which would be the better rec letter?

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driscoll1

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I will quickly have to decide between options for my final rec letter. My committee requires 5 letters.
My currently locked in letters (along with estimated quality) are:

Research PI. Worked with for 4 years, published as first author with. 10/10 quality.
Science Prof #1
. TA'd for twice (lead TA second year), took biochem with. 8+/10 quality.
Volunteer Supervisor (child life specialist)
. Thinks very very highly of me and my interpersonal/patient interaction skills. 10/10 quality.
Science Prof #2
. Still deciding between two options, but both would be pretty average. 5-6/10 quality

I am a humanities major. My pre-med advisor told me I should use one my major's professors to write the 5th letter. In fact, she said that the committee will probably note in my committee letter that they noticed I didn't secure one of my major's professors as a letter writer, and that it might raise eyebrows for ADCOMS. However, I feel the kind of letter I could get from the profs in my department would be pretty average -basically just repeating my resume (I could be wrong and it might be a great letter, but that is my general impression and fear).

Note: While I have a ~3.81 cGPA and ~3.65 sGPA, my major GPA is extremely high (~3.97).
QUESTION 1: Will it actually raise eyebrows if I don't use a letter from my major? If it normally wouldn't but they actually do write about it in my committee letter, will it matter?

A very renowned doctor (at least in his field, where he is in the leadership of important research organizations and within his hospital) just offered to write me a letter without me asking. He operated on me when I was a teenager, and since then I have been in periodic contact with him (known him for a total of 8 years). He has seen me present posters at a national conference he is involved with as well as seen me interact with a patient at the hospital. I may shadow him soon as well. While I worry that the letter could be kind of superficial based on not having spent much time with me, he did offer it without me asking.

Question 2: Which of these would be best given my other letters?
A) My Humanities major professor
B) Doctor
C) Director of clinical bioengineering program I work for
D) Doctor "b" and have him include a quote from engineer "c" above (as they often work together with the same patients)

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Where are you getting these ratings of quality from?
They are estimates and could thus be wrong. However, I know for example my PI will include the lines like "he is the most productive undergraduate I have ever had" as she has said she would. Obviously I can't know for sure, but I am estimating my rankings based off of [slightly] more than just thinking they like me with no evidence.
 
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Underneath the post you've made, theres an edit button. Anyway, the following is my unprofessional opinion:

I would contact your adviser and ask if the committee strongly recommends using one from your major; in other words, will they actually mention that they asked for it and you didn't submit one. The committee at one of my undergraduate was notorious for ruining the apps of otherwise strong students because they submitted it a few days late or got on the advisers bad side. If they don't feel strongly about the issue, I would use the physician whom you've known for 8 years and agreed to write the letter. I would impress upon him that its important he mention the 8 year relationship and that he highlight experiences he has had with you.

When i've seen most ADCOMS discuss LoRs, its usually in the context of deciding between WL and Acceptance post-interview. In other words, its only a game-changer if you're seriously on the line normally. It becomes a major game changer for you entire cycle if one is bad. The best way to approach LoRs is like potential landmines; go with the one you feel surest will be good. For example, I would choose a 6/10 letter that i've been given by the writer over a 10/10 potential letter I've never seen. The fact that the physician has known you personally for so long, and even attended your conference, and offered to write it spontaneously, suggests it will be good. It may not have the 10/10 potential a prof in your major might have, but I would go with the near guaranteed positive than risk a prof submitting something like: "Ya, he was in my class and he was pretty smart sometimes" or worse which would be a potential risk.
 
Underneath the post you've made, theres an edit button. Anyway, the following is my unprofessional opinion:

I would contact your adviser and ask if the committee strongly recommends using one from your major; in other words, will they actually mention that they asked for it and you didn't submit one. The committee at one of my undergraduate was notorious for ruining the apps of otherwise strong students because they submitted it a few days late or got on the advisers bad side. If they don't feel strongly about the issue, I would use the physician whom you've known for 8 years and agreed to write the letter. I would impress upon him that its important he mention the 8 year relationship and that he highlight experiences he has had with you.

When i've seen most ADCOMS discuss LoRs, its usually in the context of deciding between WL and Acceptance post-interview. In other words, its only a game-changer if you're seriously on the line normally. It becomes a major game changer for you entire cycle if one is bad. The best way to approach LoRs is like potential landmines; go with the one you feel surest will be good. For example, I would choose a 6/10 letter that i've been given by the writer over a 10/10 potential letter I've never seen. The fact that the physician has known you personally for so long, and even attended your conference, and offered to write it spontaneously, suggests it will be good. It may not have the 10/10 potential a prof in your major might have, but I would go with the near guaranteed positive than risk a prof submitting something like: "Ya, he was in my class and he was pretty smart sometimes" or worse which would be a potential risk.
Thanks for the input. Just for clarification, however, he was already going to the conference and thus it wasn't attending "for me"
 
QUESTION 1: Will it actually raise eyebrows if I don't use a letter from my major? If it normally wouldn't but they actually do write about it in my committee letter, will it matter?

A very renowned doctor (at least in his field, where he is in the leadership of important research organizations and within his hospital) just offered to write me a letter without me asking. He operated on me when I was a teenager, and since then I have been in periodic contact with him (known him for a total of 8 years). He has seen me present posters at a national conference he is involved with as well as seen me interact with a patient at the hospital. I may shadow him soon as well. While I worry that the letter could be kind of superficial based on not having spent much time with me, he did offer it without me asking.

