AMAZING LORs...how do you know??

[aalu91]

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To those who post and say that they have amazing LORs, how do you know? All my letters are confidential and I am under the impression that most people also have confidential letters. In this scenario how can someone be so positive that they have amazing letters?

Just curious!

 

[dkpremed]

I think it's more of a thing where they know it's a good letter because it's from a mentor, someone who they have built a relationship with over more than a year, someone who can talk a lot about them, etc.

For example, I have been working in a research lab for 3 years. My PI is writing me a LOR and I would consider it an "amazing LOR" because I know she spent a lot of time on it, asked for a ton of additional information and even met with me to discuss it further. No I never read her LOR but I know she took it very seriously and wrote a great one.


Hope this helps

 

[IncognitoGuy]

Depends on your relationship with your letter writer and how you plan the LOR with them. For instance, a hastily written e-mail to a professor who taught your Intro Bio class of hundreds two years ago will likely NOT be a good letter.

Conversely, if you take the time to get to know your writers (office hours, smaller classes/multiple classes, out-of-class interaction, for instance) then you can at least have a better shot from a hastily written e-mail.

What you should do is give your LOR writers resources on you: your PS (or an outline of it), your resume, grades, and a cover letter or face-to-face discussion will help them get an idea of your goals, what you've done and so forth. If anything, doing this will remind them of you, which makes it all the easier from their end to write glowing words.

See it from the writer's perspective: it's difficult to write unique things about somebody when you don't know much about them.. so give them as many resources and angles to consider. And above all, do this ahead of time. People are busy and may not get back to you in time, so plan your LORs months in advance so the gears start turning.

 

[ktc123]

If you want to get amazing letters you need to get to know your letter writers. I worked in several labs for a few of my letter writers and I made sure they were impressed with my work ethic and performance. In addition I made sure that I got to know them better and they got to know me better on a personal level so they could comment on me as a person. I made sure to ask them about there hobbies and family and all sorts of things and I have gotten to be friends with all my letter writers.
If you are asking a professor that you don't know outside of class, sit in the front and ask questions or answer questions during class. Make sure you go to office hours and stay after class even if you don't need help. Try and strike up a conversation with them.
Bottom line, it is easy to stand out amongst hundreds of classmates if you are personable and they see that you are putting in effort. If you do this most professors will be glad to do what they can to help you out. Same goes if your shadowing a physician or whoever else.

 

[DrEnderW]

It depends on how well you know your writers.

For example, I was very close with my research PI for 3 years and know she went out of her way to highly recommend me. I put in the time and energy to get a good letter. Another example would be my college sports coach. I was captain of the team and obviously knew I would get a great letter. Conversely, I got a letter from a science prof I didn't know nearly as well and I'm sure this wasn't a "amazing LOR" but I'm sure still just fine.

 

[Govols13]

When they're the ones asking you if you want a LOR from them

 

[whatbout2morrow]

I was close to the professor and he had me sit there and read along as he typed it up,hence I know it is strong.

 

[sector9]

It depends on how well you know your writers.

This.

Two letters of mine that I knew were good:

#1: I'd worked in the professor's research lab for a couple years, had gone to conferences and on sampling trips with him, and overall had a great relationship with him. He told me that he wrote me a 2 page letter and that I would be accepted because of it

#2: When I was handing in my final essay for a writing-intensive class, my professor told me that she would love to write me a LOR for whatever job or school I was interested in after college. She was awesome and I had a great relationship with her too

So even though I never read the letters, I knew that both of them were solid. My others I was a little more unsure of but they obviously didn't kill my chances

 

[mystifire]

You honestly don't really really know until you go on interviews and hear remarks on your letters from the AdCom member interviewing you.

I was surprised that one of my letters from a PI had certain remarks and also surprised that one from someone who sparsely knew me was absolutely glowing.

The only way to know for sure is to have read it yourself and we are not allowed to do that.
It is what it is.

 

[DAPI]

Another way to know is if your committee comments on the strength of some of you individual letters, or if an interviewer comments on them, or if an employer for a gap year research gig comments on them. These people often have experience with LORs and if they say they are strong, they probably are.

 

[Espadaleader]

If your commitee ranks you 5/5 you have strong letters.

 

[NickNaylor]

Many writers let students see the letter and even suggest changes before they submit it. Beyond that, knowing your relationship with a mentor/professor/whatever is probably the best way of predicting how quality your letter will be.

Sent from my SGH-M919

 

[clutch21]

Many writers let students see the letter and even suggest changes before they submit it. Beyond that, knowing your relationship with a mentor/professor/whatever is probably the best way of predicting how quality your letter will be.

Sent from my SGH-M919

This. Some of my LOR writers gave me a second copy of the letter they wrote.