How to ask to meet with a prof to ask for a LOR?

[comchiendacbiet]

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The professor I want to ask a LOR from is not teaching this semester (he's still on campus, though), so he does not have office hours that I can just go into and talk to him. I do want to ask for a LOR from him in person, but wouldn't it be weird if I sent him an email basically asking him "Dear Dr. X, when are you available for me to stop by and ask you for a LOR?" He does have a secretary, so I could ask her to schedule me a meeting, but I feel like it would then be rude that I didn't ask him first, and she might redirect me to asking him first anyways.

How do I go about meta-asking for a LOR?

 

[xkcd6330]

Just ask over email, but include a request to set up a meeting also, to talk in more detail about what you want. E.g. “I was wondering if you would be willing to write a letter supporting my application to med school. I’d love to come talk in person to catch up and provide any useful info, etc”

if you really don’t want to ask for the letter in the email, you can ask to set up a meeting to “discuss your post-graduation plans”

 

[Goro]

The professor I want to ask a LOR from is not teaching this semester (he's still on campus, though), so he does not have office hours that I can just go into and talk to him. I do want to ask for a LOR from him in person, but wouldn't it be weird if I sent him an email basically asking him "Dear Dr. X, when are you available for me to stop by and ask you for a LOR?" He does have a secretary, so I could ask her to schedule me a meeting, but I feel like it would then be rude that I didn't ask him first, and she might redirect me to asking him first anyways.

How do I go about meta-asking for a LOR?

Stop overthinking this, and just talk to the secretary.

The reason he has a secretary is so that she can schedule you an app't with the guy.

Just make sure that he can answer int he positive when you ask him "Dr X, do you know me well enough to write me a good lOR for my med school app?"