Professor wont respond...

[unleash500]

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails. I tempted to just go to his office, but I have no idea how to approach him. Like do I just go to his office and ask him why aren't you respond to my emails...?

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[BBender716]

Nah. Instead, go to his office and just state what you were requesting in your emails. Don't say, "I've been sending emails, how come I haven't heard back?" Opt for, "I am wondering if you would be willing to write a strong letter of recommendation for me, etc." or something like that.

Some professors are just flakey so I wouldn't take it personally or anything.

 

[njbmd]

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails. I tempted to just go to his office, but I have no idea how to approach him. Like do I just go to his office and ask him why aren't you respond to my emails...?

As a rule, I won't write a letter of recommendation for any student who sends an e-mail request. If you want a letter from me, send a formal request via snail mail + deadline + CV + Personal statment + schools that you anticipate applying to. In addition, you need to make an appointment to see me during office hours for a short 15-minute interview after I receive the things above. I suspect your bio professor has the same requirements.

 

[CyclistOK]

As a rule, I won't write a letter of recommendation for any student who sends an e-mail request. If you want a letter from me, send a formal request via snail mail + deadline + CV + Personal statment + schools that you anticipate applying to. In addition, you need to make an appointment to see me during office hours for a short 15-minute interview after I receive the things above. I suspect your bio professor has the same requirements.

Wow, that seems a little intense. When asking for a Letter, I meet with the professor, talk abit, then send them any information they request for writing it. I've never had a professor require a snail-mail request beforehand along with every bit of information they could possibly want. Try asking if there is a time you could meet with him to discuss it with him.

 

[witness23]

if you are applying this cycle, maybe its best not to ask someone you deem "flaky"

 

[BlueElmo]

Maybe he's just really busy. You could visit him in his office if he still doesn't respond.

 

[itsalovestory]

For some reason, one of my professors had all my emails going into his junk folder, although he and I were both on official ".edu" emails... I went into his office to talk to him about the letter, and he mentioned sending him a follow-up email with some information. I told him that I had tried sending some already, and was wondering if I should still use the same email. At that point, he was really confused and looked through his junk folder... and voila! It's not a big deal at all as long as you are polite about it. I could've easily said, "Why aren't you responding to any of my emails?!" but instead opted for the nicer, "Would you like me to continue using the same email address?" and it worked out nicely. Good luck!

 

[235009]

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails. I tempted to just go to his office, but I have no idea how to approach him. Like do I just go to his office and ask him why aren't you respond to my emails...?

its usually best to approach a professor in person about a LOR but its not always feasible, i requested a few of mine via email and had no problems. The answer to your question really depends on your past experience with this professor. If he is known to be very prompt with answering emails and has always gotten back to you quickly then i think this might be his way of refusing your request. If he is known to be delinquent with email then you should probably pay him a visit and approach him as if you had never sent the email.

As a rule of thumb your letter writers should be (practically) excited to write you a letter and be able to respond immediately that they'll do it. if that isn't the case then the LOR isn't going to be strong.

As a rule, I won't write a letter of recommendation for any student who sends an e-mail request. If you want a letter from me, send a formal request via snail mail + deadline + CV + Personal statment + schools that you anticipate applying to. In addition, you need to make an appointment to see me during office hours for a short 15-minute interview after I receive the things above. I suspect your bio professor has the same requirements.

i really hope you are being sarcastic because this is completely ridiculous. anyone who has these requirements ("formal request via snail mail" ) has a huge (and likely undeserved) chip on their shoulder and should be avoided at all costs.

i have requested letters from professors who are leaders in their fields and friends of mine have gotten letters from nobel prize winners and noone is this full of themself.

 

[Bacchus]

All njbmd is saying is she'd probably lose the e-mail request. I doubt she's saying buy resume paper, print out your formal request, yadda yadda.

Write a letter, drop it in the University's mailroom. The professor will get it the same day. All the other requests are legitimate. I had one professor talk to me for over an hour about my career aspirations.

 

[flip26]

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails. I tempted to just go to his office, but I have no idea how to approach him. Like do I just go to his office and ask him why aren't you respond to my emails...?

So you did not ask him in person? Bad form...

People get tons of emails. Don't assume he read it. Go by his office with your resume in hand, and ask him if is willing to write a letter for you. Offer to come back and discuss your goals, etc. Don't mention the emails he never responded to, but ask him if you can stay in touch via email...

