LOR Deficit - Help!

[Kardio]

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I was missing a basic science LOR

 

[HomeSkool]

Do I just cold email them about the situation and hope for the best?

No. Their letters would be generic and lukewarm. Go to your premed advisor and ask who s/he would recommend.

FWIW, I didn't have any letters from basic science professors.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

A lot of schools are pretty strict requiring letters from science professors.

Are you still in school and if so, how long do you have until you graduate?

Are you taking science classes right now? If so, you need to start taking advantage of those office hours, or approaching them immediately after class to introduce yourself, and ask questions.

Don't let inertia bite you in the butt and then come here complaining about needing science LORs when you have in it within your power to take the initiative by approaching those science professors and start building a instructor/student relationship.

 

[chilimeetsthecheese]

if you HAVE to get basic science prof letters, I would recommend talking to them in person if possible- totally fine to go over the situation (ie your desperate need for a science prof letter) briefly, but also spend more time and energy being open and eager about your motivations, the experiences that inspired you, etc etc really sell yourself so even if they might not have known you forever they still have a good impression of you. Send them secondaries, activities descriptions, as much info as possible so they have enough to say. My basic science profs probably didn't know me super super well bc i'm a humanities major (although I do go to a small school that doesn't have huge lectures), but i made a point of having multiple and in depth conversations with them when asking for letters

 

[Kardio]

A lot of schools are pretty strict requiring letters from science professors.

Are you still in school and if so, how long do you have until you graduate?

Are you taking science classes right now? If so, you need to start taking advantage of those office hours, or approaching them immediately after class to introduce yourself, and ask questions.

Don't let inertia bite you in the butt and then come here complaining about needing science LORs when you have in it within your power to take the initiative by approaching those science professors and start building a instructor/student relationship.

Would it be better for me to ask a science professor who knew me - but whose class I didn't do as well in (compared to a class I aced but proff doesn't know me)?

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I graduated 6 months ago.

Would it be better for me to ask a science professor who knew me - but whose class I didn't do as well in (compared to a class I aced but proff doesn't know me)?

I suggest you take the time to call them both and ask for an appointments. Then at the appointments, come prepared with everything like your CV, primary app, secondaries, PS, etc and ask them honesty, "Can you provide a strong LOR?"

If their response is lukewarm, then find another. Keep contacting all your ex-science professors until you find one that will say yes to that question...

GL!

 

[HomeSkool]

I graduated 6 months ago.

Would it be better for me to ask a science professor who knew me - but whose class I didn't do as well in (compared to a class I aced but proff doesn't know me)?

Neither of those options sounds like it would bolster your application. Again, sit down with your premed advisor. There's a good chance your LOR situation is fine as is.

 

[Catalystik]

I have no LORs from basic science professors. Their classes involved going, taking notes, going home, studying and taking the exams. I didn't go to office hours because I had a better time studying at home - so I never tried getting to know them.

Would it help to know that LORs from a math faculty person will cover the base?

 

[Kardio]

Would it help to know that LORs from a math faculty person will cover the base?

Actually yes 🙂

I went to my math professors office hours several times. He should remember me - though I wasn't a rock star in his class.