Generic letter of recommendation or wait?

[gogogadget1499]

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Hey all,

I am in a little dilemma regarding a letter of recommendation. I have several letter of recommendations already lined up and being written by various professors, volunteer coordinators, and my PI, but unfortunately I am struggling to get one more science letter of rec. I go to a very large public school so it can be challenging to connect with professors but I have put a lot of effort to develop good relationships with them. I thought that I would get a good letter of rec from one science class as I really knew the professor well, but when I went to him recently he told me that uses a generic template and simply plugs in a couple basic factoids when he writes his letter. I was a bit disappointed and would prefer not to get a generic letter.

This is my last quarter as a senior and I am taking my last science class with a really wonderful professor. I am confident that I can get a letter of rec from her as my friends said that she is a good letter writer. However, the quarter ends in mid-June and I am a little worried if she can get a letter written in time. I am planning on asking her for one at the start of June so I at least have some sort of grade in the class, but I am still worried about the timeline. Do you guys think that I should stick with a generic letter or try to pursue one from my class this quarter? Also, by when should letter writers have their recommendations submitted? Is it mid or late July?

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Hey all,

I am in a little dilemma regarding a letter of recommendation. I have several letter of recommendations already lined up and being written by various professors, volunteer coordinators, and my PI, but unfortunately I am struggling to get one more science letter of rec. I go to a very large public school so it can be challenging to connect with professors but I have put a lot of effort to develop good relationships with them. I thought that I would get a good letter of rec from one science class as I really knew the professor well, but when I went to him recently he told me that uses a generic template and simply plugs in a couple basic factoids when he writes his letter. I was a bit disappointed and would prefer not to get a generic letter.

This is my last quarter as a senior and I am taking my last science class with a really wonderful professor. I am confident that I can get a letter of rec from her as my friends said that she is a good letter writer. However, the quarter ends in mid-June and I am a little worried if she can get a letter written in time. I am planning on asking her for one at the start of June so I at least have some sort of grade in the class, but I am still worried about the timeline. Do you guys think that I should stick with a generic letter or try to pursue one from my class this quarter? Also, by when should letter writers have their recommendations submitted? Is it mid or late July?

A generic letter won't benefit or harm. By contrast, not completing your application ASAP could harm.

 

[gogogadget1499]

A generic letter won't benefit or harm. By contrast, not completing your application ASAP could harm.

Do you know by any chance of when secondaries are usually submitted?

 

[gyngyn]

I go to a very large public school so it can be challenging to connect with professors but I have put a lot of effort to develop good relationships with them. I thought that I would get a good letter of rec from one science class as I really knew the professor well, but when I went to him recently he told me that uses a generic template and simply plugs in a couple basic factoids when he writes his letter. I was a bit disappointed and would prefer not to get a generic letter.

If you made the effort to know this guy and his response is to give you a generic letter, I have two recommendations: either his department chair needs to know this (when it is safe for you to report it) or this is his way of telling you that he can't write a strong letter for other reasons. If there is no way that even an excellent student can get more than a generic letter, he needs to improve or go. Public schools are exactly that, a service to the public!

 

[gogogadget1499]

If you made the effort to know this guy and his response is to give you a generic letter, I have two recommendations: either his department chair needs to know this (when it is safe for you to report it) or this is his way of telling you that he can't write a strong letter for other reasons. If there is no way that even an excellent student can get more than a generic letter, he needs to improve or go. Public schools are exactly that, a service to the public!

Thanks for your advice. It was very frustrating for me to hear him say that to me. I was honestly quite shocked by his response and will take into consideration your advice.

I was just wondering by any chance if you knew what date secondaries/letters of recommendations are usually submitted as I want to at least attempt to get another one written by somebody else?

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Do you know by any chance of when secondaries are usually submitted?

Rule of thumb is submit everything before labor day. So evaluate the potential benefit from getting a not-generic letter vs have your application incomplete for a bit longer.