Is the letter for this cycle? Pretty late to be asking for a letter in that case...he may be heading out the door on a summer vacation, so make sure he can do it before September, but if you are merely asking for a letter for a future cycle, be sure to tell him no rush - don't assume anything, and be very clear on when you need the letter.

 

[235009]

All njbmd is saying is she'd probably lose the e-mail request. I doubt she's saying buy resume paper, print out your formal request, yadda yadda.

1. wrong, not what she was saying at all
2. email is the official form of communication at many colleges now so refusing a request just because it was sent via email is unprofessional
3. during a visit to my future med school they were telling us how the university email is the official form of communication and ignoring emails or not responding promptly is unprofessional and will count against you in evaluations

whenever i sent an email requesting a LOR i always asked if the prof wanted more information and sometimes offered more info right off the bat (like offering to send a non-science prof my old papers). i think wanting a deadline, CV, and list of schools is perfectly normal. asking for the person's personal statement is somewhat dicey, cause it may could contain things the person doesn't want you to know (i actually hadn't started my PS when i asked for LORs which i'm assuming is typical since you should ask for letters months in advance).

 

[BeAdmitted]

Ask the Prof once in person (very politely). Some people are not very good with e-mail communication. But if you get any kind of strange vibe from the person, then I would seek an alternate person to write the LOR. You don't want a letter from someone who doesn't want to write one. If you're up against the wall and absolutely need a letter from this person, then I recommend calling or going to his or her office, and remember to be polite as possible. As other people have said, don't mention the e-mail. Good luck.

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails. I tempted to just go to his office, but I have no idea how to approach him. Like do I just go to his office and ask him why aren't you respond to my emails...?

 

[hewmanoid]

It's possible he didn't bother to reply. But, definitely talke to him IN PERSON and don't accuse him of not responding to your emails. Just tell him you've been emailing him and you weren't sure if he had indeed received your emails. Then bring up the letter of rec and see where things go from there.

 

[flip26]

1. wrong, not what she was saying at all
2. email is the official form of communication at many colleges now so refusing a request just because it was sent via email is unprofessional
3. during a visit to my future med school they were telling us how the university email is the official form of communication and ignoring emails or not responding promptly is unprofessional and will count against you in evaluations

whenever i sent an email requesting a LOR i always asked if the prof wanted more information and sometimes offered more info right off the bat (like offering to send a non-science prof my old papers). i think wanting a deadline, CV, and list of schools is perfectly normal. asking for the person's personal statement is somewhat dicey, cause it may could contain things the person doesn't want you to know (i actually hadn't started my PS when i asked for LORs which i'm assuming is typical since you should ask for letters months in advance).

NJBMD's requirement is not unprofessional. In fact, it is quite reasonable; I know I get sick of emails, and everything being an attachment, etc.

I hand delivered everything she requires to each of my letter writers - could have mailed it - but it allowed me some face time with each of them. I did this only after I had asked them, in person, for the letter, and asked them what information they would like to have from me.

What could you possibly be writing in a PS that you would not want a prof to see? The PS is supposed to explain your motivation, and preparation, for med school, and this is exactly the kind of information the prof needs to write your letter.

 

[njbmd]

1. wrong, not what she was saying at all
2. email is the official form of communication at many colleges now so refusing a request just because it was sent via email is unprofessional
3. during a visit to my future med school they were telling us how the university email is the official form of communication and ignoring emails or not responding promptly is unprofessional and will count against you in evaluations

whenever i sent an email requesting a LOR i always asked if the prof wanted more information and sometimes offered more info right off the bat (like offering to send a non-science prof my old papers). i think wanting a deadline, CV, and list of schools is perfectly normal. asking for the person's personal statement is somewhat dicey, cause it may could contain things the person doesn't want you to know (i actually hadn't started my PS when i asked for LORs which i'm assuming is typical since you should ask for letters months in advance).

First of all, I am not required to write letters of recommendation.

Second, I will not write a "generic" letter of recommendation for a student who is applying to professional school. If you want a letter from me, you meet my standards (unprofessional or not).

Third, many schools check on LORs and I keep very meticulous records and information for this very purpose. Also, FERPA regulations require that certain requirements be met and kept and I have to make sure that I am not violating FERPA regulations. Many times, my records have saved an application (problems with AMCAS or the medical school itself).

If you can't provide a personal statement, I won't write a LOR for you. If you send an e-mail request, I send you my requirements which you either meet or you don't get a letter. Your choice not mine. After all, you need the letter and I don't.

