Letters of recommendation from professors who don't know me

[preMedFalcon]

My pre-medical advisor wants me to get letters of recommendation from my general chemistry and general biology professors. However, although I did very well in both those classes, I never interacted with them nor went to their office hours during that semester, so of course they don't know me enough to write a letter, and especially not a strong one.

Is there a way I can still build a strong relationship with them so they can write a strong letter? I feel it would be awkward or abnormal to go to their office hours now when I'm not one of their current students.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[beattheprocess]

Maybe you could ask them to help with their research, grade tests, or become a TA for them? If they're an agreeable person and you're in a large class, they probably will write you one even without knowing you. It's probably not going to be a love letter that will impress schools, but it's still a serviceable letter. Sending them your CV, transcript, PS could also help them out.

 

[candbgirl]

My pre-medical advisor wants me to get letters of recommendation from my general chemistry and general biology professors. However, although I did very well in both those classes, I never interacted with them nor went to their office hours during that semester, so of course they don't know me enough to write a letter, and especially not a strong one.

Is there a way I can still build a strong relationship with them so they can write a strong letter? I feel it would be awkward or abnormal to go to their office hours now when I'm not one of their current students.

Why does the premed advisor want letters from these particular professors? I assume you are able to get strong letters from professors that know you well or at least better than these two people. Why isn’t it up to you to select your letter writers?

 

[KnightDoc]

Why does the premed advisor want letters from these particular professors? I assume you are able to get strong letters from professors that know you well or at least better than these two people. Why isn’t it up to you to select your letter writers?

THIS^^^^!!!!! You need 2 BCPM letters. They should be the two best BCPM letters you can get, regardless of the class. Adcoms sure won't care about the class; they'll only care about the content of the letters. Your advisor is doing you a serious disservice here, elevating the supposed importance of the classes (and, for the record, general bio and chem are absolutely not more important than any other BCPM class!) and your excellent grades in those two classes above why adcoms ask for the letters and how they use them.

Please ignore your advisor, at least with respect to this, and forget about awkwardly and artificially pursuing relationships with former professors, which will in any event be very transparent to them.

 

[LizzyM]

Pre-med advisors give so much bad advice. Ignore it and move on to getting the best letters you can get.

 

[preMedFalcon]

My premed advisor has a policy for the committee letter. They specifically want a biology, physics, and chemistry letter, along with others. I think for chem they will allow an organic chem letter instead, but they want a general bio letter also. According to them, having letters from these courses is a plus. I know that it's the value of the letter itself that is more important, not what class the letter is from, but since my advisor has many years experience successfully getting students admitted, and according to them, everything they say is directly what the medical schools have told them (and they attend every med school presentation), I feel I should follow what they say seriously. But of course, the best letters are always from the professors who know you best.

I can try to perhaps explain to them that my general bio professor is simply not an option, unless the professor is aware of the advisor's requirements and will still be willing to write a letter despite not knowing the student.

 

[KnightDoc]

My premed advisor has a policy for the committee letter. They specifically want a biology, physics, and chemistry letter, along with others. I think for chem they will allow an organic chem letter instead, but they want a general bio letter also. According to them, having letters from these courses is a plus. I know that it's the value of the letter itself that is more important, not what class the letter is from, but since my advisor has many years experience successfully getting students admitted, and according to them, everything they say is directly what the medical schools have told them (and they attend every med school presentation), I feel I should follow what they say seriously. But of course, the best letters are always from the professors who know you best.

I can try to perhaps explain to them that my general bio professor is simply not an option, unless the professor is aware of the advisor's requirements and will still be willing to write a letter despite not knowing the student.

If you need it for your committee letter, then, it is what it is and you have to do what you have to do, as awkward or abnormal as it might feel! Apparently, at your school, it's not that abnormal at all!! 🙂

This is different from what you originally asked, which is why you received the responses you received.

 

[preMedFalcon]

This is different from what you originally asked, which is why you received the responses you received.

Yeah sorry about that, forgot it was important to specify that. Since my main concern was how to get the letter, I only asked about that.

 

[aladdin12]

I'm pondering the original question. Jefferson wants letters from bio, chem, physics, and humanities professors, and I took three quarters of physics from three different professors three years ago, and connected with none of them. Trying to decide how much I want to pester someone I don't really know to write, "He did good in my class," when that won't tell adcoms anything that my transcripts don't.

