How to get LOR's

[the prodogy]

How do you guys get good LOR's. I understand that some schools require 2-3 science LOR's. I'm taking most of my BCP classes early, so by the time I start applying to dental school, there is going to be a big gap between when I last took a Bio class. Some school also require that you get one from a Bio teacher. How do you guys keep in touch with some of your teachers long enough for them to write you an LOR?

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[SanOnofre2002]

I reccomend checking if your school has their own letter service that will receive and hold LOR for you. Mine holds the letters for 5 years and mails them directly to the schools. This way you can ask for the letter now for your file. AADSAS only holds LOR 1 year as you probably know. Downside though is that a few schools will not accept LOR from anything but AADSAS. UCSF is one. My school circumvented this by submitting my LOR file to AADSAS as a committee letter.
Otherwise, just tell your professor your plans now and your intention to ask him for a LOR. He can write it now and submit it in the future when you ask or tell him you'll give him a personal statement at that time in the future to jog his memory. My experience is that these profs. are very used to letter requests and most are accommodating. I think many just send out a cut-and-paste copy of what they wrote for someone else anyhow.

 

[firecracked]

Prodogy, I'm so glad you asked this because I had the same question.

And not to derail your thread, but I have a related question:

How do you get a good LOR?

I know we had to get recommendation letters to apply to undergrad, but at my small high school, we would have the same teachers for years, so there was plenty of time to establish a good relationship with the teachers. What do you need to do in a 4 month semester to set yourself apart from all the other students and get a good LOR? Obviously, going to class, participating, and getting good grades is a start, but what else?

 

[Blackjack21]

U have to go to office hours. Most proffesors are cool and will actually talk to u bout things other than just the subject they teach. Get to know them at a personal level by goin to office hours and doing well in the class and show motivation/hard work. You will be sure to get a good letter that way.

 

[jza70]

Working in a professor's lab works well too.

Prodogy, I'm so glad you asked this because I had the same question.

And not to derail your thread, but I have a related question:

How do you get a good LOR?

I know we had to get recommendation letters to apply to undergrad, but at my small high school, we would have the same teachers for years, so there was plenty of time to establish a good relationship with the teachers. What do you need to do in a 4 month semester to set yourself apart from all the other students and get a good LOR? Obviously, going to class, participating, and getting good grades is a start, but what else?

 

[crhoody12]

I agree. I always thought sitting in the front and being seen each class was important (despite how large the lecture is). I'm sure within a week or two you'll be able to feel out who would be a good professor to get to know more and write a good LOR. After class once and a while, ask him to clarify something from the lecture...build upon that and go to office hours to do the same; maybe work through some problems in the book (depending on the class). Go even if you don't have a question, make one up. You spend part of the time doing work and the other half just talking. They'll bring up why science, you said dental school, put the idea of a possible LOR in their head and they will take more notice of you. See what else that teacher teaches/does. If they do a few classes, take them again. If they have a lab, see about doing some work in it. If you put out the effort, you will be rewarded. And don't just dismiss them once your done with getting your letter. I found it key to keep on contact once an awhile (even with freshman or sophomore letter writers) and let them know how you're doing, any jobs, classes taken, etc. Stop by their office, shoot an email; it take 5 minutes of your time. You might need them later on to revise or update letters when you apply. Sometimes they even might want to update the letter asking how you did in other classes, overall GPA/sciGPA, activities on campus, science related jobs, etc. just to make the letter that much more personal and show that true teacher-student interaction.

A lot of schools have the offices for LOR files to be built. If your school doesn't, I'd recommend asking that professor to write a letter at the end of your term with him (unless you are taking him again, then maybe he can just put some notes down about you for future letter) BUT see if he can hold on to it somewhere (print for his records or save on computer) and just let him know you will need it in a few years. This way he doesn't have to think back and remember who you are come AADSAS time.

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

honestly, brown nosing never worked for me nor did office hours. Being thrown in science classes with pre-med's, pre-opt, pre-pharm students it's so obvious (and I'm sure for professors) in office hours when students have other motives when they bring in completely stupid erroneous questions to office hours. The way to get a good letter of recommendation and a unique one is to get to know the prof. Ask the professor if they are doing research and if you can help in their lab (you hit 2 birds with one stone that way). See if you can TA for discussion sections if they have programs for undergrads to do that. Interact with the professor in a more original matter. When you get the professors phone number, you know you and him are on a more personal level and will get a good letter. You have to be much more aggressive to get to know professors...remember you're competing with a BUNCH of overachievers so you gotta do something diff.

 

[dmd2011]

How do you guys get good LOR's. I understand that some schools require 2-3 science LOR's. I'm taking most of my BCP classes early, so by the time I start applying to dental school, there is going to be a big gap between when I last took a Bio class. Some school also require that you get one from a Bio teacher. How do you guys keep in touch with some of your teachers long enough for them to write you an LOR?

get to know some of these professors by going to their office hours. let them know about your plans to apply to dental school. ask them if they would be willing to write a LOR for you. get them to write it now... not in a few years because they will likely forget you by then.

 

[jza70]

Does it make a difference what bio class your letter is coming from? Would a letter from a teacher who teaches gen bio be any worse than a letter from a teacher from cell bio?

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

Does it make a difference what bio class your letter is coming from? Would a letter from a teacher who teaches gen bio be any worse than a letter from a teacher from cell bio?

I think LOR is meant to tell ADCOM what other respected members of the community (i.e. professors, dentists, etc) think of you. I wouldn't think the class would matter unless if adcoms has other motives.