 

[235009]

NJBMD's requirement is not unprofessional. In fact, it is quite reasonable; I know I get sick of emails, and everything being an attachment, etc.

ok let's try to break this down for you:

being "sick of emails" is unacceptable....welcome to the 21st century

when you ask for a letter of recommendation you should not send any attachments at all. if you send an email or "formal request via snail mail" 🙂laugh🙂 asking for a LOR you should first wait for a positive response before you send anything else...otherwise you aren't really "asking" you are telling the person to write you a LOR. of course feel free to mention in your email that you will be forthcoming with more information like your CV etc. If the prof needs to see a CV or PS or list of schools or whatever before they say yes then you don't want that person writing you a letter (since the main reason they are writing you the letter is based on personal interaction or your preformance in their class, the additional info just provides fluff)

then after the professor responds to your attachment-less email asking if they would write you a LOR, you can show up at their office or snail mail them whatever you or they want.

I did mention at the beginning that asking in person is best. keep in mind though that some applicants aren't in college anymore and therefore can't simply walk over to the prof's office to ask for something.

 

[FuturaDocta]

Just don't tick off the professor, whatever you do.

I would just nonchalantly go by his office a couple of times and see if he is in there.

Then, I would say, "Oh hello professor X, how are you today? blah blah blah,"

Then he/she would be like "blah blah, How have you been?"

This is where you say, "Oh well, I have been trying to finish all my secondaries and.... uh did you get my email? You seem kinda busy, so....."
_________________________

Get my drift?

Just be prepared to have all your info in a neat little folder somewhere near just in case he/she agrees to do you such a great favor🙂.

 

[flip26]

ok let's try to break this down for you:

being "sick of emails" is unacceptable....welcome to the 21st century

Umm, let me break it down for you:

Plenty of people are sick of emails, not just me. They receive hundreds of them every week. I know plenty of people in academia who do NOT respond to email requests from students, particularly requests for letters.

A letter should be requested in person, if this is at all possible. The OP is still a student, and evidently still on campus, yet he has also evidently never stopped by the prof's office to request a letter. As I said in my first post in the thread, this is very bad form. Using email as the means by which you request a letter is pretty dang lazy. Man up, walk over to the prof's office, and ask him in person.

You got hung up on NJBMD's "snail mail" requirement, but her point is that she wants it all in hard copy form, and that is my point, too. I hand delivered hard copies of all requested materials, but only after I had asked in a face to face meeting for their agreement to write a letter.

Email is of course here to stay, but many people ignore emails. It is hard for someone to "ignore" a student standing in their office asking for a letter, and it is your opportunity to gauge their enthusiasm for the request, too, something that can get lost in emails. What's next, tweeting the prof for a letter?

Finally, every one of my letter writers wanted to see my personal statement. It was exactly the impetus I needed to get it written back in March - I labeled it as a rough draft, and the one I ultimately sent to AMCAS was revised.

What, exactly, did you write in your PS that you didn't want a prof to see, but you are willing to send out all over the country to adcoms? Finally, I have never heard of a pre med committee that didn't need your PS, too, so again, I find it odd that you or anyone would not want a letter writer to have a copy of your PS.

 

[FuturaDocta]

What, exactly, did you write in your PS that you didn't want a prof to see, but you are willing to send out all over the country to adcoms? Finally, I have never heard of a pre med committee that didn't need your PS, too, so again, I find it odd that you or anyone would not want a letter writer to have a copy of your PS.

I agree, you probably aren't gonna see them for a long time afterward.

 

[zerial]

this is ridiculous. of course you want to see your professor in person to talk if you're asking for a LOR. but a lot of times, (especially at my university), professors are so busy that you kind of have to set up an appointment with them to see them in person. Doing it during office hours generally isn't possible with other students around. And how do you set up an appointment with a professor? You email them. In my case, I emailed the professor asking for a LOR and requesting an appointment. There wasn't really any other way. I wouldn't just walk into a professor's office to request a LOR without an appointment, unless I knew him super well.

 

[redbull928]

this is ridiculous. of course you want to see your professor in person to talk if you're asking for a LOR. but a lot of times, (especially at my university), professors are so busy that you kind of have to set up an appointment with them to see them in person.

If you really wanted something, you'd figure out other ways. If the prof is teaching (most likely s/he is), then look up his schedule at go to the class towards the end and show your face. It's really whether you're willing to be proactive.

