LOR

[deleted647690]

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How do you go about maintaining a relationship with a professor for a letter of recommendation? For example, if, as a freshman, you have a great professor that you build a good relationship with, but then you don't have him/her as a professor in following years, it just wouldn't make sense to keep going back to his/her office. There wouldn't really be anything to talk about. Due to this fact, I feel like you can only ask professors who you have in your junior year of undergrad?

 

[NotWayneBrady]

You can totally go back when you are no longer taking their classes.

Of course, it would be more helpful if you could take anything they teach later on as well, but not being in their class does not exclude you from having conversations with them. Bring up their research and ask if you can get involved! Ask questions about other topics, ask if they will be teaching any courses in the future, or get help with courses you are currently taking if you have trouble getting in contact with the professor teaching it. In the end, it all depends on the individual professor. Some are nice, some are less so, find a nice one and make friends.

Just remember in the end, good professors want to help you out. So don't be shy about going in without good reason.

 

[Doctor W]

I am hoping to apply to medical school next year, however I don't have any LORs yet. I don't have any relationships with any of my previous profs as I get anxious when asking for favors. This fall semester, I would like to get LORs from my profs and I need strategies. Some have told me to go to the office hours of my professors every week and ask questions if if I already know the answers, and then ask for an LOR at week 8, giving them time to finish it by the end of the semester (week 12). Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[chemist16]

Asking for a letter from your freshman professors probably isn't a good idea to begin with. First, it's not the most accurate representation of your current academic abilities (unless you've learned absolutely nothing in college) and isn't recent at all. Second, as you say, they probably wouldn't remember you well enough to write the letter to begin with. So if you can overcome the second problem (which is what your question here seems to be addressing), you'd still have to overcome the first hurdle.

 

[MrBen14]

Maybe try to get some research exp if you haven't already? that's how I was able to stay in contact with many professors who I did not have lecture with that semester. "Hey, go ask Dr. XYZ for some more gels." I was just around the faculty a lot in the lab. Idk if this advices is applicable. Granted, I went to a small school.

 

[AgentMay]

I agree with MrBen14. Working in a research lab and getting a letter from the PI is the way to go. And if you have class with them, that's a plus; because they can write LOR about your work ethic and academic capability. Also, getting LOR from the prof you take class with is fine too. Though I don't agree that you should go to office hour every week to get help if you don't really need it. Go to office hour when you actually need help seems to be a more genuine approach. Or you can make an appointment to meet with them and ask for LOR then. When you go in, share your goals and interests about applying to med school. From my experience, most professors will agree to do it.