non thesis MS... do i need an advisor lor?

[Captain Sisko]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm a non traditional. got a non thesis ms in engineering in '08.

just making sure it won't look odd if i don't get a letter from my advisor, right?

 

[armybound]

I was told they needed a letter from my program director or adviser

 

[LizzyM]

You are 5 years out of school and have an MS in engineering?? It would never occur to me to look for or expect a LOR from your graduate school advisor.

 

[Captain Sisko]

You are 5 years out of school and have an MS in engineering?? It would never occur to me to look for or expect a LOR from your graduate school advisor.

thanks much LizzyM!

 

[Smokemont]

I was told they needed a letter from my program director or adviser

I saw this on med school websites I think when I was applying with a MS (thesis) in engineering. Do you have a better academic letter than your advisor? Or did you just have a bad experience?

 

[Captain Sisko]

I saw this on med school websites I think when I was applying with a MS (thesis) in engineering. Do you have a better academic letter than your advisor? Or did you just have a bad experience?

I'd say the former. My masters was one of those university/industry partnerships where you take some classes in-house and take classes there at certain times. I was up there for maybe two quarters total, so I didn't really work with him very much. I think a work supervisor letter, or maybe from my postbac professors, would be much more meaningful. I mean, I don't think he'd say anything bad, but it wouldn't be value-added.

Maybe what I should do is look around at various schools' websites and see if they list requirements as you say. If they do, perhaps I can call them up and see if they'll accept what I have as-is.

 

[xffan624]

I'm a non traditional. got a non thesis ms in engineering in '08.

just making sure it won't look odd if i don't get a letter from my advisor, right?

EVMS did ask for one in the secondary. I was kinda like 😱 because I was 5 years out of grad school as well and hadn't really kept in touch with my grad advisor. I didn't know what to put in so I just left the grad school question blank.

They ended up taking one of my MD letters as a substitute as he was the lab director that I completed my final project and laboratory practicum with so he spoke a bit about my graduate work.

Result: Interview invite followed by reject (probably unrelated to this issue, interview did not go that great)

 

[armybound]

Sorry, I misread the OP. I thought you were pursuing a masters now. I don't think you need any type of academic letter since you're so far out of school.