 

[flip26]

this is ridiculous. of course you want to see your professor in person to talk if you're asking for a LOR. but a lot of times, (especially at my university), professors are so busy that you kind of have to set up an appointment with them to see them in person. Doing it during office hours generally isn't possible with other students around. And how do you set up an appointment with a professor? You email them. In my case, I emailed the professor asking for a LOR and requesting an appointment. There wasn't really any other way. I wouldn't just walk into a professor's office to request a LOR without an appointment, unless I knew him super well.

You did not ask for the LOR via email. You asked for an appointment to discuss an LOR.

Big diff.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

First of all, I am not required to write letters of recommendation.

Second, I will not write a "generic" letter of recommendation for a student who is applying to professional school. If you want a letter from me, you meet my standards (unprofessional or not).

Third, many schools check on LORs and I keep very meticulous records and information for this very purpose. Also, FERPA regulations require that certain requirements be met and kept and I have to make sure that I am not violating FERPA regulations. Many times, my records have saved an application (problems with AMCAS or the medical school itself).

If you can't provide a personal statement, I won't write a LOR for you. If you send an e-mail request, I send you my requirements which you either meet or you don't get a letter. Your choice not mine. After all, you need the letter and I don't.

As a professional, and as a manager of staff, I'd agree - it took me some time in the professional world to learn that the person in the next level up (in college it's the professor, in the workforce, one's manager) does not have oodles of time and anxiety about making their underlings/students happy..If a person needs a favor, it seems reasonable to clearly provide all information needed; it seems unreasonable to ask a favor that will require the professor to follow up multiple times to clarify the request and ask for more info about the requestor.

It's too easy to envison a student jotting a note to a professor asking for a LOR; and for the professor, who may vaguely recognize this person as one of 30+ students who seems compentent and does OK in class, to not know how to respond; not wanting to write a letter that would hurt this student's chances at admission, but not knowing enough about the student to strongly recommend them.

I'd requested my LORs in person, and provided unofficial transcripts, my personal statement, and a formal letter addressed to that professor as a "packet" in support of my application; as I expected them to write a professional letter, on school letterhead, sign it, and get it to the right place, I felt it was only appropriate that I put in similar efforts to signify the seriousness of my request and my application.

 

[SuperOrchestra]

Always ask for LOR in person.
This can be done after class or at office hours, if you don't have class with said professor anymore and there are no office hours then e-mail or call him (or his secretary) to set up an appointment.
At that appointment request a letter of recommendation. Bring a CV and biographical statement to this appointment.
Don't e-mail materials, if you insist on e-mailing you should also provide hard copies.
After the request I would follow up two weeks later, these people are busy and more often than not professors will forget if you don't remind them. If the person is reasonable (and you indeed deserve the letter) this won't bother them. And of course be gracious, they don't have to write you a letter, but if you have legitimately done good work for them they should be more than happy to.

E-mails are to convenient and professors receive tons of them, when you get into the real world (work force) you will find phone calls and person to person communication is the only way to get things accomplished.

 

[flip26]

As a professional, and as a manager of staff, I'd agree - it took me some time in the professional world to learn that the person in the next level up (in college it's the professor, in the workforce, one's manager) does not have oodles of time and anxiety about making their underlings/students happy..If a person needs a favor, it seems reasonable to clearly provide all information needed; it seems unreasonable to ask a favor that will require the professor to follow up multiple times to clarify the request and ask for more info about the requestor.

It's too easy to envison a student jotting a note to a professor asking for a LOR; and for the professor, who may vaguely recognize this person as one of 30+ students who seems compentent and does OK in class, to not know how to respond; not wanting to write a letter that would hurt this student's chances at admission, but not knowing enough about the student to strongly recommend them.

I'd requested my LORs in person, and provided unofficial transcripts, my personal statement, and a formal letter addressed to that professor as a "packet" in support of my application; as I expected them to write a professional letter, on school letterhead, sign it, and get it to the right place, I felt it was only appropriate that I put in similar efforts to signify the seriousness of my request and my application.

I am a nontrad, several years removed from college, and I see "nontrad" in your name. I totally agree with the approach you took. 👍

This could be an example of the difference between the way a non-trad, or someone who has been in the "real world," versus someone who is still in college, handles a communication as important as the request of an LOR.

Asking someone for a letter should be done in person, with a firm handshake, and looking the person in the eye. You will earn the prof's respect doing it this way, and it gives you the opportunity to gauge his reaction, and to observe his body language, etc., in determining if you indeed asked the right person.

Or you could just send him an email, and ask him to reply with emoticons.

