Letters of Recommendation Help!

[fnc54]

I'm a junior planning on taking the MCAT this April and applying to medical school in early summer. I'm having a problem with letters of recommendation. I go to a large state school, so the vast majority of my lectures have been large classes, and despite going to office hours regularly, I have not been able to really cultivate any meaningful relationships with my professors. Unfortunately, I gather that LOR's from professors are quite important.

Other options I have for LOR's are my research supervisor (a post doc), though the problem is that he isn't the nicest guy around (I'm not sure how useful a LOR from him would be), and I'd be scared that that letter would end up being pretty mediocre. Also, I know my eppe instructor quite well, though I'm not sure if that letter would be very useful.

Any tips on what to do?

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[IMG-MBChB]

Out of all your professors, pick one that you feel you have the closest bond with or at least the one which knows you best. I know you stated that you don't feel particularly close to any of them but make do with the relationship you have with them. Also, if you've shadowed with any docs you could also ask them.

 

[Fluffy123]

I agree with what IMG said and would add that when you ask anyone for a LOR, you state "Would you mind writing a STRONG LOR for my application to medical school." If yes, offer them your CV or personal statement if completed. You want them to say no hoping they know you well enough but I gave my professors that stuff even though they did not need it.

 

[LacrosseFit]

I think you have to fight human nature on the LOR thing. They don't want to reject you any more than you want to be rejected. So they say yes, but then write you a mediocre letter and you never know what they've said. In a counterintuitive process, you need to give them a passive way to decline you so that only the people who are enthusiastic about writing you a letter end up doing so.