Sup guys,
So I'm starting to ask profs and people to write letters of rec for me. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I have a ton of people I can ask who can speak about their various relationships with me and their unique understanding of me as a successful applicant. In an effort to have every voice heard, I am thinking about getting a couples co-written letters. One will be from a non-science prof who taught/mentored me in a small (2-4 person) course after doing research abroad. I was thinking about having the individual who mentored me abroad and helped me with all of my research while in the country to co-write this letter as well. Instead of having two letters of different perspectives (1 phd prof and the other a MA level person), I figured it would be cool to combine these into one awesome letter. They both said they would be happy to write a separate or combine one. I could just get one letter, but I'm worried things would be missed, and I don't want some part of me "missing" as an applicant.
the second letter is from my volunteering experience. I know two people who work at the national level, one who was my super when I was a sophomore (he was a senior), and the other was my director as a senior. The student who was a senior now works at the national level, but he also knows me at a much more personal level than the director when I was a senior (he saw my direct interaction with the group we helped). In an effort to combine both of their knowledges and attitudes (both my personal, direct experience and interaction with the people I worked with and the professional, leader, get's things done) of me, I was thinking they could co write one as well. They also are happy to write a single combined letter or a separate one. Again, I could ask just one, but I am worried things would get missed. Also, is it appropriate for the senior who is now working at the national level to write me a letter? He knew me at a personal level, but also professional. Interesting combo. But then again, I'd consider all of my writers (except the science profs) to know me at a personal level, but also professional.
In summary, I know 4 people really well and who know me really well who could write spectacular letters (I'm fairly confident, but you never know 100%). But I don't want separate letters from each of them because each pair was involved with the same activity, and just saw me through a different lens.
What do you guys think? Separate letters? or combined letters?
I currently have 2 science profs, 1 research mentor, 1 doctor/mentor/work supervisor, and 1 doctor who taught me a non science course. As you can see, I've got great support, but each person knows me in a different light and I want to capture all of these different lights.
So I'm starting to ask profs and people to write letters of rec for me. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I have a ton of people I can ask who can speak about their various relationships with me and their unique understanding of me as a successful applicant. In an effort to have every voice heard, I am thinking about getting a couples co-written letters. One will be from a non-science prof who taught/mentored me in a small (2-4 person) course after doing research abroad. I was thinking about having the individual who mentored me abroad and helped me with all of my research while in the country to co-write this letter as well. Instead of having two letters of different perspectives (1 phd prof and the other a MA level person), I figured it would be cool to combine these into one awesome letter. They both said they would be happy to write a separate or combine one. I could just get one letter, but I'm worried things would be missed, and I don't want some part of me "missing" as an applicant.
the second letter is from my volunteering experience. I know two people who work at the national level, one who was my super when I was a sophomore (he was a senior), and the other was my director as a senior. The student who was a senior now works at the national level, but he also knows me at a much more personal level than the director when I was a senior (he saw my direct interaction with the group we helped). In an effort to combine both of their knowledges and attitudes (both my personal, direct experience and interaction with the people I worked with and the professional, leader, get's things done) of me, I was thinking they could co write one as well. They also are happy to write a single combined letter or a separate one. Again, I could ask just one, but I am worried things would get missed. Also, is it appropriate for the senior who is now working at the national level to write me a letter? He knew me at a personal level, but also professional. Interesting combo. But then again, I'd consider all of my writers (except the science profs) to know me at a personal level, but also professional.
In summary, I know 4 people really well and who know me really well who could write spectacular letters (I'm fairly confident, but you never know 100%). But I don't want separate letters from each of them because each pair was involved with the same activity, and just saw me through a different lens.
What do you guys think? Separate letters? or combined letters?
I currently have 2 science profs, 1 research mentor, 1 doctor/mentor/work supervisor, and 1 doctor who taught me a non science course. As you can see, I've got great support, but each person knows me in a different light and I want to capture all of these different lights.
