obtaining an LOR

[Can U Feel It?]

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I'm thinking of asking a professor for a letter of recomendation, but I haven't had any contact with the guy in 2 years.

I guess I just can't figure out if I should just write an email saying "I was in your class... I'm applying to.... would you write me an LOR?" or if I should give the prof a call or what. I'm probably stressing out about this too much, but some help would be appreciated.

 

[bigbaubdi]

will he/she remember you? Did this prof teach a class w/ hundreds of people in it? Did you attend office hours? How well did you do in his/her class? Will this prof write you a good rec or will he/she write:

Can U Feel It was in my class two years ago. He/she got an A in my class.

Sincerely,

Professor X

Try and see if your prof can interview you or get an autobiography from you.

 

[jlee9531]

well i guess you aren't expecting a real strong rec from the guy......did you have a relationship with the TA in the class? Cause what you could do is have the TA write some stuff about you for the Prof to read and incorporate into the letter....

if not maybe you can call him if he isnt too busy and have a talk with him so that he can get a feel for you.

 

[hamhamfan]

I don't apply until next year.... what kind of people are good sources of LORs?

 

[jlee9531]

oh yeah......

obviously give him a copy of your transcript and your personal statement too.

 

[bigbaubdi]

Originally posted by hamhamfan
What kind of people should I be looking out for? I can get:

1. Research professor
2. Discussion teacher (I will have him for 2 quarters...I go to office hours too)
3. Volunteer person at the hospital
4. Maybe: an English teacher who I've kept good contact with...the only problem is that she's ill with cancer and I'll look pretty bad to ask her for a letter while she is sick.
5. ?

I don't apply until next year.... what kind of people are good sources of LORs?

The best thing to do is to get a broad variety of people to speak on your behalf from a number of different perspectives. I got letters from science faculty, nonscience faculty, my research prof, the volunteer coordinator at the hospital I volunteer at, and finally my boss. Think about what they are might say about you and then construct a list of people on that basis.

 

[jlee9531]

mine went like this...

1. Science prof - lower div
2. Science prof - lower div
3. science prof - upper div
4. lit prof - upper div
5. volunteer letter