Letter from a professor I did Not even take

[ipostman]

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[rHinO1]

Do you guys think it is a good idea? I will be doing supplemental instruction for a chemistry professor. This means that I will be sitting in the class and then collaborating with the professor so that I can come up with 1 hours worth of work and tutoring for her students outside of class 2 days a week.

I have the option of doing this with the professor that I actually took general chemistry with or doing it with a professor that I have not taken. (I go to a ca community college)

The professor I HAVE NOT taken has done much research and has been published in many articles. Plus she is a professor at one the UC schools to which I will be applying. Doing supplemental instruction for her may turn out not to be a positive experience.

The professor I HAVE taken is an awesome guy and I would know his curriculum well but, unfortunately he would not be a good source for a letter. Doing the supplemental instruction for him would be a positive experience for sure.

I guess what I am asking is if a letter from the professor I have never had as a teacher count as a one of the letters from a science professor? I am humanities major so It may become difficult to find letters of recommendation If I don't act on opportunities like this one.

Any opinions or advice would really be appreciated 🙂

Usually the science letters have to come from a professor whose class you took for a letter grade. If you want to you could include the letter as a supplemental 4th or 5th letter. However a letter from a cc professor should be avoided and you could get a supplemental letter from any professor from your 4 year school. You have 2+ years left at a 4 year school, so you have plenty of time to get a letter there.

I'm a 4th year student that transferred from a cc btw.

 

[IndianVercetti]

Usually the science letters have to come from a professor whose class you took for a letter grade. If you want to you could include the letter as a supplemental 4th or 5th letter. However a letter from a cc professor should be avoided and you could get a supplemental letter from any professor from your 4 year school. You have 2+ years left at a 4 year school, so you have plenty of time to get a letter there.

I'm a 4th year student that transferred from a cc btw.

Is the part in bold an absolute must?? What if I TA-ed a class for a professor? Could I still ask him/her?

 

[ipostman]

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[rHinO1]

Is the part in bold an absolute must?? What if I TA-ed a class for a professor? Could I still ask him/her?

There is no clear cut answer, but here are a couple of examples:

Here is a link to UCI, where they say they want a letter from prof whose class you took.
http://www.meded.uci.edu/admissions/faqs.html

UCSF wants at least 2 letters from instructors:
http://medschool.ucsf.edu/admissions/apply/secondary.aspx#recommendation

I think if you TA'd for a professor then I would include it. The reason taking a class for a grade is important is that it is the most basic way a professor can judge your competence in science material and compare you to other students. However, if you Ta'd the prof might have other insights that could help you (maybe you were a good instructor, always willing to help, reliable, etc...).

Personally, I would include a letter from a prof I TA'd for as a 4th or 5th letter and have 2 science prof letters from graded courses. I have done 1+ years of independent research P/NP and it will be a 4th letter for me.

Maybe someone else can give you a more definite answer.

 

[shiftingmirage]

LORs are kind of school specific. Some places will say we want a letter from a prof that taught you chem, bio, non-science. Others will say they want 3 letters, two from profs, at least one being a science, and another letter from someone who can speak to your character, or words like that. So the prof you SI for could do the latter letter addressing your character.

So I would suggest looking into the schools you are interested in. While I would imagine some schools do require LORs to come from a prof you had a class with, most will have a character-like thing because if you do research it is almost expected to get a letter from them, though you may not have had them for a class.

 

[potpuniludak]

Do you guys think it is a good idea? I will be doing supplemental instruction for a chemistry professor. This means that I will be sitting in the class and then collaborating with the professor so that I can come up with 1 hours worth of work and tutoring for her students outside of class 2 days a week.

I have the option of doing this with the professor that I actually took general chemistry with or doing it with a professor that I have not taken. (I go to a ca community college)

The professor I HAVE NOT taken has done much research and has been published in many articles. Plus she is a professor at one the UC schools to which I will be applying. Doing supplemental instruction for her may turn out not to be a positive experience.

The professor I HAVE taken is an awesome guy and I would know his curriculum well but, unfortunately he would not be a good source for a letter. Doing the supplemental instruction for him would be a positive experience for sure.

I guess what I am asking is if a letter from the professor I have never had as a teacher count as a one of the letters from a science professor? I am humanities major so It may become difficult to find letters of recommendation If I don't act on opportunities like this one.

Any opinions or advice would really be appreciated 🙂

First of all dude it is awesome how you are changing the system. Crushing elitism in our society. Props. Definitely take the opportunity. It is a given to you. An offering from some force smiling on you. You are a humanities major. This should mean that you can make anything sound meaningful so go for it. Do your thing and win.