Non-science Letter of Rec???

[Bikini Princess]

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Do any schools strictly require a letter of rec from a non-science professor ??


I can think of three non-science profs to ask, but none of them would really know me nearly as well as my science profs do. I'm having a non-academic healthcare one too. Any advice?


And if you had the choice, which would you pick:


1. philosophy prof
2. art history prof
3. shakespeare prof

 

[lola]

there are a couple that do. wake forest comes to mind?? for most, an outside lor will suffice like from a job or ec.

i applied to wake forest anyway even though i didn't get a non-science prof lor (unless you count biostats). i've been out of school for several years, and it would be really strange for me to go ask a prof i had 8 years ago for a rec b/c they probably wouldn't remember me. i do have 5 science letters (well, one is a science prof who was my boss but not my prof), 1 employer letter, and a committee letter.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

I woudl go with Philosphy prof. Those people are KICK ASS with making good arguements. . .i.e. why is BIKINI a good candidate for med school?

I had a philosphy prof (who is also a J D) write me an LOR. I hope it turns out well.

 

[uffda]

i guess it depends on how the class was structured and what the professor might be able to say on your behalf -
is there one where you wrote papers and so s/he could comment on your clarity of thought, abilities to communicate verbally and in writing -

were there any small group interactions or presentations that the professor could use to generalize into med school-esque qualities?

i don't think the subject matters as much as the qualities that the professor could attest too

I used an advanced expository writing professor for mine.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

I agree with Uffda,
I was lucky because one of the papers I wrote in my philosophy class actually got published in a bioethics journal. it was my prof's idea that I just carried through, so it worked in my case. I don't think subject matters much, but that's assuming the playing field is leveled here (i.e. all profs know you well etc).

 

[Mr. H]

You should as the school your interested if they make exceptions. I have already asked U of Mich. if using my volunteer supervisor is ok instead of non-science faculty.

they said ABSOLUTELY.

So just ask each school.
hope this helps
peace

 

[Dr. Dodger Dog]

As an art history minor, I would be biased towards the art history professor

But in all seriousness, I got a non-science rec from my writing professor. Since there were only like 15 students in my writing class, the professor got to know everyone really well. The writing assignments were largely ethics based. I'd probably just go with the professor that knows you the best out of the three.

 

[WaitingImpatiently]

I think a LOR from a philosophy prof would be cool. The art history one would cool nice, too, but for some reason, I just wouldn't think much of a LOR written by someone who teaches Shakespeare. Don't know why.

 

[Diogenes]

I had a philosophy professor do mine. It was a small class that was heavy on class discussions, so he knew all the students in the class pretty well, and the class was only 6 months prior to me asking to the LOR, so I wasn't some random student he had had 3 years ago or anything.

I wouldn't recommend any of your choices based on what they teach. I'd choose one based on a)how well you impressed them in their class and b)how well they knew you.

 

[Bikini Princess]

bump - any more responses?

 

[vixen]

Originally posted by Diogenes


I wouldn't recommend any of your choices based on what they teach. I'd choose one based on a)how well you impressed them in their class and b)how well they knew you.

yeah, what they teach really has nothing to do with your decision....you should be focusing on how well they know you and if you think they'll say something good....what's your major? I was a psych major so I had a lot more choices in that area to pick...I would DEF go w/who knows and likes you better

 

[Cydney Foote]

It matters less which field the recommender is in, and more how well they know you. (I'm assuming that profs in these 3 fields will be pretty good writers, so that's not really an issue here.) I'd pick the one that you have the most interaction with and who knows why you're interested in going to medical school. It wouldn't hurt to ask all three if they'd be willing to write a rec for you. You can probably gauge from their reactions which one is most enthusiastic about it.

 

[dr kevin40]

listen to dodger dog!

he is my idol!