Faculty LOR: class or work/research?

[ButAtYourBest]

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For the LOR from Science faculty, should it be from a professor you've had class with? Or a professor you've worked with/done research for?

I am under the impression that it should be a professor you've had class with and research relationships are more like "supplemental" LOR's.

 

[TraderDoc]

Get Both or if not possible, get it from the one who you feel knows you better as a person. etc. your aspirations, motivation, struggles and where you know you really impressed them.

They each have their strengths.

 

[bellakk]

get both! though if you have to pick, choose the one who knows your the best and can write the best letter.

 

[ButAtYourBest]

OK...I'm just confused because anecdotally from talking to other students, it sounds like a majority of the people I know only use recommendation letters from professors they had courses with....and some of them even had research experience. However, the people I have in mind were science majors (I was a non-science major) so perhaps taking more science major/elective courses enabled them to foster better relationships in the classroom, whereas I might be better suited finding a good sponsor or LOR from science research.

 

[bellakk]

A science faculty letter needs to be from someone who works for the university in a science department. Some schools have a preference for letters from professors who have taught you in a class, but if they do, it will say so with the LOR info on their website. Some schools will let you substitute a letter from a research mentor faculty member if you call them ahead of time.

So you need get a general idea of a handful of schools you're interested in applying and then find out what they want for their LOR's