If you made the effort to know this guy and his response is to give you a generic letter, I have two recommendations: either his department chair needs to know this (when it is safe for you to report it) or this is his way of telling you that he can't write a strong letter for other reasons. If there is no way that even an excellent student can get more than a generic letter, he needs to improve or go.

That's a bit extreme; professors aren't obligated to write (strong) letters and have full right not to.

 

[gyngyn]

That's a bit extreme; professors aren't obligated to write (strong) letters and have full right not to.

If nobody (however strong) can get more than a generic letter, I would submit that it is not extreme enough.
Part of the professional responsibility of teaching in a university is providing students with an evaluation that is an accurate assessment of their abilities. If the student does their part, the prof. has every reason to do the same.

 

[Catalystik]

I am taking my last science class with a really wonderful professor. I am confident that I can get a letter of rec from her as my friends said that she is a good letter writer. However, the quarter ends in mid-June and I am a little worried if she can get a letter written in time. I am planning on asking her for one at the start of June so I at least have some sort of grade in the class, but I am still worried about the timeline.

by when should letter writers have their recommendations submitted? Is it mid or late July?

If your LOR arrives by late August, you'll be fine. Many come later than that.

 

[gogogadget1499]

If your LOR arrives by late August, you'll be fine. Many come later than that.

Ok, I think I can have it by mid-July hopefully. Thanks for the input.

 

[Toutie]

Are you doing well in the class? Do you expect you will continue to do well? If so, then you might want to talk to her now about the possibility of her writing you one at the end of the quarter.

In the meantime, go ahead and get the basic generic letter too. You don't have to assign it to your application if the other one comes through for you. But it would be good to have it in reserve just in case you need to use it...a generic one is going to better than none at all.

 

[gogogadget1499]

Are you doing well in the class? Do you expect you will continue to do well? If so, then you might want to talk to her now about the possibility of her writing you one at the end of the quarter.

In the meantime, go ahead and get the basic generic letter too. You don't have to assign it to your application if the other one comes through for you. But it would be good to have it in reserve just in case you need to use it...a generic one is going to better than none at all.

That is a good idea. So can you pick and choose on a service like Interfolio exactly where you want your letters to be submitted?

 

[stubblesmcgee]

If nobody (however strong) can get more than a generic letter, I would submit that it is not extreme enough.

OP said that they know the professor well, not that they're particularly well regarded by the professor. We can't know if the professor is never willing to write more than a generic letter or is just unwilling to do so for this student.

 

[Toutie]

That is a good idea. So can you pick and choose on a service like Interfolio exactly where you want your letters to be submitted?

Yes. It is always to your benefit to ask for more letters than you think you will need because you never know if one may ghost you. You choose which letters to send to which schools based on their requirements. Just be sure to not automatically send all your letters to all schools because some have very specific requirements and limits.

 

[whorobbedthewoods]

he told me that uses a generic template and simply plugs in a couple basic factoids when he writes his letter.

If you made the effort to know this guy and his response is to give you a generic letter, I have two recommendations: either his department chair needs to know this (when it is safe for you to report it) or this is his way of telling you that he can't write a strong letter for other reasons.

OP said that they know the professor well, not that they're particularly well regarded by the professor. We can't know if the professor is never willing to write more than a generic letter or is just unwilling to do so for this student.

gyngyn already said this. The bolded section explicitly allows for the possibility that the professor is using this excuse to let OP down gently. The first possibility is the equally likely alternative, whereby we take this professor's words to OP at face value, i.e. "I use a generic template for my LORs regardless of the quality of the student, period." In other words, gyngyn's point (as I understand it) is that whether or not there's a problem here depends completely on whether the prof was telling OP the truth. I guess OP could always seek clarification from the prof if desired (before making the decision to report)...but he might smell a rat.

