Letter from advisor = "non-science" letter?

[Gigantron]

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So I my advisor (a biochemistry professor at my university) told me that he would be more than willing to write a LOR for medical school when the time comes. This same person will eventually be my professor for Biochemistry when I take it, but the thing is I will have already finished applying to medical schools by the time I start Biochemistry. So, he would be writing the LOR for me as my advisor and not as my biochemistry professor. Would this technically count as a Science LOR since the person writing it is a science professor? Can I use his letter as a non-science letter or does the non-science letter HAVE to be from a professor in the humanities or a non-BCPM course?

 

[aSagacious]

A science letter is strictly from those who have already taught you in a science class. Anything shy of that would qualify as non-science.

 

[DAPI]

So I my advisor (a biochemistry professor at my university) told me that he would be more than willing to write a LOR for medical school when the time comes. This same person will eventually be my professor for Biochemistry when I take it, but the thing is I will have already finished applying to medical schools by the time I start Biochemistry. So, he would be writing the LOR for me as my advisor and not as my biochemistry professor. Would this technically count as a Science LOR since the person writing it is a science professor? Can I use his letter as a non-science letter or does the non-science letter HAVE to be from a professor in the humanities or a non-BCPM course?

I would not classify this as a science LOR or a traditional "non-science" LOR. This falls outside of the standard three that most schools require and more into an extra letter that schools allow you to send in. Also remember that not all schools require 2 science and 1 non-scince in the traditional sense and this could be sent if schools just want three+ letters in general and do not specify who they come from. Basically what I am saying is keep in mind that each school is different and to research what schools want before just sending in letters.

Additionally, I'm not really sure what all they could say about you that they have experienced directly except that you come to meetings organized and participate in volunteer things or w/e. From your brief post, it seems they have not really overseen you "do" anything and may come across as they are just reading from your CV. I would caution against sending a letter like this unless they have actually been a supervisor or PI or something similar to an activity you have actually done besides just registering for classes.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Check the individual school. I believe some schools say only that you need letters from "science professors" and don't specify that you need to have taken their course. A PI could count if they don't specify.

 

[ineed2stpsmurfn]

So I my advisor (a biochemistry professor at my university) told me that he would be more than willing to write a LOR for medical school when the time comes. This same person will eventually be my professor for Biochemistry when I take it, but the thing is I will have already finished applying to medical schools by the time I start Biochemistry. So, he would be writing the LOR for me as my advisor and not as my biochemistry professor. Would this technically count as a Science LOR since the person writing it is a science professor? Can I use his letter as a non-science letter or does the non-science letter HAVE to be from a professor in the humanities or a non-BCPM course?

A science letter is strictly from those who have already taught you in a science class. Anything shy of that would qualify as non-science.

Additionally, I'm not really sure what all they could say about you that they have experienced directly except that you come to meetings organized and participate in volunteer things or w/e. From your brief post, it seems they have not really overseen you "do" anything and may come across as they are just reading from your CV. I would caution against sending a letter like this unless they have actually been a supervisor or PI or something similar to an activity you have actually done besides just registering for classes.

the op basically is asking if lying on his med school app is ok... amazing.😱

I think if he were older and more mature, he would know the OBVIOUS answer to this question.

 

[Gigantron]

the op basically is asking if lying on his med school app is ok... amazing.😱

I think if he were older and more mature, he would know the OBVIOUS answer to this question.

Yeah. Let me be older and more "mature" by browsing your post history and bumping some of your old threads.

Strong work. Keep going. 👍

 

[ineed2stpsmurfn]

dude you posted this yesterday evening it's not that old...

besides, i figured you needed a few nuggets of wisdom as a freshie.

 

[theseeker4]

A science letter is strictly from those who have already taught you in a science class. Anything shy of that would qualify as non-science.

Careful, as some schools want the non-science letter to be specifically from a professor outside BCMP who had you in their class. An advisor's letter would not be either a science nor a non-science faculty letter.

 

[aSagacious]

Careful, as some schools want the non-science letter to be specifically from a professor outside BCMP who had you in their class. An advisor's letter would not be either a science nor a non-science faculty letter.

Good point, I guess I should have chosen my wording more carefully. I only meant to say that it would probably not be considered a science letter.

 

[leeyuhang]

if someone works in the division of biology but is a dean for education or something would that count more for nonscience?

 

[scarshapedstar]

Nonscience should be more like... a professor of sociology, english, one of those touchy feely classes.