Grad Student writing LOR?

[TheRealAngeleno]

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[Silverfalcon]

Hey guys so I have a quick LOR question. So I took this Spanish class in which a graduate student taught the class. There was a professor who administered the course, but his job was to primarily evaluate each of the grad students effectiveness in teaching as well as write the exams. I wanted to get a LOR from the professor but unfortunately he passed away and now I'm considering asking the grad student for a LOR. I just wanted to know if this would be alright. He has his M.A. in Spanish but is still in the Spanish Graduate program at the university I'm enrolled in. Thanks a lot guys.

Just get someone else. I'm sure you know more teachers than just this grad student.

 

[JustUseYourHead]

not the right person to write you a LOR.

 

[Dookie2010]

Hey guys so I have a quick LOR question. So I took this Spanish class in which a graduate student taught the class. There was a professor who administered the course, but his job was to primarily evaluate each of the grad students effectiveness in teaching as well as write the exams. I wanted to get a LOR from the professor but unfortunately he passed away and now I'm considering asking the grad student for a LOR. I just wanted to know if this would be alright. He has his M.A. in Spanish but is still in the Spanish Graduate program at the university I'm enrolled in. Thanks a lot guys.

I'm sorry your professor passed away, especially if you had a relationship with him. I know that generally letters aren't accepted from TAs, but the fact that student taught the course may make a difference. I would call a few schools you are interested in, and ask whether that would be an acceptable source of a LOR. Do you have any other professors in the department who know your work, or possibly know the grad student and would trust their evaluation of your performance? If so, another option may be to have the grad student write the letter, and have a professor co-sign it.

 

[TheRealAngeleno]

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[TheRealAngeleno]

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[alwaysaangel]

Community college professor is fine. If you're desperate you could also get the TAs letter. Technically most schools say they don't qualify however, I don't think they really notice.

When I applied I got a letter from a psych class for my non-science. The TA was writing it because it was a large class with discussion groups and he was supposed to have the professor co-sign it but apparently forgot. So it was just him.

No one noticed, even a few schools that required "senior faculty" letters still accepted me so apparently they didn't care that much. But I did have several really good letters the non-science was just to fulfill that requirement so maybe thats why.