 

[235009]

Finally, every one of my letter writers wanted to see my personal statement. It was exactly the impetus I needed to get it written back in March - I labeled it as a rough draft, and the one I ultimately sent to AMCAS was revised.

What, exactly, did you write in your PS that you didn't want a prof to see, but you are willing to send out all over the country to adcoms? Finally, I have never heard of a pre med committee that didn't need your PS, too, so again, I find it odd that you or anyone would not want a letter writer to have a copy of your PS.

none of mine asked for my personal statement.

i wasn't saying that i personally had written something that i wouldn't want them to see....i would've shown it to whoever asked (though this is a moot point because my letters had to be in to my committee way before i even had a draft of my PS). i do have friends though that wrote very personal things that i'm sure they would've been uncomfortable sharing with letter writers.

as for pre med committees ....mine required that you give them a copy of your submitted AMCAS before they would write the letter...which they sent out in mid August.

If you really wanted something, you'd figure out other ways. If the prof is teaching (most likely s/he is), then look up his schedule at go to the class towards the end and show your face. It's really whether you're willing to be proactive.

this is creepy and stalker-y and might annoy the professor who will probably be trying to field questions from several students at the end of a class.

 

[flip26]

none of mine asked for my personal statement.

Let me clarify: only one of mine asked for it. I offered it to the others, and they all wanted to see it. Same thing with a resume.

You should offer it to your letter writers, not just wait and see if they ask for it.

 

[redbull928]

this is creepy and stalker-y and might annoy the professor who will probably be trying to field questions from several students at the end of a class.

Nope, actually, I tried this once because I couldn't get in contact and the professor was especially impressed that I went out of my way. Maybe other premeds think like you and don't go out of the box. All the information is public and it's not like I showed up at the prof's house.

BTW, flip, I agree with what you're saying. I'm a nontrad and I agree with you 100%. Perhaps it's because I've been in the real world. Requesting all those info is not a chip on a shoulder, but very reasonable. Face-to-face definitely makes more impact than an email.

 

[zerial]

I am a nontrad, several years removed from college, and I see "nontrad" in your name. I totally agree with the approach you took. 👍

This could be an example of the difference between the way a non-trad, or someone who has been in the "real world," versus someone who is still in college, handles a communication as important as the request of an LOR.

Asking someone for a letter should be done in person, with a firm handshake, and looking the person in the eye. You will earn the prof's respect doing it this way, and it gives you the opportunity to gauge his reaction, and to observe his body language, etc., in determining if you indeed asked the right person.

Or you could just send him an email, and ask him to reply with emoticons.

Taking that even further, I think LOR's that include emoticons 🙂cool:👍👍👍) are the best kind. The more thumbs up a professor can pack onto the page, the better.

 

[TurkSurg]

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails. I tempted to just go to his office, but I have no idea how to approach him. Like do I just go to his office and ask him why aren't you respond to my emails...?

Well, IMO, asking for "why arent u responding to my emails" is a waste of time. You can just go and ask in his office 😳

 

[235009]

I am a nontrad, several years removed from college, and I see "nontrad" in your name. I totally agree with the approach you took. 👍

This could be an example of the difference between the way a non-trad, or someone who has been in the "real world," versus someone who is still in college, handles a communication as important as the request of an LOR.

oh i didn't realize we were waving around our "non-trad" pee pees

i'm also a nontrad.......so much for your argument....maybe i just had a closer relationship with my letter writers that the form of communication didn't really matter. also i've always felt that asking in person was sortof putting the other person on the spot where they couldn't say no....it's easier to be more honest about your willingness (or lack thereof) to write a strong letter when the person isn't infront of you. that said i did ask profs/bosses who i saw regularly in person and others by email.

 

[nick_carraway]

oh i didn't realize we were waving around our "non-trad" pee pees

 

[NiCad089]

ok let's try to break this down for you:

being "sick of emails" is unacceptable....welcome to the 21st century

when you ask for a letter of recommendation you should not send any attachments at all. if you send an email or "formal request via snail mail" 🙂laugh🙂 asking for a LOR you should first wait for a positive response before you send anything else...otherwise you aren't really "asking" you are telling the person to write you a LOR. of course feel free to mention in your email that you will be forthcoming with more information like your CV etc. If the prof needs to see a CV or PS or list of schools or whatever before they say yes then you don't want that person writing you a letter (since the main reason they are writing you the letter is based on personal interaction or your preformance in their class, the additional info just provides fluff)

then after the professor responds to your attachment-less email asking if they would write you a LOR, you can show up at their office or snail mail them whatever you or they want.

