For LOR

[Ryomagoku]

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As I am about to finish my 4th year, I have been asking some professors for letter of recommendations. I am getting one from my research professor (biochem professor) and one from a science professor. But, I got an email from a non-science professor, but he said he can only write a generic letter. Should I just ask him for it still? I am getting one from a DO, and possibly from another DO who is a faculty at a DO school.
What would you say?

 

[SOOyC52H1Sof]

LORs are the worst part of this process. You can try so hard, and teachers just obviously dont care. I had to badger every teachers of mine for months before they got them back to me. I say ask him for it anyways, but try to get it from somewhere else.

 

[Soviet Poland]

Many have told me that average letters do more harm than good, however, since LoRs are a requirement sometimes you don't have a better option. I was never the office hours type of student and went to a large university. My classes had hundreds of students at times. My professor letters, sans one, were for the most part generic and template-like (I can only presume). I made up for it with great physician LoRs in my scribe positions.

It's not ideal if you didn't develop a better relationship with your professors (as I didn't), but you don't have a choice. Hope that the rest of your application makes up for it. Also, are there no other non-science professors you'd consider? Even from a year or two back?

 

[Ryomagoku]

Many have told me that average letters do more harm than good, however, since LoRs are a requirement sometimes you don't have a better option. I was never the office hours type of student and went to a large university. My classes had hundreds of students at times. My professor letters, sans one, were for the most part generic and template-like (I can only presume). I made up for it with great physician LoRs in my scribe positions.

It's not ideal if you didn't develop a better relationship with your professors (as I didn't), but you don't have a choice. Hope that the rest of your application makes up for it. Also, are there no other non-science professors you'd consider? Even from a year or two back?

Thank you for your reply!

Unfortunately, this is one of the few classes I did well in and that I took recently. Other class professors probably would turn me down as I asked one professor I had back in Fall of this academic year, and she turned me down.

I think I have enough EC with clinical hours, leadership positions, etc. I also have interview for scribe position, so hope that makes up for the generic non-science letter of rec.

Idk... what would you recommend me doing? would getting a LOR from CC professor is good if I can get one?

 

[Goro]

A generic letter will not help, and might actually hurt. We often have discussions about the ability of candidates to make good choices if you pull a boneheaded one like not ensuring you get the best LORs. In other words you don't want the Adcom saying "what was this kid thinking????"

As I am about to finish my 4th year, I have been asking some professors for letter of recommendations. I am getting one from my research professor (biochem professor) and one from a science professor. But, I got an email from a non-science professor, but he said he can only write a generic letter. Should I just ask him for it still? I am getting one from a DO, and possibly from another DO who is a faculty at a DO school.
What would you say?

 

[Ryomagoku]

I went through the aacom booklet and found out that only one school required non-science professor LOR. Other schools required 2 science professor LOR and/or a physician LOR. I think I am set for LOR section. Thank you so much for your opinions!

 

[zero0]

Yeah, what if you never actually got a chance to see your LORs to see if they're any good? I signed a waiver. Should I contact the admissions office where those letters were submitted and get their feedback?

 

[reaperx58]

So long as this thread is going I'll ask here instead of making a new one...

Is there any advantage to sending more than the 3 required letters? I have a sci prof I took 4 or 5 classes with, the prof I did research with, and a DO I shadowed queued up, but I also have an MD letter that I'm not sure I should attach, the last thing I want to do is make it look like I can't follow directions or count to 3!