Question 2: Which of these would be best given my other letters?
A) My Humanities major professor
B) Doctor
C) Director of clinical bioengineering program I work for
D) Doctor "b" and have him include a quote from engineer "c" above (as they often work together with the same patients)
Get the letter from your major. If it's just middling, that will only hurt you mildly at best, but at least you avoid a negative remark as someone who can't follow directions.

I'm not sure why that physician's letter would carry a lot of weight. Why not get a letter from your engineering director) and have him include a paragraph about doctor B's impression of you? That paragraph can even be written by doctor B. If all he can say is that he operated on you once, that you act professionally in medical encounters, and that you're a nice guy whose conference presentations pass the sniff test, I can't imagine that it would be hugely helpful. Yes, he has known you since the start of high school, but from your writing the depth of experience doesn't seem to be there. But this way might allow him to to include his input and make him feel valued in the process. And who knows, maybe it will help.
 
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Get the letter from your major. If it's just middling, that will only hurt you mildly at best, but at least you avoid a negative remark as someone who can't follow directions.

I'm not sure why that physician's letter would carry a lot of weight. Why not get a letter from your engineering director) and have him include a paragraph about doctor B's impression of you? That paragraph can even be written by doctor B. If all he can say is that he operated on you once, that you act professionally in medical encounters, and that you're a nice guy whose conference presentations pass the sniff test, I can't imagine that it would be hugely helpful. Yes, he has known you since the start of high school, but from your writing the depth of experience doesn't seem to be there. But this way might allow him to to include his input and make him feel valued in the process. And who knows, maybe it will help.

Agreed.

Based on your descriptions, the physician letter is by far the least relevant to your application.
 
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I agree that the physician letter won't be of much help.

Keep in mind that many med schools want a non-science faculty letter. And though a letter packet generally supersedes the requirement, you will shoot yourself in the foot if you court a negative comment by your committee on the omission.
 
@Catalystik @mimelim
My committee asks for "2 science, 1 research, 2 from individuals who can comment about your leadership/community service/clinical experiences." Those requirements are taken directly from our committee website.
It is my premed advisor herself who has pushed for the letter from my major. Although to avoid bias in my description of this, I believe she may sometimes work with the committee (I'm not sure).

It sounds like you are all quite against the physician's letter. With the above in mind, would you still recommend I get a letter from my major (that will probably be pretty mediocre and bland, just repeating my resume) or would you then recommend I get one from the PhD bioengineer I work with clinically in caring for patients instead (option "C" in my initial post). I could even have the doctor (who works with this engineer) give a line or two about me for the engineer to include in his letter.
 
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Can you get input from a known committee member about likely wording if you don't get the Humanities letter? If they back up the comment of your advisor, then get the bland non-science prof letter. With the preponderance of strong letters, you're going to be fine anyway.

Since a committee letter with packet only counts as one LOR with AMCAS, in the above case, I'd still get the PhD Bioengineer/doctor co-letter, as you might submit it directly through AMCAS to schools open to supplemental LORs.
 
The one who let's you write it yourself! (granted that as a humanities major, you have good writing ability)
 
Can you get input from a known committee member about likely wording if you don't get the Humanities letter? If they back up the comment of your advisor, then get the bland non-science prof letter. With the preponderance of strong letters, you're going to be fine anyway.

Since a committee letter with packet only counts as one LOR with AMCAS, in the above case, I'd still get the PhD Bioengineer/doctor co-letter, as you might submit it directly through AMCAS to schools open to supplemental LORs.
I can probably get input from a committee member with a bit of effort, yes. Thanks for the great advice! Two more quick questions:

1) So if the committee doesn't care about a non-science prof rec, I should just not include one and do the bioengineer/doctor instead?
2) What would be the best way to go about getting the bioengineer/doctor letter? I'm assuming I should ask the bioengineer, have him write it, and then have him simply get a few lines from the doctor? Or would it be better to have them literally co-write it, ie signed by both at the end (or even have the doctor who has known me for longer write it and have him get a few quotes from the engineer about me).

Thanks again!
 
I can probably get input from a committee member with a bit of effort, yes. Thanks for the great advice! Two more quick questions:

1) So if the committee doesn't care about a non-science prof rec, I should just not include one and do the bioengineer/doctor instead?
2) What would be the best way to go about getting the bioengineer/doctor letter? I'm assuming I should ask the bioengineer, have him write it, and then have him simply get a few lines from the doctor? Or would it be better to have them literally co-write it, ie signed by both at the end (or even have the doctor who has known me for longer write it and have him get a few quotes from the engineer about me).
1) Yes. 2) Any of those approaches is fine. Ask them which they'd prefer, since you know them well.
 
It was pretty easy to google and find your college. It says you need to have at least 5 letters of recommendation, not exactly 5.
 
It was pretty easy to google and find your college. It says you need to have at least 5 letters of recommendation, not exactly 5.
My university actually doesn't show up when you google the requirements - I checked before posting for the sake of anonymity. I did just realize that mine actually allows more than 5 however. However, my advisor has said the committee may see me as "insecure" if I give more letters. Again, not sure if this is legitimate advice or not so I'd like opinions on best course of action.
 
My university actually doesn't show up when you google the requirements - I checked before posting for the sake of anonymity. I did just realize that mine actually allows more than 5 however. However, my advisor has said the committee may see me as "insecure" if I give more letters. Again, not sure if this is legitimate advice or not so I'd like opinions on best course of action.
The posted (requested) number is best. You advisor is right (about this).
 
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