgot already

Originally Posted by IMBD

I don't think you can mail the lor's to yourself because the email has to come from a legit company, school, or whatever. What the company does is that they would receive your letters from interfolio and then they would "recommend" you if you should use the letters or not. They will not disclose any contents from the letters. Thus, it is still confidential because you don't actually get to know the content of them.

If you're interested in their service, I can pm you the website.

can you do pm about that website?

and wordering how the service company can read the credential file documents which were sent to school directly.. ?