Obtaining a LOR from a Graduate Student?

[tartandtangy]

So I have been working in the same lab for about a year now. I work directly underneath a grad student who knows me well and has seen my work ethic and intellectual capability thoroughly. I don't really interact with the PI of the lab all too often as he is never around the lab regularly. Is it looked down upon if I ask the grad student to write a LOR for me as opposed to asking the professor?

I really feel like the grad student would do a much better job writing about me. Could I ask the PI to endorse the letter or something like that?

Thanks for your help!

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[palatopharyngeus]

So I have been working in the same lab for about a year now. I work directly underneath a grad student who knows me well and has seen my work ethic and intellectual capability thoroughly. I don't really interact with the PI of the lab all too often as he is never around the lab regularly. Is it looked down upon if I ask the grad student to write a LOR for me as opposed to asking the professor?

I really feel like the grad student would do a much better job writing about me. Could I ask the PI to endorse the letter or something like that?

Thanks for your help!

yes, this would be looked down upon. getting a letter from the grad student would inevitably raise the question, "why not the PI?", to which your answer would be "I didn't really know him/her". not good.

edit: assuming that a PI's "endorsement" means he just signs off on a letter written by the grad student, this should be fine

 

[cactus8910]

See if you can get the grad student to write the letter and the PI to sign it.

 

[Doug Underhill]

As a Ph.D student, I have ghost-written many a letter of recommendation that was signed (after a bit of revision, perhaps) by my boss.

 

[EAB11]

So I have been working in the same lab for about a year now. I work directly underneath a grad student who knows me well and has seen my work ethic and intellectual capability thoroughly. I don't really interact with the PI of the lab all too often as he is never around the lab regularly. Is it looked down upon if I ask the grad student to write a LOR for me as opposed to asking the professor?

I really feel like the grad student would do a much better job writing about me. Could I ask the PI to endorse the letter or something like that?

Thanks for your help!

Nope nope nope nope nope, get a PI letter. Most likely your graduate student mentor will write a lot of it (or they will discuss the letter in detail with the PI) anyway. If the PI is fairly removed from the lab, this is often the procedure. A friend of mine worked for someone very famous at Rockefeller and even that PI "wrote" them a letter. The post-doc that mentored said friend actually wrote the letter and the PI put their name at the bottom.

PS Sometimes a PI will let you write your own letter (and then edit/put their name at the bottom). That's my advisor's modus operandi.

 

[Time Table]

yes, this would be looked down upon. getting a letter from the grad student would inevitably raise the question, "why not the PI?", to which your answer would be "I didn't really know him/her". not good.

edit: assuming that a PI's "endorsement" means he just signs off on a letter written by the grad student, this should be fine

So I have a question relating to this. The guy I do research with is a Ph.D. candidate. If I get a letter from him, would it still be frowned upon?

 

[palatopharyngeus]

So I have a question relating to this. The guy I do research with is a Ph.D. candidate. If I get a letter from him, would it still be frowned upon?

i think it would be in your best interest to get the PI to endorse it/sign off on it

 

[lifetothefullest]

The middle ground here that isn't uncommon is to get the PI to co-sign it. So not only the grad student is signing it. Many professors do this anyway.

 

[longdukdong]

asdf

 

[GrapesofRath]

If the grad student has a good impression of you and the letter is strong I don't think it'll be a major issue to just ask have your PI be the one go sign it. This is status quo honestly for tons of labs

PIs knoe the difference in the weight of a letter that had their approval as opposed to a grad student; they were all MDs or PhD or undergrad students themselves once

 

[Microglia]

Anyone can write it as long as the PI approves and signs it as their own.