LOR question

[supercalifragil]

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Hello everyone,

I tried searching for this question and came up with many results, but none fully answered my question. I understand that schools ask (typically) for 2 science letters, 1 non-science letter, and 1 miscellaneous letter.

Now, for my science letters I will have my research PI write one and one of my biochemistry professors was kind enough to write the other. As for my non-science letter I have several options I wanted to run by you to see if these would fall under the criteria:

• An MD I worked for directly (as an assistant)
• An MD I did clincal research with and shadowed at a facility outside of my school
• An MD in another country that I shadowed
• A volunteer coordinator

Would any of those count as "non-science" since it is more clinically oriented? Does "non-science" still mean that it has to come from a faculty member at my school such as a philosophy professor or English professor?

Finally, the miscellaneous letter can be anything I assume, including some of the options I named in the bullet points above?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Morzh]

Some schools will care what you choose, others will not. Some schools specifically say they want one letter from a non-science professor (humanities, etc.) with whom you've had a normal lecture-based class. Some don't care at all about differentiating between what type of professors write your letters, as long as they can honestly attest to your academic ability.

You will have ONE science letter, according to most schools' standards, with the plan you outlined, since a PI is not a science professor, but a research mentor, unless you've also taken a class from him.

All of your bullet points fall under the miscellaneous category.

..So basically you only have one professor that you've actually taken a class from that is willing to write you a letter? You almost certainly want at least one more.. preferably non-science, but really at this point just anyone from whom you've received a letter grade.

As for your misc letter, I would go with the MD you worked under unless you had a really great research experience with the other one. He should write the letter primarily from the perspective of your employer, not a doctor, although that will be an added bonus.

Generally, you should try and stay away from letters from docs you've only shadowed.. not because they won't say good things, but because letters from professors, PIs, volunteer coordinators, and employers naturally say so much MORE about you since they usually know you more intimately.

I posted this (attachment) in another thread but it may be useful to you. It's just an excel sheet my school's advisement office made up with the specific LOR requirements from every school in the US. It was from last application cycle, so a few tiny things may have changed.. always double-check with each school's website.

 

[supercalifragil]

Some schools will care what you choose, others will not. Some schools specifically say they want one letter from a non-science professor (humanities, etc.) with whom you've had a normal lecture-based class. Some don't care at all about differentiating between what type of professors write your letters, as long as they can honestly attest to your academic ability.

You will have ONE science letter, according to most schools' standards, with the plan you outlined, since a PI is not a science professor, but a research mentor, unless you've also taken a class from him.

All of your bullet points fall under the miscellaneous category.

..So basically you only have one professor that you've actually taken a class from that is willing to write you a letter? You almost certainly want at least one more.. preferably non-science, but really at this point just anyone from whom you've received a letter grade.

As for your misc letter, I would go with the MD you worked under unless you had a really great research experience with the other one. He should write the letter primarily from the perspective of your employer, not a doctor, although that will be an added bonus.

Generally, you should try and stay away from letters from docs you've only shadowed.. not because they won't say good things, but because letters from professors, PIs, volunteer coordinators, and employers naturally say so much MORE about you since they usually know you more intimately.

I posted this (attachment) in another thread but it may be useful to you. It's just an excel sheet my school's advisement office made up with the specific LOR requirements from every school in the US. It was from last application cycle, so a few tiny things may have changed.. always double-check with each school's website.

Thank you for such a prompt reply, Morzh, that was really helpful. From the spreadsheet I see that many of the science letters can be from your research PIs. I also technically did the research for credit (and received a grade) so do you think this would count towards a science letter to those schools which don't specify that it can a research PI?

 

[Morzh]

Again, odds are you will be fine by doing it that way. Some schools would consider it a science letter since you received credit, others may not buy that and just consider a PI letter. I bet most schools won't really consider it at all, though. My gut tells me that it rare for a school to be really anal about you having the exact right number of letters from the exact right types of writers.

That said, is there really just no way you could possibly get another letter from a professor you've taken a real course from? That would be the best thing you could do. But if there really is nobody else who can write you a positive letter, then it's probably better not to risk a mediocre letter. In that case just go ahead and submit the letters from your biochem prof, PI, MD employer, volunteer coordinator, MD you did research with.

 

[supercalifragil]

Again, odds are you will be fine by doing it that way. Some schools would consider it a science letter since you received credit, others may not buy that and just consider a PI letter. I bet most schools won't really consider it at all, though. My gut tells me that it rare for a school to be really anal about you having the exact right number of letters from the exact right types of writers.

That said, is there really just no way you could possibly get another letter from a professor you've taken a real course from? That would be the best thing you could do. But if there really is nobody else who can write you a positive letter, then it's probably better not to risk a mediocre letter. In that case just go ahead and submit the letters from your biochem prof, PI, MD employer, volunteer coordinator, MD you did research with.

I think I could easily get a letter from a philosophy professor who I took two courses with and did an independent study with him as well. My only fear is that he is a little flaky, but he would know me really well.

In any case, I think my list of letters will include the following:

• Research PI
• MD I worked for
• Biochemistry professor
• Philosophy professor
• MD from overseas
• Volunteer coordinator

I will just mix and match these letters for different schools but the list should have enough diversity to satisfy any school.