 

[DOadvice]

Hopefully the committee letter (not a letter package) will draw from the professors that know you. If you have an upper level bio prof or other science prof (maybe an introductory neuroscience prof would be acceptable) you may be able to ask for an exception to omit the gen bio letter.
If you can't avoid including it won't likely hurt you but would not likely hurt you either. Generally these professors are familiar with writing letters and if you did well in the class at least they will be able to rank you in the top X%. You can add additional single letters outside the committee letter as well regardless of what your premed advisor says.

 

[Goro]

Pre-med advisors give so much bad advice. Ignore it and move on to getting the best letters you can get.

To follow up on this OP, the best you would get from those professors is a LOR that simply states that you did well in their classes.

Not helpful!

 

[candbgirl]

Yeah sorry about that, forgot it was important to specify that. Since my main concern was how to get the letter, I only asked about that.

Well I certainly can’t tell you that because it’s not a great or even good idea. And despite what your premed advisor told you at least 2 ADCOMS ( @nd possibly more) have responded with the exact opposite of what the advisor told you. Can you submit extra letters or can you use letters from upper level bio, chem and physics classes?

 

[KnightDoc]

Well I certainly can’t tell you that because it’s not a great or even good idea. And despite what your premed advisor told you at least 2 ADCOMS ( @nd possibly more) have responded with the exact opposite of what the advisor told you. Can you submit extra letters or can you use letters from upper level bio, chem and physics classes?

Right -- there is a disconnect between the general SDN wisdom and what OP's advisor is specifically requiring for the committee letter. If the advisor is the gatekeeper to the committee, and this is what the school wants, then it is what it is, isn't it? 🙂

 

[LizzyM]

They specifically want a biology, physics, and chemistry letter, along with others. I think for chem they will allow an organic chem letter instead, but they want a general bio letter also. According to them, having letters from these courses is a plus. I know that it's the value of the letter itself that is more important, not what class the letter is from, but since my advisor has many years experience successfully getting students admitted, and according to them, everything they say is directly what the medical schools have told them (and they attend every med school presentation), I feel I should follow what they say seriously. But of course, the best letters are always from the professors who know you best.

I can try to perhaps explain to them that my general bio professor is simply not an option, unless the professor is aware of the advisor's requirements and will still be willing to write a letter despite not knowing the student.

Some schools seem to be successful in getting people admitted to med school despite bad advice. This could explain, to me, why we sometimes get a committee letter with completely useless letters appended. "PreMedFalcon was enrolled in Bio 101 in Fall 2017. He received a 97% on the midterm and a 95% on the final exam for a grade of A. PreMedFalcon did not attend office hours but based on his performance in class, he mastered the coursework on his own. I recommend him for admission to medical or professional school."

 

[IlDestriero]

Some schools seem to be successful in getting people admitted to med school despite bad advice. This could explain, to me, why we sometimes get a committee letter with completely useless letters appended. "PreMedFalcon was enrolled in Bio 101 in Fall 2017. He received a 97% on the midterm and a 95% on the final exam for a grade of A. PreMedFalcon did not attend office hours but based on his performance in class, he mastered the coursework on his own. I recommend him for admission to medical or professional school."

What a great letter!
He’s smart, or cheats well. Either way, he’s your man! In retrospect, I’m not even sure he came to my classes so he’s probably wicked smaart!
I still remember my advisor’s useful advice to “Just apply to dental school, you’ll probably never get into a medical school.” I guess I exceeded expectations. On a related note, I neglected to avail myself of any committee letter she may have offered. Lord knows what that would have said.

 

[preMedFalcon]

Yeah I can see that I should ask my advisor if they will allow me to compensate those 2 letters with other ones (e.g. organic chem and another bio class), but if they still want these 2 professors specifically, then fine, I'll get them. They will be completely useless letters, but at least I'll satisfy their requirements for the committee letter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Can you submit extra letters or can you use letters from upper level bio, chem and physics classes?

I know for sure I can submit extra letters, but I'll have to ask if I can replace those 2 letters they specifically want with upper level bio and chem. But like I said, if they still want them, then I will be sending 2 letters that I know are completely useless. Not a big deal as long as the rest of the letters are strong, but it is what it is.