I did mention at the beginning that asking in person is best. keep in mind though that some applicants aren't in college anymore and therefore can't simply walk over to the prof's office to ask for something.

I completely agree with this. I asked my profs by email first, waited for them to say yes and then sent my CV and transcripts. PS in my case was not needed since all my letter writers knew me very well. In fact I prefer to do as much as possible through email. It's cheaper, faster, more reliable, and holds you accountable for what you say.

 

[scarletgirl777]

If you don't know a professor very well or aren't 110% sure of your relationship, you absolutely want to see them in person to see the reaction on their face when you ask for an LOR--you can then see if they hesitate. If they're an undergrad professor, swinging by office hours is the perfect way to do that. However, in an ideal world you'd know the professor so well that jotting them a quick email about your LOR would be no big deal, and there is always the issue that many mentors have very crowded office hours or do not appreciate being visited outside those hours or are not undergrad professors with office hours.

I would say that most professors I've known would not necessarily have the same stringency of requirements as njbmd. I'm not going to pass judgment about whether or not her requirements are reasonable because LORs are totally optional and she could just opt out of supplying them altogether, but I know many very busy people who do not have those kind of requirements, so don't necessarily freak out for not anticipating them.

On the flip side, if you ask anyone for an LOR and request a meeting, be prepared for them to say they DON'T have time to meet with you in person. In this case, I would only advise taking their letter if you actually DO know each other well.

 

[jj6vcb]

Personally, I think that if you can't walk up to a professor and ask them in person for a rec you are either someone with weak character, a coward or the prof doesn't really know you that well. If it means approaching them after class, why the hell not? it shows initiative.

skinMD, you act as if you know what your letter writers wrote. Personally, if someone like you ever asked me for a rec I'd write the whole thing about how you think you are some kind of master argument-maker

 

[flip26]

oh i didn't realize we were waving around our "non-trad" pee pees

i'm also a nontrad.......so much for your argument....maybe i just had a closer relationship with my letter writers that the form of communication didn't really matter. also i've always felt that asking in person was sortof putting the other person on the spot where they couldn't say no....it's easier to be more honest about your willingness (or lack thereof) to write a strong letter when the person isn't infront of you. that said i did ask profs/bosses who i saw regularly in person and others by email.

Well you certainly fooled me.

I had you pegged as a 20 year old without a lick of sense, but now I can see that you are a 23 year old without a lick of sense.

Make up your mind, bub. You say it is putting someone on the spot to ask them in person, yet you say you did ask several writers in person, putting them on the spot?

Now go put on your big boy pants and set the world on fire with your dynamic interpersonal skills! In case you had not heard, you can't email or tweet your med school interviews, so you need to work on actually talking to a live person if you plan on getting into med school.

 

[235009]

skinMD, you act as if you know what your letter writers wrote. Personally, if someone like you ever asked me for a rec I'd write the whole thing about how you think you are some kind of master argument-maker

well seeing as i wrote one myself and read a couple of the others, yes i do know what those letters said.

when you find yourself resorting to personal attacks against someone who disagrees with you then you know you have a weak argument

Well you certainly fooled me.

I had you pegged as a 20 year old without a lick of sense, but now I can see that you are a 23 year old without a lick of sense.

Make up your mind, bub. You say it is putting someone on the spot to ask them in person, yet you say you did ask several writers in person, putting them on the spot?

Now go put on your big boy pants and set the world on fire with your dynamic interpersonal skills! In case you had not heard, you can't email or tweet your med school interviews, so you need to work on actually talking to a live person if you plan on getting into med school.

i'm not 23

the answer is not as black and white as you want it to be (nothing usually is) ...it really does depend on your relationship with the letter writer

i don't use twitter

thanks for the advice about interviews but i think i must have done something right seeing as i've already been accepted to med school

do you really care THAT much about winning this "argument"? fine, you're right ....stalk your professors to ask for a letter of rec and be sure to hand them several stone tablets with your accomplishments and motivation for becoming a doctor etched into them. seriously dude, lighten up. you really believe that the fact that i think emailing someone to ask for a LOR is ok means that i don't have a "lick of sense"? lol people on here are so ridiculous. lemme guess, in your next post you are gonna say that i'm going to make a bad doctor, right?

 

[strummin]

Umm, let me break it down for you:

Plenty of people are sick of emails, not just me. They receive hundreds of them every week. I know plenty of people in academia who do NOT respond to email requests from students, particularly requests for letters.

