So I have a particular question about my LOR situation. I have 5 teachers who have agreed to write me letters. I was told we could only list 4 for the application. So I am definitely picking 2 science professors (bioinformatics teacher and my genetics/molecular genetics teacher) and my dentist but I'm having trouble picking the fourth option. One option would be my Chem/Physics teacher (she holds a PhD in Physics and Masters in Chem and teaches both). I emailed her asking if she would write me one and she emailed back a week later saying it was done. I didn't give her my resume or meet with her...so needless to say it is probably fairly impersonal. My other option is my poetry/freshman writing teacher. He met with me the other day, he was very interested in me and seems to really care about writing me a personal letter. I talked with a friend who said to drop the lit teacher because "schools won't care about it". So my question is, do I list the teacher who is science and wrote me some standard, impersonal letter or should I go with my lit teacher who will write me a very personal letter?
Letter of Rec Question
- Thread starter pinkster
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Start off by looking at what the schools you are applying to require.
Some schools literally require a letter from a bio professor, chem professor, and a dentist. Even if the chem letter won't be terribly personal, you may very well have to include it depending on where you apply.
It's up to you to decide whether to use both bio teachers or to use one bio teacher + writing teacher.
Or, if you're sure none of the schools you're applying to require a chem letter, then use the writing teacher + dentist + two bio professors if you think the writing teacher's letter will be really good.
Some schools literally require a letter from a bio professor, chem professor, and a dentist. Even if the chem letter won't be terribly personal, you may very well have to include it depending on where you apply.
It's up to you to decide whether to use both bio teachers or to use one bio teacher + writing teacher.
Or, if you're sure none of the schools you're applying to require a chem letter, then use the writing teacher + dentist + two bio professors if you think the writing teacher's letter will be really good.
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How does this work for a committee letter? One of my bio profs and both of my orgo profs are on the prehealth advisory committee. If a school requires one from specific sciences, does the committee letter generally suffice?
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Yup.
I think ultimately the writing teachers letter will be better than my third science. Is it possible to just have the writing teacher send his letter in personally by mail to some schools of my choosing? I believe the only schools I'm applying to that request a chem letter is Tufts and Creighton.
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Some schools are okay with you sending separate letters... Others aren't so amenable to it. You could always ask them, though!
