letters of rec.

[chaos]

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I'm fortunate enough to have a volunteer research assistant position at a well known neuropsychiatry research center, working in the lab of a well known doctor (he's had many many publications, been on the discovery channel, lol you name it). The problem is, I really don't know him very well. In fact, we met once and I'm not sure if he would remember my name without a prompt. Basically, I'm working with one of his research assistants who holds a B.A. in psych. I'd like a letter of reccommendation from this place, but I don't know who to ask. Should I ask the doctor whom I barely know who would probably say something vaguely positive but might admit he doesn't know me very well or ask the research assistant who doesn't have a grad degree but sees with me 3x a week and would give me a very nice letter.

Also, what's your opinion on asking for a letter of rec. from a professor who you've only taken one class from, but you did very well in the class.

Thanks!

 

[psychanon]

Should I ask the doctor whom I barely know who would probably say something vaguely positive but might admit he doesn't know me very well or ask the research assistant who doesn't have a grad degree but sees with me 3x a week and would give me a very nice letter.

Ask the BA person what the protocol is. Most likely the PhD guy will write it with input from the research assistant, so you'll get the best of both worlds (the detailed letter with the famous signature- that's what most labs like this do. If it comes down to deciding between the two, I would either ask both for letters, or just ask the professor. A B.A. level R.A.'s opinion will carry very little weight.

Also, what's your opinion on asking for a letter of rec. from a professor who you've only taken one class from, but you did very well in the class.

Thanks!

Fine, as long as it was a small seminar and not some big lecture class where the professor never met you. Research-related recs are always better, though-- I would say that 2 out of 3 letters should be from people you worked with directly, not teachers.

 

[NeuroPhD]

The problem is, I really don't know him very well. In fact, we met once and I'm not sure if he would remember my name without a prompt.

Should I ask the doctor whom I barely know who would probably say

Also, what's your opinion on asking for a letter of rec. from a professor who you've only taken one class from, but you did very well in the class.

Your situation is pretty common. I was in a similar situation when I applied. I worked with a graduate student who worked under a well-known psychologist. I asked the psychologist if he could write a positive letter on my behalf. He acknowledged that he didn't know me well, but after talking with his graduate student, he agreed to write the letter. I later learned that the graduate student put together the bulk of the letter and the psychologist signed it. When I interviewed, many interviewers asked about working with that psychologist. Definitely ask the psychologist. Maybe send an email to the psychologist, remind him/her of your role, and ask if you can meet to discuss a possible letter.

Asking a professor who you took a class with is fine, but the letter will likely only address your performance in the single class. It might be a valuable component to your application, particularly if it addresses crucial skills (e.g. writing, critical thinking, statistics).

Don't be uncomfortable asking for a candid appraisal from the letter writer when asking for the recommendation. A negative or even ambiguous comment in a recommendation letter can be very damaging. As an aside, I've come across several professors who tell you up front that they believe recommendation letters should be balanced, presenting the strengths and weaknesses of the applicant. I would steer clear of those professors.

 

[Barca16]

What is the best way to give a recommender our paperwork? I have probably 10 LOR forms and 2 online forms (I give the school my recommenders e-mail address and they e-mail him the LOR form). Should I just paperclip them together and give them to him in a big envelope? Should I write a thank you note on top? Should I separate each form and write the school and the recommendation due date on the top and clip it to a stamped and filled out envelope? haha please help!

 

[psy86]

Remove as much of the potential for error on their side as you can. This means addressing all the envelopes, etc. yourself so that they are less likely to screw it up. Also, as due dates approach, check in politely but frequently with your advisors and make sure they're on top of it.

 

[Sorg1123]

So here's what I have set up for my letters of Rec:

1. Professor whose lab I did a directed study in during undergrad

2. Clinical Psychologist who heads the adolescent TBI program I worked at through undergrad

3. Lab Director (MD, PhD) whose lab I currently work at and with whom I will be co-author on 3 publications.

Now I've read in some places that programs recommend letters from two profs and allow some wiggle room on thier preferences for additional refs, but I think my sources are strong and represent the full spectrum of my experiences thus far in this field. Any thoughts?

 

[phd2006]

Remove as much of the potential for error on their side as you can. This means addressing all the envelopes, etc. yourself so that they are less likely to screw it up. Also, as due dates approach, check in politely but frequently with your advisors and make sure they're on top of it.

Can't stress this enough! Profs get so many requests for LOR, you have to make as easy as you can for them. Also remember, not only are they currently receiving requests for LOR for students wanting to attending grad school but this time of year, they are also inundated with requests from current grad students for LOR for internship applications!