Dealing with a difficult LoR professor

[El Curandero]

Hi all,

I have a research director who I did research under for a whole year. I took one of his classes got an A and also helped train some of the other research assistants for no pay. I emailed him about a LoR since I'm so longer in the area and it has been two days without a response...should I just let this go or should I call him? I really wanted the letter because he was both my research director for a year and a professor in a course I got an A in but he isn't a particularly nice person and he is very arrogant...

If I don't get a letter from him should I put my research experience on my application?

El Curandero

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[looncat]

Two days is not long enough for you to be freaking out, if he doesn't reply after 2 weeks then I'd email him a reminder. I had a professor email me back after like three weeks to say he could do it.

You should put your research experience on your application regardless, but apparently some schools think it's weird if you don't have a rec letter from your PI (I got asked about this at an interview to a school where I didn't send my PI's rec letter)

 

[El Curandero]

Two days is not long enough for you to be freaking out, if he doesn't reply after 2 weeks then I'd email him a reminder. I had a professor email me back after like three weeks to say he could do it.

You should put your research experience on your application regardless, but apparently some schools think it's weird if you don't have a rec letter from your PI (I got asked about this at an interview to a school where I didn't send my PI's rec letter)

It's just from what I remember he was an email nazi and images keep coming back to my head when he made another research assistant cry over the LoR...

 

[looncat]

It's just from what I remember he was an email nazi and images keep coming back to my head when he made another research assistant cry over the LoR...

Cry because of what? If you don't think he likes you, it's probably best not to use him as a reference then (a mediocre LOR from a PI is probably worse than no LOR). Regardless, I think 2 days is not long enough of a wait.

 

[ZedsDed]

It's irrelevant how much experience you have with him, if the guy is a jerk. It would be counterproductive to seek a LOR from such an individual.

 

[El Curandero]

Cry because of what? If you don't think he likes you, it's probably best not to use him as a reference then (a mediocre LOR from a PI is probably worse than no LOR). Regardless, I think 2 days is not long enough of a wait.

I don't think it would be appropriate to reveal the details over the internet but he's just really non sympathetic. It's not that he doesn't like me but he thinks very highly of himself and thus thinks him writing a letter for someone is a very big deal...which I respect but at least have the consideration to get back to me you know?

 

[ZedsDed]

Again, all that matters is the tone he will take. If he says something like, "El Curandero was lucky to be graced by my presence all these years, even though s/he has nowhere near my caliber of intelligence or expertise", it's a problem. Such individuals are a dime in a dozen in academia, unfortunately.

 

[El Curandero]

Again, all that matters is the tone he will take. If he says something like, "El Curandero was lucky to be graced by my presence all these years, even though s/he has nowhere near my caliber of intelligence or expertise", it's a problem. Such individuals are a dime in a dozen in academia, unfortunately.

Yeah...I've had very down to earth professors but academia definitely attracts a certain...personality..

 

[El Curandero]

Well if he doesn't get back to me by Thursday should I call him or should I just call it quits? He would have definitely would have been my strongest LoR but I don't to come off as stalker-ish.

 

[ZedsDed]

Doesn't sound like a strong LOR, I don't care if he's POTUS...but do what you think is right.