Letter of Recommendation from a TA

[GiantPanda1]

Would it be okay if I got a letter of recommendation from a teaching assistant that is technically a clinical professor for the department (not a grad student) but not the lecture professor for the class without having the lecture professor cosigning it?

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[Lawpy]

Would it be okay if I got a letter of recommendation from a teaching assistant that is technically a clinical professor for the department (not a grad student) but not the lecture professor for the class without having the lecture professor cosigning it?

Ideally, it's better to have the letter from the lecture professor, since s/he actually teaches the course. But a TA letter should be fine considering they have a doctorate. I defer this to @mimelim for clarification.

 

[moisne]

Ideally, it's better to have the letter from the lecture professor, since s/he actually teaches the course. But a TA letter should be fine considering they have a doctorate. I defer this to @mimelim for clarification.

Most TA do not have a doctorates........ Just saying.

Tell TA to write it - and get the prof to sign it

 

[Lawpy]

Would it be okay if I got a letter of recommendation from a teaching assistant that is technically a clinical professor for the department (not a grad student) but not the lecture professor for the class without having the lecture professor cosigning it?

Most TA do not have a doctorates........ Just saying.

Tell TA to write it - and get the prof to sign it

I know that. OP specifically addressed in his prompt that the TA in question is a clinical professor, whom i figure has a doctorate

 

[GiantPanda1]

I know that. OP specifically addressed in his prompt that the TA in question is a clinical professor, whom i figure has a doctorate

The person in question does indeed have a doctorate! Our TAs are a little bit overqualified....

 

[Catalystik]

The person in question does indeed have a doctorate! Our TAs are a little bit overqualified....

The faculty member has a PhD and (it sounds like) an academic title. Why would you hesitate to have her write a letter and be the sole signer?

 

[tiedyeddog]

Go for it.

 

[lifetothefullest]

Why wouldn't you ask the professor to co-sign? It seems like just a little extra effort from you and him/her.

 

[mimelim]

Would it be okay if I got a letter of recommendation from a teaching assistant that is technically a clinical professor for the department (not a grad student) but not the lecture professor for the class without having the lecture professor cosigning it?

This gets asked weekly. The answer does not change.

Can you get a letter from the janitor? Yes. Is it okay? Yes. Will it help your application? No. There are no technical points to this. Someone who has had minimal exposure to students (compared to someone who has been teaching for some time) is not going to have the context to talk about you. The question will always be asked, "Why is this person writing the letter when there is an obvious and far more appropriate person to write the letter?" There is always a reason and it isn't ever good.

 

[GiantPanda1]

This gets asked weekly. The answer does not change.

Can you get a letter from the janitor? Yes. Is it okay? Yes. Will it help your application? No. There are no technical points to this. Someone who has had minimal exposure to students (compared to someone who has been teaching for some time) is not going to have the context to talk about you. The question will always be asked, "Why is this person writing the letter when there is an obvious and far more appropriate person to write the letter?" There is always a reason and it isn't ever good.

Thank you for the advice! I'll keep trying to get an actual professor that lectures the class to write me a letter of recommendation. However, it is just so difficult to stand out amongst hundreds of students. I've had no small science classes because its a big university. I can go to every office hour but we won't have the same level or amount of interaction as I do with a TA. What can I do about this?

 

[NeuResurgens]

I wouldn't recommend it, I don't think it's super helpful.