Professors who write general letters of rec?

[eleanor_rigby]

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Some schools seem to specifically request that one of the science professor LOR be from either a biochem, o-chem professor. My classes were all 150+ people for those classes. The professors say they probably fill out 100(literally) letters each semester. There is no way that they're personalizing each letter even though they ask you for your personal statement/resume and probably just have a pre-written one and just add on your name to it. Do you think this will hurt my chances?

 

[litldime]

Some schools seem to specifically request that one of the science professor LOR be from either a biochem, o-chem professor. My classes were all 150+ people for those classes. The professors say they probably fill out 100(literally) letters each semester. There is no way that they're personalizing each letter even though they ask you for your personal statement/resume and probably just have a pre-written one and just add on your name to it. Do you think this will hurt my chances?

i don't think so....do you have stronger letters from professors who actually know you very well? if you have a mix of both, i'm sure you'll be fine....how's the rest of your application? does your school have a committee?
-ld

 

[eleanor_rigby]

i don't think so....do you have stronger letters from professors who actually know you very well? if you have a mix of both, i'm sure you'll be fine....how's the rest of your application? does your school have a committee?
-ld

I haven't been a TA or preceptor for any classes because I work 35+ hours a week and take 18+ credits every year. The only way they would be able to know me is if I took those positions, and I don't have time in the evening or afternoon to aid in research or be a preceptor and have study sessions. All they know is that I got A's in their classes. My non-science(Writing & Rhetoric professor wrote me a great one since she was the one to offer it before I even asked at the end of the semester), but I don't think they really care what an English professor says, since they will be able to assess my writing skills from my ps.

My school does have a committee, but I have to submit the rec letters to the committee. They, in turn, submit photocopies of my rec letters along with their own comments.

 

[ToothPrincess]

My non-science(Writing & Rhetoric professor wrote me a great one since she was the one to offer it before I even asked at the end of the semester), but I don't think they really care what an English professor says, since they will be able to assess my writing skills from my ps.

Actually some schools want one science professor and you can have another professor that knows you better because they do know how big those classes are especially orgo, bio, g. chem, and biochem... i agree with the other post, if you have a mix it wont be that big of a deal... and you know it wont hurt to just have another one thrown into the mix if you do get two science professors why not just add another english, that will just be a character rec, obviously include one from a dentist that you shadowed though....