Unable to get LOR from non-science professor!

[winterwind_23]

I'm a nontrad who graduated in 2011. The last non-science class I took was in 2011. I'm applying for medical school this cycle. The problem is that many schools require one LOR from a professor with whom you've taken a non-science course. I'm doing a postbacc now, so I was able to get two letters from recent professors, but they are both science professors. I have no relationship with my non-science professors from undergrad, and even if I were to email them out of the blue and they agreed me to write me a letter, it would be a mediocre, generic letter at best.

Are there any nontrads in this same situation as me? Is it possible to replace a non-science professor LOR with a LOR from a recent employer or volunteer coordinator? Do schools make exceptions for non-science LORs for nontrads? I can imagine a nontrad out of school for 10 years that hasn't taken a science course in that many years. I know my situation is only 4 years out, but it's impossible for me to get a LOR from a non-science professor at this point.

Should I sign up to take a history or English class over the summer at a local CC just to get a LOR? Would it be too late for this cycle?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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[winterwind_23]

which schools are you applying to that specifically require a non science LOR? I haven't seen too many, granted I've mostly been looking at CA schools

Out of my MD school list, here are the ones that require one non-science professor letter.

Wake forest:
Two letters of recommendation—one from science and one from non-science—are required.
(Not sure if "Non-science" here can mean from volunteer coordinator or from work?)

Loyola:
Two science faculty letters and one non-science faculty letter. A letter from your premedical or academic advisor is optional.

New York Medical College:
Two (2) letters must be from science faculty (e.g.) biology, chemistry, physics, bio-medical engineering, bio-engineering, etc. who have either taught you in a class OR supervised you in independent research for which you have received credit toward your science GPA. (Math is not considered a science course for the purposes of letters of evaluation.) The third letter must be from a non-science course.

Drexel:
Students should ask three individuals who hold college-level academic appointments to send letters of recommendation. Two of these should be from science faculty and one from a faculty member in a non-science discipline. If candidates have taken time off between college and medical school, they should also send a letter of recommendation from a person who can comment about experiences during that period.

Jefferson:
If individual letters are sent, we prefer one biology, one chemistry and one physics and one humanities.

University of Vermont:
Two letters must be from professors in the sciences with whom you have taken classes. One additional letter must be from a non-science professor with whom you have taken a class.

Creighton:
Two letters from science professors from courses you completed for academic credit, and/or science professors who directed your science research for academic credit. One letter from a professor whose non-science course you completed for academic credit.

 

[winterwind_23]

Wow! That is actually a lot of schools. And agree with @canadianinusa. Just mass email your old humanities professors. Don't be afraid to ask and just send them your personal statement, Resume, and transcripts and work with him/her in making it more personal so it is not that generic. That is what I did, and one actually replied back from a course I took in 2011 also. Don't let this letter stop you from applying. Worst case, just call the schools and hope some waive this requirement, especially given that you're a non-trad.

Thanks for the encouragement!

I'm wondering what I should write in my email to my old professors. Should I mention I need a non-science letter and that their class was one of the few that I took while at X college? Obviously I will include stuff about how I enjoyed the class. @atrain2080, how did you approach this, if you don't mind sharing?

Also, I'm guessing non-science means non-BCPM? So psychology would qualify?

 

[mspeedwagon]

In your shoes, I'd do both: Start emailing professors that may remember you. Tell them about what you remember from their class and how you are applying for medical school. At the same time, sign up for an English or humanities class this summer so heaven forbid you need to re-apply OR you don't have a professor that agrees to write a recommendation, you have a Plan B. You can probably ask a few wks into the course (so imho, it's not too late).

 

[winterwind_23]

You have a few options: you can try now to see if there is a prof you remember who would agree to write the LOR. You could then only use that LOR for schools with the specific requirement. (You don't need to use the same LORs for each school). You can also ask if you can waive the requirement. I had my requirement for a specific LOR waived for one school. I ended up sending LORs from a science prof, a non-science prof, a volunteer coordinator, and someone at my work. (I think they were supposed to be all from undergrad profs and I couldn't do that.) I'd say try to waive it as much as you can and definitely apply with a LOR from a volunteer coordinator -- this served me really well this cycle.

If you send 4 letters, and one from many years ago is a bit generic but the others are stellar, maybe it is okay?

Thanks for the advice! I've emailed the admissions office at the 7 schools on my list that require non-science LORs to ask if I can replace the non-science LOR with a more recent letter from an employer or volunteer coordinator. I'll update this thread once I get answers, in case anyone else is interested!

