Engineer to Dental School - How should I ask my Manager for a recommendation letter

[judysmoothie]

Hi Guys,

I am working as a Mechanical Engineer currently and trying to get into dental school. I am having a little issues here about recommendations.

So I could get some recommendations from my professors but since I graduated more than 5 years ago, I am not confident how strong the recommendation letter swill be since they probably forgot about me. I am thinking about asking my boss for a recommendation since she knows me well and my company is a very well known high tech company so her title and the company name will help too, BUT I cannot let her know that I am planning to apply for dental school. Any suggestions on how should I handle this situation?

Thanks

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[Advance]

Most schools require letters from science professors.
Trying to get someone to write you a letter for dental school...but you don't want them to know you're applying to dental school?
That really makes no sense and it's not a good idea.

What I would do is get the dentist you've shadowed to write you one, assuming you have shadowing experience (If you don't that's a whole different problem).
Then try and contact old professors that can speak about your academic performance.

 

[spice7]

Hi Guys,

I am working as a Mechanical Engineer currently and trying to get into dental school. I am having a little issues here about recommendations.

So I could get some recommendations from my professors but since I graduated more than 5 years ago, I am not confident how strong the recommendation letter swill be since they probably forgot about me. I am thinking about asking my boss for a recommendation since she knows me well and my company is a very well known high tech company so her title and the company name will help too, BUT I cannot let her know that I am planning to apply for dental school. Any suggestions on how should I handle this situation?

Thanks

I'm a few years out of school, too. I wasn't confident I could find enough science professors to recommend me, so I contacted about 5 of them. Turns out most professors are more than happy to write a recommendation and act as an advocate for students seeking higher education. One even invited me to visit her office and have a chat, so she could write a more personal one. Send an email explaining your situation, and ask if they would feel more comfortable having a chat with you before writing a letter.

In my line of work, my boss didn't mind that I was planning to go back to school. He even knew this when he hired me years ago. I'm guessing your work environment is different. Do you think there would be repercussions at work if you tell your boss you plan to go back to school to enter new field? I think it's better to disclose that sooner rather than later. Your boss will appreciate being kept in the loop, assuming that they are reasonable. I don't really see how you go about getting a recommendation without saying what it's for... and, for that matter, why it would be better for your boss to not know why she's writing it.