How much of an impact does an LOR's credentials have?

[700003]

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Imagine two students that have great LOR's (good examples given from the professor, positive feedback, insight, etc.) Consider that Student 1's LOR writer is from say MIT, worked in prestigious places, is well-known and overall a great success and that Student 2's LOR writer is a normal PhD professor who has been teaching for many years.

Would Student 1 get an edge over Student 2 because of his LOR credentials? Would adcoms ever reject students based on the level of respect/regard given to their LOR writers?? Kind of like "Oh, Student 1 had a very influential man vouch for him! So we'll take him and put Student 2 on the wait list…"??

 

[Lawpy]

Who the LOR writer is matters, but that doesn't mean Student 2 will be rejected/waitlisted because of the "less famous" LOR writer they chose.

Who the writer is.
Who recommends your skills and abilities is important. Fundamentally, their credentials answer the question, "Why should I listen to what you have to say about this applicant?" A graduate student has 4 years of undergraduate experience and a couple of years TAing and living in a lab. A post doc has completed their graduate work and a couple more years of TAing. A first year assistant professor has experience in a classroom plus the afformentioned experience. The chair of a department has likely all of the above, plus years of teaching, plus
years of dealing with department/university politics. When a post doc says that you are the best student they have seen, even if true, it leaves the posibility that you are simply better than the few students that the post doc can compare you to. On the other hand, when a tenured professor says the same things about you with a couple of decades worth of students to compare to, it is assumed that it is a little harder to impress them and thus their opinions carry more weight.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I have seen this brought up by an ADCOM on here(can't remember whom) as one of the advantages those who attend top undergrads have: it means somewhat more when a professor from Harvard says "this is one of the five best students I've seen the past 15 years" then it does when a professor from Arizona State says the same thing and yes that will get noted in admission. But it is not something worth stressing about.

As for the professor themselves; whether it it is a renown recognized PhD writing the letter vs your general PhD, yes that can get noticed but again that is not something worth fretting about(ie don't scroll through professors and see what you think the most accomplished one is and take their class just to try and get a rec letter to impress). A strong letter from any respectable PhD will more than suffice.

 

[700003]

Who the LOR writer is matters, but that doesn't mean Student 2 will be rejected/waitlisted because of the "less famous" LOR writer they chose.

I have seen this brought up by an ADCOM on here(can't remember whom) as one of the advantages those who attend top undergrads have: it means somewhat more when a professor from Harvard says "this is one of the five best students I've seen the past 15 years" then it does when a professor from Arizona State says the same thing and yes that will get noted in admission. But it is not something worth stressing about.

As for the professor themselves; whether it it is a renown recognized PhD writing the letter vs your general PhD, yes that can get noticed but again that is not something worth fretting about(ie don't scroll through professors and see what you think the most accomplished one is and take their class just to try and get a rec letter to impress). A strong letter from any respectable PhD will more than suffice.

Thank you. The reason I ask is because I am currently trying to decide btwn. two English professors, one of which is a lawyer from a prestigious institution and more well-educated (not necessarily well-known). However, her class seems tougher compared to the normal professor's class and I am hesitant to try my chances.

A grade of 'A' is better than an LOR from a higher-credentials person, yes?

 

[Moko]

Would Student 1 get an edge over Student 2 because of his LOR credentials? Would adcoms ever reject students based on the level of respect/regard given to their LOR writers?? Kind of like "Oh, Student 1 had a very influential man vouch for him! So we'll take him and put Student 2 on the wait list…"??

Ultimately, it's the content of the letter that is going to distinguish applicants from one another. If someone's LORs are truly singing praise about them, the status of the professors/PIs are unlikely to be an issue. Having the letter come from a well-known professor can certainly add credibility to their assessment, e.g. if you were taught by someone who was also a professor in medical school and they can comment highly on your potential, etc. However, I would take the glowing, personal LOR from a new teacher over a generic letter from someone "influential" any day.

 

[Goro]

It's not a zero-sum game! Both students would get IIs or accepts if they have good apps.

I've seen LORs from Nobel laureates and US Senators. They did not help marginal candidates.

We never would reject someone on the who the basis of the LOR writer is, unless it's someone so objectionable (like Peter Deusberg) that the decision-making abilities of the applicant are questioned.

But to have the LORs alone determine something? I'd rather see one from one mf my alumni, since they they know my program.

A single A in anything isn't going to mean anything. It's the app that counts.

Imagine two students that have great LOR's (good examples given from the professor, positive feedback, insight, etc.) Consider that Student 1's LOR writer is from say MIT, worked in prestigious places, is well-known and overall a great success and that Student 2's LOR writer is a normal PhD professor who has been teaching for many years.

Would Student 1 get an edge over Student 2 because of his LOR credentials? Would adcoms ever reject students based on the level of respect/regard given to their LOR writers?? Kind of like "Oh, Student 1 had a very influential man vouch for him! So we'll take him and put Student 2 on the wait list…"??