 

[gogogadget1499]

Hey guys,

gyngyn already said this. The bolded section explicitly allows for the possibility that the professor is using this excuse to let OP down gently. The first possibility is the equally likely alternative, whereby we take this professor's words to OP at face value, i.e. "I use a generic template for my LORs regardless of the quality of the student, period." In other words, gyngyn's point (as I understand it) is that whether or not there's a problem here depends completely on whether the prof was telling OP the truth. I guess OP could always seek clarification from the prof if desired (before making the decision to report)...but he might smell a rat.

Well I might be biased, but I really feel that this professor is just simply being lazy. I was in is first ever class at our university and there were only 44 students (this is a very small class size for our school). I attended every single office hours and talked to him about stuff outside of the classroom. Often, I was the only student at the office hours. We had a pretty strong relationship. Also, this class had several class field trips to several museums and sites and I was able to talk even more with him these. Additionally, I received an A+ in his class and actively participated as well.

I am perplexed because in other classes I did much less, but the teacher's were more than happy to write a letter for me.

 

[highway31]

Get the generic letter now, and if you are able to get a better letter before you apply, dont submit the generic letter to the schools you're applying to.

 

[Isoval]

Didn't read the OP or any other replies.

I think you need to find another letter writer or hold back a cycle. A "generic" letter is something that can, at best, not help you at all. For a vast majority of candidates, letters of recommendation will be, at worst, a commendation of their skills. Most of them are glowing. If you get a letter that's noncommittal, or worse - bad -, this is something that can and will sink your application. Oftentimes, the letters of recommendation are just a sieve to sift out the bads, not to raise the goods. Don't let yourself get caught in that sieve.

If you are unable to get another writer, this is a reason why I would tell you to wait a cycle.

Waiting a cycle of course implying that the loss of this writer now puts you below the required number of letters. If losing this writer has no effect on that, then cut the writer and go forward with applying.

 

[LizzyM]

I've got news for you; virtually every committee letter and every pre-med advisor letter starts with a template. There is no way to write the number of letters these folks have to write without having a template. As a reader of these letters, I love getting them and I know just where the information I"m going to be looking for will be. A template letter is not necessarily generic. You can write endless variations with a good template.

A good template looks like a mad-libs page and will have blanks to fill in:

"To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to write a ADJECTIVE letter of support for NAME whom I have known since MONTH YEAR. FIRST NAME was enrolled in COURSE NAME in QUARTER. [Insert paragraph about course requirements] FIRST NAME was [insert nice characteristic about applicant: always well prepared/a frequent visitor to office hours/ an enthusiastic participant in class discussion/always attentive from his seat in the front row]. In a class of NUMBER, FIRST NAME was ranked MIDTERM RANK at the midterm and earned a grade of GRADE for the course. He/She/They [insert statement about performance: were one of the top students throughout the term/made a strong showing in the second half of the course after stumbling on the midterm/always went beyond the material to understand the underlying mechanism]
Among the thousands of students I've taught in my 28 years at Jumbo State University, FIRST NAME ranks among the top X%. It is my pleasure to give him my [insert adjective: strong//very strong/strongest] recommendation. He/She/They are [closing line: someone I would hope would care for my own family someday/highly motivated and dedicated to pursuing a career in medicine/ a brilliant mind who will make an impact in any field he/she/they choses/a kind and generous person; patients will love him/her/them.].
Sincerely,
MY NAME
MY TITLE

 

[965978]

If you made the effort to know this guy and his response is to give you a generic letter, I have two recommendations: either his department chair needs to know this (when it is safe for you to report it) or this is his way of telling you that he can't write a strong letter for other reasons. If there is no way that even an excellent student can get more than a generic letter, he needs to improve or go. Public schools are exactly that, a service to the public!

I think the OP might be mistaken. The professor might have said “generic” in the sense that he uses the letter for everyone rather than using the word “generic” to be synonymous with “lukewarm”.

The letter that the professor uses might indeed be a “walk on water” letter that he gives to everyone who asks for it, therefore being a “generic” letter that everyone gets.

I actually know professors that do this