Letters of Recommendation

[Sneaky Sloth]

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Hi,

I recently spoke with my Health Provisions advisor at UCR, and they informed me of something that I was unaware of regarding the Letters of Recommendation (LORs) portion on an application. They said that essentially you need two science LORs, but two from professors that you've had a class with. Rendering LORs from a lab PI, for example, as inapplicable unless you took their class as well.

Is this true? I was planning on getting a LOR from my current PI (whom I will take a class with after I submit my application but can speak on my personal traits), my past PI (whom I will not take a class with), my English professor who knows me well, and one of the providers I scribe for at my hospital.

 

[Engrailed]

Hi,

I recently spoke with my Health Provisions advisor at UCR, and they informed me of something that I was unaware of regarding the Letters of Recommendation (LORs) portion on an application. They said that essentially you need two science LORs, but two from professors that you've had a class with. Rendering LORs from a lab PI, for example, as inapplicable unless you took their class as well.

Is this true? I was planning on getting a LOR from my current PI (whom I will take a class with after I submit my application but can speak on my personal traits), my past PI (whom I will not take a class with), my English professor who knows me well, and one of the providers I scribe for at my hospital.

There are two types of science LORs that schools ask for
1. "Science faculty LOR" - this includes PIs, your class professors
2. "Science faculty LORS with whom you have taken a class with" - your class professors only.

So your advisor is right in that its good to get 2 science professors.
That's to make sure you cover all your bases when you apply to lots of schools.
Hope that helps

 

[880cylon]

It's school-specific. Based on UCR's application page, they don't have a strict requirement.

 

[Sneaky Sloth]

There are two types of science LORs that schools ask for
1. "Science faculty LOR" - this includes PIs, your class professors
2. "Science faculty LORS with whom you have taken a class with" - your class professors only.

So your advisor is right in that its good to get 2 science professors.
That's to make sure you cover all your bases when you apply to lots of schools.
Hope that helps

I am not following, can you rephrase that? I know I should get 2 LORs from science faculty, but are you recommending that they both be from professors I have a class with?

 

[Sneaky Sloth]

It's school-specific. Based on UCR's application page, they don't have a strict requirement.

Strange how UCR isn't specific yet my advisor at UCR tells me to get 2 from those I had a class with

Is there any downside in only getting one LOR from a professor I had a class with, in general?

 

[Engrailed]

I am not following, can you rephrase that? I know I should get 2 LORs from science faculty, but are you recommending that they both be from professors I have a class with?

CORRECT. Aka did you get a GRADE in that class. That's your answer. Just save yourself the headache later on and find two science professors you took a class with. Boom, done.