How to get great LOR's

[studmuffin]

So I'm gonna apply in about a year and a half and I'm kinda worried about my letters. The PI I've been working for for over a year is one prospect, but he's never in the lab and even after a year I'm not sure he would be able to write me a good one. My volunteer coordinator is another, and this one i'm not too worried about because he knows me as a person more than the PI. My questions:1) What can I do other than working hard in the lab to have my PI notice me, and 2) Is one semester of class enough for a prof to write you a good letter and 3)What do you guys do to stand out and make your superiors like you

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[Barcu]

So I'm gonna apply in about a year and a half and I'm kinda worried about my letters. The PI I've been working for for over a year is one prospect, but he's never in the lab and even after a year I'm not sure he would be able to write me a good one. My volunteer coordinator is another, and this one i'm not too worried about because he knows me as a person more than the PI. My questions:1) What can I do other than working hard in the lab to have my PI notice me, and 2) Is one semester of class enough for a prof to write you a good letter and 3)What do you guys do to stand out and make your superiors like you

1) In terms of the PI, do you work closely with a grad student or postdoc? If you do, they can actually write you a letter and the PI will cosign it, lending it a bit more legitimacy. Plus, your PI probably has written a million rec letters, so even if you can't get him to notice you (and my first idea is not possible), he will write you a rec and I'm sure it will be fine.

2) Someone you had one semester is fine. I had to do that for one of my science recs. I think most students really only have a professor for one semester (especially if you go to a large school) so I bet a bunch of people have letters like that. You may want to try and establish a better relationship by taking more than one class with a prof, or maybe being in a club the prof may be involved with or something like that. Still, it shouldn't matter that much. As long as you go to class, participate, go to office hours and do well, any prof should be able to write you a good LOR only knowing you one semester.

3) Work hard, don't be pushy and annoying. I don't know.

Edit: I should add in addition to point 1. No matter how much you worry about a letter from your PI, be sure to get one, even if you think it will be generic. Schools will expect it if you did research.

 

[studmuffin]

1)I do work closely with postdocs and grad students. I just always thought these types of letters wouldn't be look upon as highly b/c the person isnt a PhD or whatnot. Thanks for the input.