Is this an okay thing to do for LORs?

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DrStraggler

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I love my Lab instructor, he's probably my favorite/most informative "professor" and I'm positive he'd give me a shining Eval.

However, he's a student, a TA doing his masters at my school. Can I get an LOR from him?
 
honestly i do not know if this will fly. many schools (mine included) are specific about wanting letters from professors. people do sometimes get letters written by TAs that the prof then signs off on, but of course everyone involved has to be ok with that.
 
if and only if the professor overseeing it can write at least a small something on it as well.

Even still, it's not ideal.
 
Like gravity mentioned, I would suggest doing a combined LOR. Talk it over with your professor. A LOR from a master's student probably won't be taken seriously, especially if it's to speak about your academic achievements.
 
I love my Lab instructor, he's probably my favorite/most informative "professor" and I'm positive he'd give me a shining Eval.

However, he's a student, a TA doing his masters at my school. Can I get an LOR from him?

It wouldn't hurt as an extra reference, but don't use it to fulfill one of the main ones: non-science, science, etc. Personally, I have a letter from a PhD student who already had a masters and was TAing for a couple years, and then a small excerpt was added by the professor of the class and signed by both. I saw the letter and it turned out to be one of the best ones I had. But in your case, your main writer has no degree and probably not as much experience teaching as he should for being a writer. Its the equivalent of an upperclassman writing you a letter - it can be very nice but it isn't substantiated with experience. Regardless, if you decide on getting this letter, it MUST be co-signed by the professor (with some of his/her writing as well).
 
It wouldn't hurt as an extra reference, but don't use it to fulfill one of the main ones: non-science, science, etc. Personally, I have a letter from a PhD student who already had a masters and was TAing for a couple years, and then a small excerpt was added by the professor of the class and signed by both. I saw the letter and it turned out to be one of the best ones I had. But in your case, your main writer has no degree and probably not as much experience teaching as he should for being a writer. Its the equivalent of an upperclassman writing you a letter - it can be very nice but it isn't substantiated with experience. Regardless, if you decide on getting this letter, it MUST be co-signed by the professor (with some of his/her writing as well).

This.

You can submit a LOR from your girlfriend if you want; but it won't do anything for your application.

I had one 'personal' LOR that I submitted that was written by a close friend and faculty member at a local medical school. I saw the letter (her offer) and it was all about my personality, dedication and people skills. These were things no professor could speak to and I think it helped as it was mentioned in 2 of 3 interviews.
 
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