Poll Letter of R: So Hard to Choose! Too many options!

[Nicole Kidd]

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Hi All,

I'm trying to come up with a list of writers of my LOR I'm having a hard time keeping my LOR number under 7 (I know, it's still a lot). It'd be so awesome of you guys can help me choose!

2 letters from 2 science faculty:

1. Genetics Professor, I worked in her lab for a year and half and got NSF grant of my independent study, also I was her TA for Genetics for 1 semester
2. My Behavioral statistics method class and Experimental Psychology Professor. Strongly offered to write me Beautiful (he actually did say that word) LOR.
​

Research letters:

3. Top 3 Med school Professor I've worked one summer with, pretty big name, co-authored one of his paper with me
4. NIH big fish I've worked one summer with
5. a Top 3 Med school professor I currently work for​

Shadow & community letter

6. Tutoring center Program director who considers me to be the best tutor
7. Hospital volunteer Director (not very familiar but I have more hours here than nursing home- does it matter though?)
8. Nursing home volunteer Director who thinks very highly of me
9. Radiation Oncologist I am currently shadowing who's very fond of me
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Please fill out the poll and tell me what you guys think.

Thank you!

Nicole

 

[freak7]

The ones who know you well enough to write a strong letter of rec that won't be considered fluff.

 

[Nicole Kidd]

The ones who know you well enough to write a strong letter of rec that won't be considered fluff.

The only one who doesn't know me well is the hospital volunteer director...

 

[freak7]

The only one who doesn't know me well is the hospital volunteer director...

Don't ask that person. Ask the others and you should get a few yesses and noes. You'll probably end up with ~5+

 

[Lawpy]

2 letters from 2 science faculty:

Genetics Professor, I worked in her lab for a year and half and got NSF grant of my independent study, also I was her TA for Genetics for 1 semester

Looks like a possible strong letter since she can vouch for you from different perspectives (TA, research etc.). Was she your professor for a class (besides independent study?)

My Behavioral statistics method class and Experimental Psychology Professor. Strongly offered to write me Beautiful (he actually did say that word) LOR.

Another possible strong letter and good to use.

Top 3 Med school Professor I've worked one summer with, pretty big name, co-authored one of his paper with me

Could be a substantial letter despite only a summer, since solid productivity.

NIH big fish I've worked one summer with

Don't need. Not as substantial as the above experience.

a Top 3 Med school professor I currently work for

Could be useful as a way to present current updates and thus a more recent evaluation of you.

Tutoring center Program director who considers me to be the best tutor

Don't really need this. Your genetics professor can vouch for you better on teaching skills because of your TA work.

Nursing home volunteer Director who thinks very highly of me

This could be strong and useful to show your altruism.

Radiation Oncologist I am currently shadowing who's very fond of me

Don't need. Shadowing letters are inherently weak, unless you worked with the radonc doc on other stuff like research, job or volunteering that can be substantial.

Also remember you need 2 science and 1 nonscience letter.

 

[Danny L]

Just in general: 2 science professors, 1 other professor, 1 Lab PI, and 1 misc (ie employer, another professor, internship PI/boss, etc) is what was recommended to me when sending in letters. In addition to that, my pre-med advising office will write me a committee evaluation letter (which counts as 1) for 6 total. That also usually matches what schools ask for. Either way almost all I've looked at ask for two science professors and a PI if you did research.

You only have two science professor letters, so there's two of them. Also since that guy offered to write one there's a high chance that will be one of your better letters

Then ask your PI you currently work for. I'm guessing you have a good relationship and work in his lab frequently? Either way you need to ask one research PI (and the one you work for longest is usually the best)

Some schools also ask for a letter from a non-science professor. (ie HMS: https://hms.harvard.edu/departments/admissions/admissions-faqs#Letters). I'd go get one

Many schools pre med advising departments write a committee letter. Does your school have one? If so that will probably be one of them

Now you need 1-2 more, and those are largely up to you.

I'd probably say the PI you got a co-authorship with and either your employer or nursing home volunteering supervisor

 

[Nicole Kidd]

Looks like a possible strong letter since she can vouch for you from different perspectives (TA, research etc.). Was she your professor for a class (besides independent study?)

Yes she was my professor who taught me Genetics.One problem though, my independent study was not very successful, got little data despite I tired very hard to do my research.

Another possible strong letter and good to use.



Could be a substantial letter despite only a summer, since solid productivity.



Don't need. Not as substantial as the above experience.



Could be useful as a way to present current updates and thus a more recent evaluation of you.



Don't really need this. Your genetics professor can vouch for you better on teaching skills because of your TA work.



This could be strong and useful to show your altruism.


Don't need. Shadowing letters are inherently weak, unless you worked with the radonc doc on other stuff like research, job or volunteering that can be substantial.

Also remember you need 2 science and 1 nonscience letter.

Thank you so much for your detailed response I really appreciate that!

Okay non-science, I'll keep that in mind thanks for the reminder!

