How did you get LORs from science profs?

[AustinL911]

I'm a bit confused as to how much good this particular requirement really is. I mean, when I think about a LOR, I feel that it should come from someone who really knows you well enough to write a good letter.

I'm at a huge state university, in science lectures w/ hundreds of other students. Short of basically stalking the prof and pestering the **** out of them, I'm not sure how one really goes about getting to know the instructor well enough to ask for a legitimate LOR.

Am I alone here, or is a generic "I recommend this student [based on grades]" LOR from a science course instructor what people typically get?

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[red doctober]

I'm a bit confused as to how much good this particular requirement really is. I mean, when I think about a LOR, I feel that it should come from someone who really knows you well enough to write a good letter.

I'm at a huge state university, in science lectures w/ hundreds of other students. Short of basically stalking the prof and pestering the **** out of them, I'm not sure how one really goes about getting to know the instructor well enough to ask for a legitimate LOR.

Am I alone here, or is a generic "I recommend this student [based on grades]" LOR from a science course instructor what people typically get?

If you're thinking of doing research, your PI can provide a good letter. I also had to do some papers for honors, which was a great way to get some facetime with science profs.

 

[Rhino1000]

Hey, I felt the same way before I asked for my LOR's. What I did (rightly or foolishly), was: I simply went up to one of my chemistry teachers this week to ask for a letter of recommendation. I had to stand outside of her office for like 5 minutes just to work up the courage though. I said "Hi, professor. I am applying to a few research programs for over the summer. Are you familiar with them?" She said yes, and asked where, and then I told her that I need some letters of recommendation. She said she's write a glowing LOR for me if I get an A on her first test lol.

She did say she wanted my resume and more information about myself to help her write the letter (statement of interest, personal statement will probably work). I would consider approaching your professors with your resume and personal statement/ statement of interest and asking for a LOR (even if you do not know your professor that well, as I didn't).

Oh yeah I also was told by another chem professor that I didn't know that well that she would write a letter if I gave her additional information as well. So it can happen.

 

[iforget2]

If you're thinking of doing research, your PI can provide a good letter. I also had to do some papers for honors, which was a great way to get some facetime with science profs.

Does your PI need to have actually taught you a science course or is any science professor's recommendation (you didn't have a course with them, but you might have done research with them) count?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

If you're thinking of doing research, your PI can provide a good letter. I also had to do some papers for honors, which was a great way to get some facetime with science profs.

From what I can tell, "science" letters mean professors who taught you in a BCPM class. PI letters are viewed differently and don't seem to count toward the 2 science letter quota that many schools have.

 

[Sparklezz]

If you still have a while before applying to med schools...try to talk to your professors after lecture or go to their office hours to get help. This way they will know you better. I built relationships with most of my professors and I had no problems asking for LORs. I felt confident that the recs wouldn't only have my grade on it but rather qualities prof saw in me = solid letters.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Go through the standard decorum, which you will do in medical school when wanting letters:

Step 1: Send an e-mail to said professor requesting a time to meet with them to discuss a LOR
Step 2: If you don't hear back within a week, send another e-mail. If you still don't hear back, consider it a lost cause. You don't want a letter from someone who won't get back to you.
Step 3: Take your resume/CV to that meeting and impress the professor if you aren't already buddies with them.
Step 4: Stay on them to make sure the letter is done in a timely fashion. You want them all in before June 1 so you can submit AMCAS complete immediately.

PS: Ask more professors for letters than necessary. If you do this, you can still have a complete file even if some professors end up taking too long.

 

[carnelian]

Usually upperlevel science electives are smaller than the intro science courses (eg. intro chem, intro bio, etc.), even at large universities. I'd recommend taking a few of the smaller classes where you can really get to know the professor on a personal level, and the professor can get to know the way you think and learn. I got my science LORs from small classes (10-15ppl). It's much harder for larger classes -- you'd have to do well, attend office hours a lot, and show genuine interest. I've spoken to professors from these types of classes, and trust me, out of the hundreds of students, they do have a sense of the top few who are doing well (especially if they also attend office hours). Professors who know you well and can write strong recs usually don't have to rely on CVs (although they may ask for reference).

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Go through the standard decorum, which you will do in medical school when wanting letters:

Step 1: Send an e-mail to said professor requesting a time to meet with them to discuss a LOR
Step 2: If you don't hear back within a week, send another e-mail. If you still don't hear back, consider it a lost cause. You don't want a letter from someone who won't get back to you.
Step 3: Take your resume/CV to that meeting and impress the professor if you aren't already buddies with them.
Step 4: Stay on them to make sure the letter is done in a timely fashion. You want them all in before June 1 so you can submit AMCAS complete immediately.

PS: Ask more professors for letters than necessary. If you do this, you can still have a complete file even if some professors end up taking too long.

I thought AMCAS could be submitted without LORs and that those were only requested by each school individually during secondaries. Am I misinformed?

 

[IslandStyle808]

I thought AMCAS could be submitted without LORs and that those were only requested by each school individually during secondaries. Am I misinformed?

EDIT: You still need to indicate on the AMCAS what letters they are suppose to be receiving (who are they from specifically).

 

[IslandStyle808]

If you're thinking of doing research, your PI can provide a good letter. I also had to do some papers for honors, which was a great way to get some facetime with science profs.

Hey, I felt the same way before I asked for my LOR's. What I did (rightly or foolishly), was: I simply went up to one of my chemistry teachers this week to ask for a letter of recommendation. I had to stand outside of her office for like 5 minutes just to work up the courage though. I said "Hi, professor. I am applying to a few research programs for over the summer. Are you familiar with them?" She said yes, and asked where, and then I told her that I need some letters of recommendation. She said she's write a glowing LOR for me if I get an A on her first test lol.

She did say she wanted my resume and more information about myself to help her write the letter (statement of interest, personal statement will probably work). I would consider approaching your professors with your resume and personal statement/ statement of interest and asking for a LOR (even if you do not know your professor that well, as I didn't).

Oh yeah I also was told by another chem professor that I didn't know that well that she would write a letter if I gave her additional information as well. So it can happen.

Go through the standard decorum, which you will do in medical school when wanting letters:

Step 1: Send an e-mail to said professor requesting a time to meet with them to discuss a LOR
Step 2: If you don't hear back within a week, send another e-mail. If you still don't hear back, consider it a lost cause. You don't want a letter from someone who won't get back to you.
Step 3: Take your resume/CV to that meeting and impress the professor if you aren't already buddies with them.
Step 4: Stay on them to make sure the letter is done in a timely fashion. You want them all in before June 1 so you can submit AMCAS complete immediately.

PS: Ask more professors for letters than necessary. If you do this, you can still have a complete file even if some professors end up taking too long.

These are the heavy hitter comments that I actually myself have tried (yes tried all of them, except for standing outside the office one you can just send an email and avoid that awkward moment).

However, don't be afraid to ask questions after class. I feel this helped with one of my letters because it meant not meeting my professor every week just to get to know them.