A letter should be requested in person, if this is at all possible. The OP is still a student, and evidently still on campus, yet he has also evidently never stopped by the prof's office to request a letter. As I said in my first post in the thread, this is very bad form. Using email as the means by which you request a letter is pretty dang lazy. Man up, walk over to the prof's office, and ask him in person.

You got hung up on NJBMD's "snail mail" requirement, but her point is that she wants it all in hard copy form, and that is my point, too. I hand delivered hard copies of all requested materials, but only after I had asked in a face to face meeting for their agreement to write a letter.

Email is of course here to stay, but many people ignore emails. It is hard for someone to "ignore" a student standing in their office asking for a letter, and it is your opportunity to gauge their enthusiasm for the request, too, something that can get lost in emails. What's next, tweeting the prof for a letter?

Finally, every one of my letter writers wanted to see my personal statement. It was exactly the impetus I needed to get it written back in March - I labeled it as a rough draft, and the one I ultimately sent to AMCAS was revised.

What, exactly, did you write in your PS that you didn't want a prof to see, but you are willing to send out all over the country to adcoms? Finally, I have never heard of a pre med committee that didn't need your PS, too, so again, I find it odd that you or anyone would not want a letter writer to have a copy of your PS.

I completely disagree with you. Most professors I have talked to and interacted with are perfectly fine with e-mail communication, as long as it is kept professional. It is very easy to sound unprofessional or disrespectful when e-mailing, but if you use proper e-mail etiquette, then e-mailing a professor to ask him/her for a recommendation letter is perfectly okay.

Of course, once they have accepted that they will write a recommendation letter for you, then you should set a 10-15min appointment with them to meet them personally. You can then leave your resume/transcripts/any other information that might be helpful to them. I don't think giving them your PS is necessary at all, since your PS is geared towards a different group of people and is not necessary for the professor to see for him/her to write you a good recommendation letter. Sure, if you offer them your PS, they will probably take it, but it is not necessary at all to do so.

Btw, e-mailing a professor is not lazy at all. I often spend hours or even days drafting very important e-mails to make sure that they look very professional. This is probably the same amount of time one would use to write up and mail a letter. It only comes across as lazy if you do not use the proper etiquette!

And your sick-of-emails argument is kind of ridiculous. Almost EVERYthing is done using e-mail these days in academia, because it is such a reliable and quick form of communication. The comparison to twitter is, quite honestly, a completely ridiculous one. If a professor is tired of viewing e-mails, what makes you think he/she can't also get tired of face-to-face appointments with every undergrad who wants a recommendation letter? The bottom line is, if you have had a good relationship with the professor, the professor should not at all be offended to write you a recommendation letter, even if your request is by e-mail.

 

[FuturaDocta]

I completely disagree with you. Most professors I have talked to and interacted with are perfectly fine with e-mail communication, as long as it is kept professional. It is very easy to sound unprofessional or disrespectful when e-mailing, but if you use proper e-mail etiquette, then e-mailing a professor to ask him/her for a recommendation letter is perfectly okay.

Of course, once they have accepted that they will write a recommendation letter for you, then you should set a 10-15min appointment with them to meet them personally. You can then leave your resume/transcripts/any other information that might be helpful to them. I don't think giving them your PS is necessary at all, since your PS is geared towards a different group of people and is not necessary for the professor to see for him/her to write you a good recommendation letter. Sure, if you offer them your PS, they will probably take it, but it is not necessary at all to do so.

Btw, e-mailing a professor is not lazy at all. I often spend hours or even days drafting very important e-mails to make sure that they look very professional. This is probably the same amount of time one would use to write up and mail a letter. It only comes across as lazy if you do not use the proper etiquette!

And your sick-of-emails argument is kind of ridiculous. Almost EVERYthing is done using e-mail these days in academia, because it is such a reliable and quick form of communication. The comparison to twitter is, quite honestly, a completely ridiculous one. If a professor is tired of viewing e-mails, what makes you think he/she can't also get tired of face-to-face appointments with every undergrad who wants a recommendation letter? The bottom line is, if you have had a good relationship with the professor, the professor should not at all be offended to write you a recommendation letter, even if your request is by e-mail.

I totally agree with the above post.

Emails save time and precious energy and can be really useful if properly utilized.

The email bashing is kinda lame. It isn't black and white for these cases. If the student feels comfortable enough to ask the professor for a recommendation letter, then it is almost obvious an email would do. The meeting afterward is to make it clear that the student would appreciate a letter and to make sure "things go as planned."

