has anyone asked for a LoR from a professor you're "facebook friends" with??

[luckyducky87]

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I worked in a research lab during undergrad, and a few months after I quit (bad happenings in lab with people, including the PI), the PI decided to friend me on facebook (along with a lot of my other classmates who took the class she taught). Along with everyone else, I... accepted, haha? Then I had to take her class later on b/c it was a major requirement (this was my last semester in college). I did well in the class, though it had nothing to do with this "facebook friends" thing.

I'm gonna have to ask this PI for a LoR since I plan on applying to research-oriented schools and/or MD/PhD programs. I really don't have anything bawdy on my facebook, any incriminating pictures, or bad language... except for maybe a couple of status updates from when i was going mental because labwork was frustrating or something (I also do research right now, post-graduation). Unless I'm forgetting something major :-/

But as with many facebook users, I had some "personal" comments on there, not meaning anything bad, but meaning anything you wouldn't usually go tell a professor during an office hour about your life.

Ugh, but I would have felt just as weird "rejecting" her friend request or putting her on "limited view." She has like 100 friends by now (not all just students, but also some other prof's and community members she knows and other lab members), so she would have known.

Anyone else experience this????

 

[schrizto]

I have a PI added on Facebook and she wrote a recommendation letter for me. I don't think I have anything ridiculous on my profile even though there are some personal things but I'm pretty sure she doesn't go on her Facebook often. I'm not really concerned about it.

 

[Depumcrc]

I am friends on facebook with my old PI/teacher and he's my best LOR. It would take some kind of crappy person to have your facebook effect how they would write a letter to a medical school for you. I would say don't worry.

 

[DocMcCoy]

Yes, but we were facebook friends after the fact. Professors are for the most part normal people too.

 

[jlimback]

I was FB friends with one of my professors that wrote me an LOR...before he wrote it. I honestly liked the guy, and felt he knew me well enough to be my FB friend.

Moral of the story: If they know you well enough to be a "friend," they shouldn't have a problem writing a Letter (I can hear the comments about "friends" on FB). Also, I think they appreciate the fact that we're students and drama happens....they were there once.

Don't sweat the lab incident and focus on how well you did in the class. If your PI can say something good about your time in lab, bonus.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

"Limited Profile" FTW. Use those privacy settings !

 

[luckyducky87]

haha okay. good to hear the positives.

i didn't wanna use limited profile because the professor obviously knows how to use facebook and i didnt want her to be "offended" that i have her on limited view!

 

[onomatopoeias]

I am facebook friends with my PI who wrote me an LOR. She doesn't really care about what I, or any of her other students, write on fb as long as its not too outlandish. (Although her statuses are often more explicit than mine!) She's always on facebook though... she often replies to my statuses & she always sends me stuff on farmville. Gosh I love her!

 

[schrizto]

I am facebook friends with my PI who wrote me an LOR. She doesn't really care about what I, or any of her other students, write on fb as long as its not too outlandish. (Although her statuses are often more explicit than mine!) She's always on facebook though... she often replies to my statuses & she always sends me stuff on farmville. Gosh I love her!

hmm hmm
although I do kind of agree a PI that plays farmville would be coolio.

 

[mt2010]

I'm Facebook friends with two of my profs who wrote LORs, and I don't regret it at all. In fact, it allowed them to know where I was accepted even easier. My cell & developmental bio prof clicked "I like" when I joined a group for those accepted to Penn State. Though I keep my profile clean, I doubt that any of my letter writers who I've friended on Facebook have seen much of me online besides status updates.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

haha okay. good to hear the positives.

i didn't wanna use limited profile because the professor obviously knows how to use facebook and i didnt want her to be "offended" that i have her on limited view!

Makes sense... If you are that comfortable with the prof then, I think you are fine.