English Major working on a Science LOR

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brycepj

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Hey all,

Any tips for those of us non-science majors who are trying to get a science professor's LOR? I'm assuming it's still important to get one (?). I ask because in my case, I find it much easier to get to know my humanities professors compared with my science professors because I take more classes from them.

Thanks for any insight.
 
Become buddy buddy with your next science professor (if you have any left to take).
 
Get an 'A' in a science class, then do a semester of volunteer research in their lab. Bam, good science LOR.
 
I'd advise you to not be a typical pre-med and just interact with your professor as if he were just a human being. Be friendly, funny, and interested and all else will follow.
 
I was also a humanities major, but things were a bit easier for me since I went to a school with an average class size of 11. My organic class only had 45 people in it. The best advice I can give you is work those people skills, go in to office hours and ask questions not just about class but about the professor's research, background, etc. If you share a common interest then try and bring that up in conversation. Or you can discuss science news with them if there are major headline topics that they'll recognize. You don't have to be a brownnoser or anything like that, don't even approach it like you're sucking up to them. Profs can smell a brownnoser pretty easily because brownnosers usually reek of a certain something!

This isn't just useful for securing good LORs. It's important to establish professional relationships with mentors and supervisors throughout your professional life. You never know when a former teacher will be able to help you out in a tight spot with a job tip or act as a job reference for you. It's part of their job to do that.
 
I'd advise you to not be a typical pre-med and just interact with your professor as if he were just a human being. Be friendly, funny, and interested and all else will follow.
There you go. Go to their office hours and spend some time getting to know him/her. The rest should come naturally.
 
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