Don't fret OP, the professor is probably busy. I would give him/her the benefit of the doubt that they just don't check their email constantly.

I actually have a professor that does just that. I sent him an email and it took him almost three weeks to respond. And, it was just a simple question of interest. So, this may be the case for you as well.

Just give your professor some extra time. Patience patience patience.... 🙂

If you really want to get the ball rolling, go stop by or call by phone. Be aggressive if time is killing you. gl

 

[flip26]

I totally agree with the above post.

Emails save time and precious energy and can be really useful if properly utilized.

The email bashing is kinda lame. It isn't black and white for these cases. If the student feels comfortable enough to ask the professor for a recommendation letter, then it is almost obvious an email would do. The meeting afterward is to make it clear that the student would appreciate a letter and to make sure "things go as planned."

Don't fret OP, the professor is probably busy. I would give him/her the benefit of the doubt that they just don't check their email constantly.

I actually have a professor that does just that. I sent him an email and it took him almost three weeks to respond. And, it was just a simple question of interest. So, this may be the case for you as well.

Just give your professor some extra time. Patience patience patience.... 🙂

If you really want to get the ball rolling, go stop by or call by phone. Be aggressive if time is killing you. gl

Read the underlined above and tell me how this differs from my advice?

Once again, your recommendation is exactly what I and others are saying: the initial contact and request should be done in person. Professors are inundated with emails - you say he may not be checking his email constantly - again, one of my reasons for not making the first contact via email.

But it is more than "email bashing" that I am talking about: your professors come from an age when people communicated these kinds of requests in person. Email is a faceless and casual form of communication - the faceless part is literal - your prof may have difficulty placing you in the sea of the hundreds of faces from your email alone. A smile and a handshake can go a long way to winning the support of your letter writers.

Professors are not nearly as unapproachable or unavailable as all of you seem to believe, and you may be missing the real benefit of the face to face request: the chance to earn the respect of the prof for not being the typical emailing pre-med, at the same time allowing you to gauge his enthusiasm for writing a letter.

 

[SuperOrchestra]

Technically there is nothing wrong with e-mail, but don't get offended if you don't get a response.
If you want to get things done it needs to be over the phone or in person. Calling or e-mailing a secretary for an appointment or finding a professor after class is perfectly reasonable. I asked for most of my LORs during office hours for classes I wasn't enrolled in. If you are worried about putting the professor on the spot it probably means you haven't developed a significant enough of a relationship to make the request.

 

[grabbinsumpeels]

E-mail etiquette should not be such a contentious topic of discussion. It is an acceptable form of correspondence. After all, student and professor e-mail addresses are provided by the university. And most people would prefer to send a quick e-mail response to a question than to have to either hand-write or print and snail mail it. Yes, it is a hassle to reply to e-mails when you're busy, but everyone with a job deals with this on a daily basis and can't simply ignore e-mails from colleagues indefinitely without appearing unprofessional (it's your choice, of course). And, as many people who don't have spam filters come to realize, not every e-mail requires your immediate and urgent attention, so you can definitely prioritize your replies without leaving someone waiting for a response for weeks on end.

OP, as some people have already mentioned, your professor might just be ignoring his inbox at the moment. Meet him during his office hours and ask to speak to him about his requirements for a LOR. If he seems disinterested (or is just a jerk), find another professor.

As a rule, I won't write a letter of recommendation for any student who sends an e-mail request. If you want a letter from me, send a formal request via snail mail + deadline + CV + Personal statment + schools that you anticipate applying to. In addition, you need to make an appointment to see me during office hours for a short 15-minute interview after I receive the things above. I suspect your bio professor has the same requirements.

This is perfectly acceptable, provided that:

If you send an e-mail request, I send you my requirements which you either meet or you don't get a letter.

In other words, a response is actually sent. Even a simple "meet me during my office hours" would suffice.

 

[bkz]

So im trying to get a letter of rec from a bio prof I just had, but he wont respond to any of my emails.

Most of the important points have already been explained. However the use of the plural "emails" makes me wonder if maybe this person is just being passive and ignoring you...like what you might do if a guy/girl you didn't like somehow got your number and kept calling. It could be because they are annoyed that you haven't asked them in person, or that they don't have enough information to write you an outstanding letter...who knows. This is certainly the devil's advocate position and you should by no means infer that something is wrong. I would go ask them in person, and pay really close attention to their body language. Good luck.