Getting LORs....making you second guess...

[dnelsen]

So I stoped by the office of a professor that I've worked with to ask for a letter. I was sure she would say yes because I've volunteered in her lab and just generally stayed in touch with her over a two year span.

She was happy to write me a letter, but she seemed a little put out (she is always busy). She asked me my stats and how I did on the MCAT and when I told her she was like "wow, you can write your own ticket anywere." I told her I was doing early decision at the U of MN (where she teaches) and she seemed disappointed

She said "there are cheaper places than the U of MN"...

I told her my reasons (my wife is in vet school at the U of MN) and she still seemed disappointed...and she is on the med school faculty!

I guess it's too late as I already applied.


Anyone else have any disturbing/strange stories when asking for LORs?

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[WalterSobchakk]

That's horrible!! Was she on the med school faculty of UMN or another school? Maybe she was offended/disappointed that you weren't applying to her school.

 

[dnelsen]

That's horrible!! Was she on the med school faculty of UMN or another school? Maybe she was offended/disappointed that you weren't applying to her school.

She is actually on the med school faculty. So no, she wasn't offended/disappointed that I wasn't applying to her school...more like she was disappointed that I WAS applying to her school.

 

[hakksar]

Are you a MN resident? If so I cannot imagine that there would be many places that were cheaper . . . I don't understand her reasoning unless she was implying that you should go MD/PHD route (unless you are already) in which case a fully funded MSTP program (and I am not sure if MN has one or not) would most definetly be cheaper.

 

[sistahnik]

well at least you got the letter!!

 

[Munchkin6245]

I just found out yesterday that one of my LORs wrote in their letter that I missed a lot of my classes at the beginning of the semester. I had surgery and he knows that!!! He didn't even include that I missed it due to surgery, just that I didn't come to class!!! I'm like WTF? Does he have something against me? And I have to use his letter since he's the chair of my undergrad major, and one of the two professors that lectured us. Damn I hate this process.

 

[calstudent]

I just found out yesterday that one of my LORs wrote in their letter that I missed a lot of my classes at the beginning of the semester. I had surgery and he knows that!!! He didn't even include that I missed it due to surgery, just that I didn't come to class!!! I'm like WTF? Does he have something against me? And I have to use his letter since he's the chair of my undergrad major, and one of the two professors that lectured us. Damn I hate this process.

Yah, I have a similar story: horrible letter, but I have to use it because of your case. Apparently some form Prof. doesn't think I was very capable as a person, I found out AFTER SENDING THE LETTER TO SO MANY SCHOOLS. I am really worried.

 

[Yellow Snow]

Whatever happened to asking the professor first if they feel that they can write you a good recommendation?

Did these professors provide crap letters after they clearly said they feel comfortable recommending you? If so, that's crap.

My undergrad program was really small (non-science major) so maybe the student/professor relationship is different in different departments.

 

[Munchkin6245]

I did ask him and he said of course he would "love" to write a letter on my behalf. And I didn't have a choice, seeing that he is the "one" when it comes to who is required to write my LOR

 

[skiz knot]

My question is why do the students know what the profs had written?

 

[Yellow Snow]

That sucks. He should have to undergo the surgery you had as an apology.

 

[Munchkin6245]

he emailed me a copy of it
I had another one send me a copy via snailmail
I guess they don't care/understand...whatever
I'm glad I know that now though

 

[Munchkin6245]

That sucks. He should have to undergo the surgery you had as an apology.

that would be anatomically impossible

 

[Munchkin6245]

but nice thought to say the least thanks

 

[skiz knot]

he emailed me a copy of it
I had another one send me a copy via snailmail
I guess they don't care/understand...whatever
I'm glad I know that now though

Maybe they really didn't think that highly of you and this was their way of letting you know that.

 

[Munchkin6245]

thanks for the boost of confidence

 

[CaMD]

The whole situation sounds terrible!

It is good that he sent you copies so you know what it said. That part is "nice."

I'm sorry.

 

[calstudent]

I did ask him and he said of course he would "love" to write a letter on my behalf. And I didn't have a choice, seeing that he is the "one" when it comes to who is required to write my LOR

Me too. He told me when I thanked HIM for his help, that I have a decent chance, but not a great one.
And then, I got a substitute letter, right?
And, on another letter, a replacement one I was gonna send out, my name is spelled wrong by the professor.

If I am reapplying next year, this is why.

 

[Munchkin6245]

Me too. He told me when I thanked HIM for his help, that I have a decent chance, but not a great one.
And then, I got a substitute letter, right?
And, on another letter, a replacement one I was gonna send out, my name is spelled wrong by the professor.

If I am reapplying next year, this is why.

Is the misspelling that obvious? I mean is it "Smtih" and not "Smith"?
Be/c then maybe they won't even notice it, and if they do they'll probably wont think anything anyways. I wouldn't worry too bad over it. But when you do get in I would send HIM a framed photocopy of your acceptance letter.

 

[calstudent]

Is the misspelling that obvious? I mean is it "Smtih" and not "Smith"?
Be/c then maybe they won't even notice it, and if they do they'll probably wont think anything anyways. I wouldn't worry too bad over it. But when you do get in I would send HIM a framed photocopy of your acceptance letter.

Thanks, it is kind of obvious, though. Needless to say, I am now scrambling for another letter. My worry is that it just shows that the prof. didn't have the time to actually proofread their rec, that they don't really care enough to do a good job. I mean, I would NEVER spell a professor's name wrong if I emailed them or something.
Good luck to you too

 

[Munchkin6245]

Well, that gives me an even better idea...ok i'm acting like a 13 y/o but who cares...send him the framed acceptance letter and misspell his name on the envelope...ok i'm dumb...ahhahahah

 

[Severus]

That really sucks Munchkin! I have some Russian mafia connections... do you want me to call up my friend Vitaly?

No, really, who do these profs think they are? What should it matter to them if we want to go to medical school? If we've made it this far and have shown that we're not complete tools (i.e. in it for the money, family pressure, etc.), why should they diminish our chances any further than they already are? I don't know what I'm going to do for LORs... all the profs at my school seem to think I'm only cut out for graduate school. When I touched on the subject of med school, they usually got huffy... and I quietly let the subject slip with them (and even poked fun at myself later on). Sheesh... small LACs... gotta love 'em.

Sev

 

[junathon]

i asked one of my professors for a letter and she said i'd love to. that was back in may. then in june i asked her if she had written it and she said "i'll hand deliver it tomorrow". now its the end of july and the premed committee hasn't gotten it yet. i actually called her house and she said "thanks for staying on top of me, bye" and hung up. i just left another message on her machine today.

do you guys think i'm over doing it? i her letter and have the committee write a composite letter and send it in to NW by 8/10

 

[premedgeek]

How bad is misspelling of your name? like instead of "panmaya", they write "pammaya".

 

[freaker]

Do you all think that LORs really count for that much?

I loved how in law school admissions, all that mattered were your grades and your LSAT. No jumping through hoops or subjective nonsense. Just as a for instance, one of my buddies had a prof go on a vendetta on him in his LOR. Just ripped him apart (apparently this guy didn't realize this prof was a Marxist and had attended a speech he had given on the benefits of our two party system and its balances where he referred to extremists in not so flattering terms) and basically invented a new, evil applicant. The guy got into every school he applied to but Yale, and nobody gets into Yale.

I think the professor just sent it to the guy after his applications were turned in to spite him.

*****. I tried to get my friend to send him a copy of his Harvard acceptance letter, but he had a bit more class than me on this one, apparently.