 

[Nicole Kidd]

Just in general: 2 science professors, 1 other professor, 1 Lab PI, and 1 misc (ie employer, another professor, internship PI/boss, etc) is what was recommended to me when sending in letters. In addition to that, my pre-med advising office will write me a committee evaluation letter (which counts as 1) for 6 total. That also usually matches what schools ask for. Either way almost all I've looked at ask for two science professors and a PI if you did research.

You only have two science professor letters, so there's two of them. Also since that guy offered to write one there's a high chance that will be one of your better letters

Then ask your PI you currently work for. I'm guessing you have a good relationship and work in his lab frequently? Either way you need to ask one research PI (and the one you work for longest is usually the best)

Some schools also ask for a letter from a non-science professor. (ie HMS: https://hms.harvard.edu/departments/admissions/admissions-faqs#Letters). I'd go get one

Many schools pre med advising departments write a committee letter. Does your school have one? If so that will probably be one of them

Now you need 1-2 more, and those are largely up to you.

I'd probably say the PI you got a co-authorship with and either your employer or nursing home volunteering supervisor

Thank you for the detailed analysis!

 

[Nicole Kidd]

Don't ask that person. Ask the others and you should get a few yesses and noes. You'll probably end up with ~5+

Thank you!!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Don't need. Shadowing letters are inherently weak, unless you worked with the radonc doc on other stuff like research, job or volunteering that can be substantial.

Also remember you need 2 science and 1 nonscience letter.

Not necessarily true. I have two shadowing letters that are amazing. One of them is possibly the most glowing and personalized letter I have ever received.

Agree with everything else though.

 

[Lawpy]

Not necessarily true. I have two shadowing letters that are amazing. One of them is possibly the most glowing and personalized letter I have ever received.

Agree with everything else though.

So the thing with shadowing letters is usually that physicians don't have much to say about you besides the fact that you stood in the corner, watched them do their work, possibly asked some questions and didn't get in the way. These letters tend to be not meaningful and are just added as fluff.

Now if you do something additional like researching, working, or volunteering with the physician, the letter can be meaningful.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

So the thing with shadowing letters is usually that physicians don't have much to say about you besides the fact that you stood in the corner, watched them do their work, possibly asked some questions and didn't get in the way. These letters tend to be not meaningful and are just added as fluff.

Now if you do something additional like researching, working, or volunteering with the physician, the letter can be meaningful.

Again. Not necessarily true. I did not do research or volunteer with either of them. We just talked.

 

[Lawpy]

Again. Not necessarily true. I did not do research or volunteer with either of them. We just talked.

Not necessarily true. I have two shadowing letters that are amazing. One of them is possibly the most glowing and personalized letter I have ever received.

how do you know those shadowing letters are amazing? you read them?

and those docs were able to write a glowing and compelling letter just by talking to you?

 

[Dandine]

Here are my two cents: doing this without reading posts first; may add more later.

Your academic letters should be fine. Is behavioral stats considered math or psych, though? Just want to check for med app/AMCAS purposes. If you've already checked this then ignore my question.

For research, I'd go with the prof who knows your lab performance and goals the best. Didn't vote on one because I wasn't sure based on your descriptions which it would be.

Similar things go for clinical and leadership: choose the people who are very in touch with the kind of work you do. For that reason I voted the people who thought your work and volunteering performance were good. I wouldn't worry so much about number of hours as long as you showed that the effort you put in was strong.

Physician letters: most people say don't bother unless you did some kind of substantial work under that physician. I'm in-between, but I probably wouldn't if you have another stronger recommender who is more in touch with your work strengths.

If you are planning to apply DO, for the record, DO physician letters are recommended.

 

[Nicole Kidd]

Again. Not necessarily true. I did not do research or volunteer with either of them. We just talked.

I totally get where you're coming from, sometimes you bond with physicians you're shadowing just by talking, they're human too.

 

[Nicole Kidd]

Update: My Genetics professor seemed rather passive. I wrote her a note to invite her to lunch Thursday, still haven't heard back from her yet.... Anxious

 

[freak7]

Update: My Genetics professor seemed rather passive. I wrote her a note to invite her to lunch Thursday, still haven't heard back from her yet.... Anxious

If she can't offer you a meaningful LOR then ditch it. You guys can still be friends but don't let them force adcoms to read more fluff

 

[Nicole Kidd]

If she can't offer you a meaningful LOR then ditch it. You guys can still be friends but don't let them force adcoms to read more fluff

Do you think adcom might wonder why I spent rather significant time with her while can't get a LOR from her? Or should I just wait until they bring it up?

In this professor's lab I got grant fir my independent study but because I was the first person in this lab doing aging experiement, it took me so much efforts just to generate a protocol that works and I spent 20 hrs in labs every week my petri dish of raising worm gets conteminated 90% of the time no matter how hard I try. Guess I just dissapointed her so much... I really wish I get a chance to talk it through with her.