Letter of Rec from a TA...

[SixtyNinePesos]

Has anyone ever had their TA write them a letter w/o having the prof cosign it? I didn't think I would need a non science letter, but I do. The secondary says "faculty". Aren't TAs technically faculty? What do you think?

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[mvervaine]

it was okay for me... (sample size = 1)

 

[devthakur]

I wouldn't assume this . . . I'm a TA and I am not faculty! It depends on each situation, but at Penn State (where I am) the vast majority of TA's are not faculty.

I suggest you make sure before using the letter.

 

[Sonya]

I would highly doubt TA are faculty. I'd guess staff, if at all.

But, if the prof is cosigning it, he's faculty, isn't that o k? I mea n, would they even KNOW that he didn't write it? How about just ask the school?
I think it's ok if a TA writes it.

 

[Sonya]

oh, didn't no tice you said without prof signing it.. hmm. not sure.

 

[abw]

I had a t.a. write me a letter to submit to my pre-med committee and they rejected it, saying they only wanted faculty letters. But that's my pre-med committee, not a med school.

 

[Adcadet]

the U of MN said somewhere about LORs that they'd prefer a letter from a TA that knows you well to a letter from a prof who doesn't. MN doesn't really have LOR requirements (they just need 4, from anybody), so perhaps MN is different.

 

[gooloogooloo]

in my school, one of the largest of the nation, TA IS simply a graduate student who teaches class. in fact, lots of them are international students who score a minimum TOEFL (means horrible horrible English). do you really think that they can write a lor? i mean, lots of people who apply for med school are prestigious than they. to be a TA is really easy, that's what i am trying to say. i know literally a dozen of them. i help them getting social security card, checking account, cell phone, find apartment, buying car, grocery shopping, airport pickup, even teach them english- basically start a new life in america. lol, writing a lor for me? it's only they have problem they will come to me. btw, they are only at most, staff, but never falcuty! there is a huge distinction. everyone works in univ is staff except those who are specified as faculty.

 

[SunnyS81]

I'm not exactly sure the distinction between faculty and staff. I always thought faculty were people employed for teaching, while staff were supports for teaching. I was a TA for a year, and we were technically classified as Faculty (to give us access to certain faculty privleages and network access). I would go for the TA if you can get a prof to co-sign. Without the co-sign, it might be a bit sketchy since a lot of TA's are undergrads and could be your friends.

 

[dr kevin40]

no yer screwed. don't get TA. if yer a female, just blow ur male non-sci prof

 

[kidsmd]

I would try to get it co-signed. I asked some of my TAs to write LORs for me but they insisted that I get the PhD "stamp of approval" on it, and actually went out of their way to work with the professors to get my LORs written. That PhD stuck at the end of a name apparently means a lot and will give your letter more weight, or so I've been told.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Originally posted by dr kevin40
no yer screwed. don't get TA. if yer a female, just blow ur male non-sci prof

What kind of a sexist BS remark is this??? Please be careful of what you say because there are plenty of LADIES (note: ladies = those that do get offended by stuff like this) on this board. And that is no way to speak to a lady. Gosh, I really expected more from you.....

 

[Street Philosopher]

hahaha dr kevin never dissapoints

rude doc barred from practice in uk

 

[UCLA2000]

Would be pretty useless

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by Tweetie_bird
Gosh, I really expected more from you.....

Funny thing is...I actually didn't. (have you seen his other posts?)

 

[applejuice1979]

If your TA is a graduate student there is nothing wrong with getting a letter from that person (as opposed to another undergrad who is TAing). Most of us know that we interact more with the GSI/TA more than the professor. What I did with one of my letters was to contact my professor and TA for p-Chem and ask if they could write a joint letter because I had interacted with both of them, but I felt that the TA could give a better perspective b/c I saw her more often. Hope this helps.

P.S. I also got a letter from the graduate student I worked with. Most people would get the letter from their PI but I never really talked to my PI so I didn't think he would be helpful to my application

 

[lola]

Originally posted by Random Access
Funny thing is...I actually didn't. (have you seen his other posts?)

yeah, me either.

 

[jot]

getting a letter from a ta should be last resort if possible. getting it cosigned by a prof i think is only ok at massive places like berkley or something. there is a reason that a prof is a better person to ask - and a reason they ask for them specifically - they have the experience and years to evaluate many students for their academic abilities, professional working ability, and personality and place you in a credible context. the only thing a ta can credibly say is the latter - and having nother person say you are a swell guy or gal may not help your case much. i've ben a ta for 3 years now, and whenever people ask me to write one i strongly discourage it and send them to the prof to talk. mostly they are scared to make that interaction and i'm much more approachable. while i feel flattered that i would be asked, its not the best decision. make an attempt to get to know your profs if you still have time, there is much more you can get out of that interaction than a good rec.

-jot

 

[lola]

my premed advisor told me it was ok to use a letter from a ta in grad school who now has her phd. as long as you have plenty of other evidence from other profs (i had 3 other letters from profs), i think it can be a nice supplement. the ta should be a graduate level student in my opinion, and the prof should also sign the letter.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Originally posted by Random Access
Funny thing is...I actually didn't. (have you seen his other posts?)

Actually, no I haven't been keeping tabs on this person. Perhaps I should. I just remember somebody who mentioned about him having like a 40 on the MCAT and I was wrong to assume that intelligence also implies compassion and care for other's feelings.

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by Tweetie_bird
Actually, no I haven't been keeping tabs on this person. Perhaps I should. I just remember somebody who mentioned about him having like a 40 on the MCAT and I was wrong to assume that intelligence also implies compassion and care for other's feelings.

Tweetie, also notice what his login name is. See the correlation? That's on purpose.

I wouldn't say that a 40 on the MCAT necessarily implies intelligence, but that's another discussion entirely.

 

[lola]

oh my lord! the 40 is his mcat score?
geesh... i never would have thought from the quality of his posts. sorry, that's mean. i will shut up now

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by lola
oh my lord! the 40 is his mcat score?
geesh... i never would have thought from the quality of his posts. sorry, that's mean. i will shut up now

Well that wasn't his score the first time...at least according to one of the other threads...