LOR from a non-phd?

[Blarelli]

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Can I get a LOR from an instructor with a masters degree, or is this a no-no? I'm having a hard time thinking of any non-science professors that I even know, except for a psych instructor and a history instructor.

 

[cookand]

My pre-health advisor said no. I was a GTA under the same lab manager who also rotated as an instructor for the course I assisted for 2 years. She knew me MUCH better than any other professor I ended up using but was advised against it, so I didn't.

Thing is, I never had her as an instructor so that might be different. If I had taken her course then maybe it would be ok. I really don't know.

 

[Vicviper]

I'd say you'd be fine as long as they actually know you and can write a decent letter - if they write a crummy one it might just look like you're stretching, but don't stress. Especially for the non-core sciences, I think a person with a masters would be fine. And yes, all of the professor letters must be from professors you've taken classes from.

Good luck!

And I LOVE your Sig btw. 🙂

 

[timwatley]

I'd say you'd be fine as long as they actually know you and can write a decent letter - if they write a crummy one it might just look like you're stretching, but don't stress. Especially for the non-core sciences, I think a person with a masters would be fine. And yes, all of the professor letters must be from professors you've taken classes from.

Good luck!

And I LOVE your Sig btw. 🙂

Are you sure? I'm going to get one from the professor I research under and my advisor said this was ok.

 

[toothytay]

Are you sure? I'm going to get one from the professor I research under and my advisor said this was ok.

I think this should be fine. I'm getting one from a professor I research under as well, even though she really never "taught" me. I'm confident in this because I work with another pre-dent...who got a recommendation letter from her AND a recommendation from his GTA our freshman year in Bio I, and he still got in with fairly average stats 🙂 Did I mention he got in a year early? 😛

 

[Vicviper]

Oh, hehe, yes, I also got a letter from the professor I research for, but I was thinking that most people take research for academic credit so I was lumping it in with "taken classes with." My research professor was also a dentist too, so that was very convenient. 😀 Sorry for the confusion! And yeah, I think GTA's are also alright if they know you and can write you a good letter!

 

[iwannabadentist]

hey guys. i am also planning to get a LOR from the professor I research for. My question was does this count as one of the two science professors that most schools require or does this count as one of the "other" letter as this guy never "taught" me necessarily? He is however the director of the Center for Immunology at my university and the editor in chief of a big immunological journal, so im sure his letter will go a long way but just wanted to make sure if he counts as a science professor. Thx!

 

[toothytay]

hey guys. i am also planning to get a LOR from the professor I research for. My question was does this count as one of the two science professors that most schools require or does this count as one of the "other" letter as this guy never "taught" me necessarily? He is however the director of the Center for Immunology at my university and the editor in chief of a big immunological journal, so im sure his letter will go a long way but just wanted to make sure if he counts as a science professor. Thx!

Hey! I also had this question...my advisers were quick to point out that my schools required 2 from science faculty and one non-science....so I think its fine...and yes, that LOR should go really far 😀

 

[doc toothache]

Why there such a great deal of confusions is not clear. It is not so much a question of whether the lor comes from someone with or without a Ph.D., but rather it is a question of what position he/she has (research associate, post doc, lecturer, instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor).