LOR dilema

[s48jet]

I understand it generally a good idea to give your LOR writers a letter that mentions your achievements related to him/her (like getting an A in the course) but I need help determining whether I should do this for my boss. I work in a research lab at my school and my boss is amazing, he is very patient and enthusiastic about working with his students. He also takes a lot of pride in his LOR writing skills. I feel it might offend him if I give him a list of my achievements in his lab since he has a lot of pride. The problem is that I dont know if I fully trust him to write it on his own. He is older so his idea of what medical schools are looking for might be a bit dated. Any suggestions? Thanks

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[boobelle]

I understand it generally a good idea to give your LOR writers a letter that mentions your achievements related to him/her (like getting an A in the course) but I need help determining whether I should do this for my boss. I work in a research lab at my school and my boss is amazing, he is very patient and enthusiastic about working with his students. He also takes a lot of pride in his LOR writing skills. I feel it might offend him if I give him a list of my achievements in his lab since he has a lot of pride. The problem is that I dont know if I fully trust him to write it on his own. He is older so his idea of what medical schools are looking for might be a bit dated. Any suggestions? Thanks

Why don't you just ask? If your boss has done this before and takes pride in his letters, he probably is already set in the way he writes his letters. Some professors require CVs and copies of personal statements while others don't care at all, so it's a fairly standard question in the LOR process.

When I ask for a LOR I usually also ask if they would find having a copy of my CV helpful as background information...usually they'll say yes, and if there's other specific information they want the question will prompt them to request those details. Also, some schools have a document listing LOR guidelines for writers (listing the do's and don'ts of how to address the letter, how specific to be, where to send it when complete, etc.)...you can give your boss a copy when you give him your LOR waiver, and can serve as a polite reminder coming from the school rather than you specifically.

 

[s48jet]

Why don't you just ask? Some professors require CVs and copies of personal statements while others don't care at all, so it's a fairly standard question in the LOR process. When I ask for a LOR I usually also ask if they would find having a copy of my CV helpful as background information...usually they'll say yes, and if there's other specific information they want the question will prompt them to request that info.

Good plan, I am just concerned that even asking him might imply that he doesn't know me that well. I am only paranoid because last September we had a huge mix up and as a result my boss was hurt because he thought I did not feel close enough to him to tell him something that ended up being a big deal. Its a complicated story but anyways I will just ask him anyways. Just need to stop being so worried about it.

 

[boobelle]

Good plan, I am just concerned that even asking him might imply that he doesn't know me that well. I am only paranoid because last September we had a huge mix up and as a result my boss was hurt because he thought I did not feel close enough to him to tell him something that ended up being a big deal. Its a complicated story but anyways I will just ask him anyways. Just need to stop being so worried about it.

Yeah, I think you can just be casual about it...I think phrasing it in terms of whether it would be helpful for him to have the information as a reference should be okay. Depending on how close you are to applying, you can couch it in a question of whether it would be helpful to see the current draft of your application materials/essay...I had an attending (someone I'm very close to) request that so his letter could correlate well with the points of emphasis in my application.

Also, as someone who has now been on the other side and reading/evaluating LORs, what's most impressive to me is the level of support and enthusiasm the writer has for the applicant...adcoms already know your grades (and he'll probably list it in your LOR), but the value of the LOR is to get an idea of what you're like to work with and who you are as a person and student. Good luck!

 

[s48jet]

Great thanks for the advice! Ya he will definitely be enthusiastic, he is a great boss! I will just keep it low key and ask him if it would help him to have the extra materials.

 

[firecloak]

What I did was I wrote a thank-you letter that also included some of the things I did, like "I made an A in the class, and I frequently participated in discussions, blah blah", but the letter didn't specifically state that the writer should include it.

That way, it can be up to him to decide whether or not to include it.