 

[winterwind_23]

Got my first reply from Creighton. They waive the 2 science professor and 1 non-science professor LOR requirement for non-traditional applicants!

If you completed your undergraduate degree on or before September 2012, please have three letters of recommendation sent from persons familiar with your recent scientific work or study experience. Letters must be dated during 2013 or later and signed by the letter writer.

I'll continue to update as I get more information!

 

[sazerac]

That must be a new requirement for Creighton. That wasn't there in 2012.

I know I emailed Vermont and they waived the non-science letter requirement for me. I offered a letter from my Fire Captain (who taught me a lot) instead.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

I'm a nontrad who graduated in 2011. The last non-science class I took was in 2011. I'm applying for medical school this cycle. The problem is that many schools require one LOR from a professor with whom you've taken a non-science course. I'm doing a postbacc now, so I was able to get two letters from recent professors, but they are both science professors. I have no relationship with my non-science professors from undergrad, and even if I were to email them out of the blue and they agreed me to write me a letter, it would be a mediocre, generic letter at best.

Are there any nontrads in this same situation as me? Is it possible to replace a non-science professor LOR with a LOR from a recent employer or volunteer coordinator? Do schools make exceptions for non-science LORs for nontrads? I can imagine a nontrad out of school for 10 years that hasn't taken a science course in that many years. I know my situation is only 4 years out, but it's impossible for me to get a LOR from a non-science professor at this point.

Should I sign up to take a history or English class over the summer at a local CC just to get a LOR? Would it be too late for this cycle?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I got a science letter from a professor who taught me in 2006 and 2008. You need to be a man, goto the school in person, and find a professor you had a good relationship with and ask for the letter. Then followup and give them some gift when they agree (I did candy). Its a good excuse to remind them about you and also remind them to actually write the letters. I don't think you will have much luck with email. Especially if you had a good relationship the professors will be happy to see you.

That being said, most schools will substitute supervisor letters for the requirements, especially MD. I found them extremely accommodating in general of us nontrad's. The only school I had problems with was PCOM.

 

[winterwind_23]

I got a science letter from a professor who taught me in 2006 and 2008. You need to be a man, goto the school in person, and find a professor you had a good relationship with and ask for the letter. Then followup and give them some gift when they agree (I did candy). Its a good excuse to remind them about you and also remind them to actually write the letters. I don't think you will have much luck with email. Especially if you had a good relationship the professors will be happy to see you.

That being said, most schools will substitute supervisor letters for the requirements, especially MD. I found them extremely accommodating in general of us nontrad's. The only school I had problems with was PCOM.

The problem is that I went to school on the east coast and I now live in California. I will try email as a last resort if I need the letter, but I've only had bad luck asking for LORs through email.

It's good to know that most schools are accommodating for nontrads! Thanks for sharing.

 

[winterwind_23]

That must be a new requirement for Creighton. That wasn't there in 2012.

I know I emailed Vermont and they waived the non-science letter requirement for me. I offered a letter from my Fire Captain (who taught me a lot) instead.

I emailed Vermont too. Hoping they waive the requirement for me too!

 

[takeonme]

This thread was helpful, thank you for bringing this up. I was initially worried I wouldn't be able to find LORs but sucked it up and decided to contact professors in the past as well as from more recent courses and they were willing to write me letters.

 

[winterwind_23]

This thread was helpful, thank you for bringing this up. I was initially worried I wouldn't be able to find LORs but sucked it up and decided to contact professors in the past as well as from more recent courses and they were willing to write me letters.

Glad to hear this thread helped! I heard back from all the schools I emailed except one (Drexel) and they all said I could waive the non-science letter of recommendation. I read on SDN that Drexel is pretty bad with replying to emails, but hopefully I will hear from them soon.

Do you guys think that not having a non-science letter of rec from a faculty member will hurt my chances? Hopefully it doesn't since they agreed to waive it for me.

 

[takeonme]

If they waived it for you, hopefully it'll be okay. Wait, so is math not a 'science' letter? I mean, NYMC indicates it but I'm worried about the other schools

 

[hotrodsduo]

Reviving an old thread to hear new experiences on this topic. I am on the west coast and will be applying heavily over here this cycle.

 

[Gurby]

I didn't have a non-science professor LOR, but I did get LOR's from work and EC activities. In my case, I got a committee letter which allowed me to sort of bypass these requirements. Usually it will say, "we prefer a committee letter, and failing that get us XYZ letters".