dont know any science professors for LOR

[Manou]

I was not a science major and although i did take the science pre-reqs, i didnt really get to know any of my professors, i just took the class, and i am sure i am long forgotten.
there are math teachers that know me really well, does that count as science?

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[JJMrK]

You'll have to look into the requirements for individual schools. That may fly at some places but not at others.

 

[Dr Pennypacker]

This could be a problem...

 

[Planet Ocean]

I think LORs would be more useful if they were strictly optional. I mean many professors will have you write your own and they just sign it. Also, most barely know you and just write a bunch of formalities. Very poor way to size up an applicant but most likely just another hoop adcoms want to see you jump through.

 

[bravofleet4]

it's just something you have to work at. even science majors have problems asking for LOR's. There's a reason they ask you to do it because it shows your willingness to ask questions, your work ethic, and your general personality. in any case, the schools are pretty strict about this so you better start getting on it now.

 

[byurazorhog]

I know this may add to your long list of worries ahead of the new application cycle but not having science LOR's can be a huge black mark against you. Unless you can gather some outstanding humanities or other kinds of LORs that demonstrate how well-rounded and academically superior you are, you may fail to make the case that you do well in science. I do hope you have gotten to know your major prof's really well so they can speak more about you as a person. I've only heard unreliable anecdotes that some people do get in with no science letters. However I don't see how that could be given that most schools specifically require at least 2 science LORs in their application requirements.

 

[JJMrK]

I think LORs would be more useful if they were strictly optional. I mean many professors will have you write your own and they just sign it. Also, most barely know you and just write a bunch of formalities. Very poor way to size up an applicant but most likely just another hoop adcoms want to see you jump through.

I'm a big fan of them. It's a chance for a med school to get some feedback about you without you seeing it. Obviously you have some control over them because you pick the individual, but the fact that someone could voice reservations about you is a pretty powerful thing.

 

[LizzyM]

Yes, math counts. Given that most med school applicants (except those with loads of AP credits) take a year's worth of 4 sciences (chem, o-chem, bio & physics) plus, in many cases, some stats and /or math, there should be 2 people you can choose. We do recognize that some schools have huge lecture halls and limited opportunities for students to get to know the teachers. In these cases, some professors write based on the grade book but even those letters can be helpful if they illustrate your hard work at overcoming a poor start, or your consistency in earning good grades throughout the term, or your slacking off at the end after guaranteeing yourself enough points to earn the grade you felt that you needed. (Yes, I've seen a letter like that! ) Professors writing from the gradebook can also put your grade in the context of the class' performance which helps us understand grade inflation (or lack thereof) in the classroom... someone might say that you were consistently in the top 3 in a class of 300... or that your A- places you in the top 15% of a strong class of engineering students.

Other things that professors can tell us even if you don't know them well: that you came for help when you didn't understand something, that you were so sharp & on top of things that you never came for help.

This stuff isn't really obvious until you've seen several thousand letters from more than a hundred different schools.

 

[shiftingmirage]

While math does count as a science, some schools specify one LOR from a bio and one LOR from a chem. If you are currently taking a class, make nice with the prof. If not, drop by a prof and ask. I would suggest bringing a copy of your resume so the prof can incorporate your extracurriculars into the letter. You could also try to get in a research lab and hit up the PI for a letter.

 

[surftheiop]

I wouldn't stress too much about this if the reason your having a tough time is because you have huge lectures (for example 700 folks in my Organic class). As LizzyM said, professors who have been teaching big classes have experience in writing letters based on performance.

One of my letters was written by a professor I have only had maybe one 2 minute conversation with, but I performed well in the class and he liked my final project, so he wrote with those things in mind.

 

[ajm422]

I was a Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics double degree student. Do mechanical engineering professors count? I have much stronger relationships with some of them than any of my Chem or Bio professors.

 

[svftw]

You should ask the professors whose classes you did well in and include your transcript, resume, and your personal statement. Professors know that LORs are part of the game and will sometimes even have a template letter to fill out with your information. I think that is better than nothing. Some even ask for you to write your own letter.