Asking for LORs..do lab faculty work? define faculty...

[californianUCer]

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Planning to apply in a few months and in the process of collecting letters..or at least thinking who I can collect letters from..I've looked through the list of required recs for some schools and it seems like the general requirements are 2 science letters and 1 non-science letter. Right now I know i can get three really strong letters from...

1 club advisor <i was the vice president of>
1 english lit professor

So my questions are...
What do they consider as faculty? Do they have to be a professor? The lecturer taught me in the classes and was a postPHD researcher. Would that be okay?

Also, for my other letter I plan to obtain a letter from a Mechanical Engineer lab professor because these classes are smaller and I have a chance to get to know the prof better. I know some UCs specify no lab faculty but what is it like at other schools? Can I get a letter from a professor who taught me in lab? Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[Mobius1985]

Faculty is any instructor. They could be professors or (undergrad-level) TAs. A letter from a professor is most desirable (due to their credentials), but a letter from someone who knows you well and supports you strongly is better. TAs often write great letters and get them co-signed by their supervising faculty member, which increases their "strength.". A post-PhD researcher who can write a great letter AND put PhD after his name, is great.

Personally, I had no trouble using lab faculty for a science letter, but I'm sure that varies by school. Lab faculty who has a professorship, seems very usable to me.

I'm not sure what "Life Science" is. Is it an introductory bio course?

Cautionary note: engineering is not considered "science" by AMCAS. You might want to check with your pre-med advising office before you use such a letter to provide what is required. Or check with a search in the pre-allo fourm.

 

[erskine]

could you ask a research mentor for a letter of recommendation, even if you've never had a class with them?

I just feel that I have never really gotten to know my instructors that well, but I have interacted much better with professors I've done research with.

 

[Mobius1985]

could you ask a research mentor for a letter of recommendation, even if you've never had a class with them?

Yes. Most folks get a letter from their research mentor, and it makes no difference if you've had no class with that person. That they know you well, is the important issue.

 

[erskine]

Yes. Most folks get a letter from their research mentor, and it makes no difference if you've had no class with that person. That they know you well, is the important issue.

hi thanks for the response and sorry to californican for asking all these questions. but just to clarify, asking a research mentor for a letter of recommendation will satisfy the requirement as being from a science faculty? Also, does that person have to be from your affiliated undergraduate institution or can it be from any accredited university?

 

[Mobius1985]

Provided your research is in bio or chem, and your mentor is science faculty, not psych, social science, history, etc., then the letter written would be considered as one of your science letters. That person need not be affiliated with your undergrad school, but they'd still need to use their own letterhead stationary and sign it with their credentials and title after their name.

One of my two science letters was written by my research mentor, a PhD candidate, and co-signed by the Principal Investigator, who was the Professor heading the lab. Neither had ever taught me in a class.