Short TWO letters of rec!! WHAT TO DO?!

[woopsi]

my PI (Amazing letter), an MD (very good), and animal bio professor(who says he didnt know me personally and seemed hesitant to write me one but said hed be fine writing me a generic "student soandso got an A in my class" letter.

I still need two more letters from science faculty at my university to get a pre med letter and I have not been able to get to know any of my professors well at all so far. this is my last semester to do so. I just don't know how to do it. I am taking micro and organic 2 this semester so I have 2-3 months to get to know them very well to even have a shot at applying.

I need advice on HOW to get to know them well enough they agree to write me a letter. In my animal bio class, I always asked questions and seemed interested in the topic and did very well on all his tests, but apparently that wasn't enough to warrant a great letter, as he said he liked to get to know his students outside of class. how the heck do i get to know my professors outside of class?!

For my microbiology class, my professors really funny and nice, but intimidates me with his ridiculous intellectual skills. I know I should go to his office hours but I don't have any QUESTIONS to ask! I know that seems like a silly statement, but he basically hands out the notes that are self-explanatory. what to do? I NEED to get him to know me.

For Organic 2, this guy REALLY INTIMIDATES me. hes NOT afraid to speak his mind and has a loud booming voice, but he is an amazing teacher. I know I can go to his office hours and ask for organic help, as I really do need it, but how can I make sure hes getting to "know" me. i took organic 1 with him 2 semesters ago and got an A, but only talked to him once. this time i plan to try to live in his office. I thought my animal bio professor was getting to "know" me, but apparently he didn't think so.

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[LostinLift]

Go to office hours and ask about their research, ask about their career goals, their schooling. Go in with a question or two as a ruse to start a conversation with them. Mention cool little tid bits of research or science to them after class when you see a new article. Does your committee have a date you need to have your letters in by?

 

[Jennyfishy]

Usually fostering strong connections with professors take more than just a semester/qtr. Your best bet now is to put your best efforts into seeing your profs as much as possible through OH, etc. And make a strong impression. Reconnecting and following up with old professors you really enjoyed might be another option

 

[Pacna]

All I can tell you is that I got my letters from profs I only had 1 semester with. What I did was actually like the prof and talk to him/her after class about stuff I actually found interesting. Earnestness goes a long way. However, saying "I really just want a letter" isn't a great approach, despite its candor.

Best way to earn your prof's respect: be one of their best students. Participate in their class. To do this, know the topics before lecture. LORs take more work than As do.

 

[Shjanzey]

Make the best out of office hours. I always miss at least one question on a test so I would use that as a pretext to go hang out in their office. You can find out a lot about someone just by their office. Usually they will have research articles laying around, or an interesting picture. After taking care of your questions you can strike up a conversation/small talk. This is like an investment. Once they have a friendly disposition towards you then getting the letter will be no trouble at all. Do it early, and do it often. I got eight letters this way, with one semester courses. Some of those professors became friends that I still talk to today.