Letter of Recommendation Issue

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ttt92

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Hi everyone, I need a little help on letters of recommendation. My school's pre-med committee requires at least 3 letters and max 4 letters, 1 from science, 1 can be any professor, and the other 1-2 is up to you.

So far, I have 3 people who will definitely write me a letter:

1. Biology professor
2. Sociology professor
3. Research PI

I want to ask about my 4th letter. I have a lot of long-term public health experience abroad, and this theme centers my application. One option was a doctor I was working with at an NGO, but I did work on the ground with other volunteers while she was in the states -- therefore, our communication was mostly through emails/skype calls, etc. Furthermore, it is near impossible to contact her. When I asked her for a letter to apply for a research grant, she wrote the recommendation letter the morning it was due. Therefore, I feel uncomfortable asking her.

My other option is a program director of another global public health project I worked on. He knows me well. However, he hasn't returned my emails and I'm nervous that he may just be ignoring me. Should I be persistent and perhaps call him? I'm just not pushy about these things, and it makes me feel uncomfortable to.

My third option is a political science professor. I know she will probably write me a good one. Nonetheless, she co-taught the class I took with my sociology professor so I'm nervous their letters will sound too similar. Moreover, I'm not sure if it will be a red flag that I don't have a letter of recommendation from someone I did work with abroad when it's such a huge part of my application.

What should I do? Am I just overthinking this? Thank you!

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I think it would be good to balance out your 3 profs with someone you did volunteer work with. Seems to me that the program director would be your best bet. How long has it been since you emailed him and how many have you sent? If you only sent a few it's quite possible he forgot. Also, if he's one of those people who works in crisis mode (ie just making the deadline), if your message didn't seem urgent it might have slipped to the bottom of his priority list.
 
I don't think you're overthinking it:

-I can see how you want the NGO letter. I see that you and her didn't have much direct contact but you do have a track record with her. But, the problem is she may be unreliable as far as time, though the benefit is that she likely knows what needs to be said for a medical school LOR. Consider just asking for it earlier. Last cycle, I contacted my LOR writers in Feb, saying I wanted them ready by the 3rd week of April, I knew my research PI would lag big time -- it worked out.
-For the second person, they seem similar to the first except perhaps without the experience of "medical school" ideology. He seems like a good lead because you say he knows you well. I assume he's pretty busy and probably gets inundated by emails all the time, so you might be under the pile. I'd keep nudging him politely, remind him why you're choosing him (it helps to get them on board I found).

-I think you're reasoning of the third professor is reasonable, it would seem a little redundant, and while I'm not sure if it'd be a "red flag" it'd be help to be congruent if the people you worked with abroad spoke for you.

If it were me, I'd approach the first and second writers at the same time (just in case one falls through). If I had to pick between them both, I'd pick the person who I believe would write me the strongest letter, i.e. can represent me the best. So, if the program director is more familiar with you, for example, then I'd go with them if them knowing you means they'd write a compelling LOR. The most important thing though, is whoever writes it, it should be a strong letter.
 
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