Recommendation from a student teacher? Is this OK?

[Joleybear]

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She was running my Biology Lab on her own and she did an amazing job. To the point I had no idea she was a student teacher. I am asking her for a recommendation, along with getting one from my Organic Chemistry I and II professor and my Basic Chemistry Professor from last Spring. The fourth PharmCAS request I am leaving open for now in hopes of starting as a Technician and getting one from a Pharmacist. Does this sound OK? I am trying to show that I am well-rounded and have made positive impressions in different subject areas. I understand she is not a professor yet, but she acts as one and she was very professional and I learned a lot from her. I also figured it is still a professional reference since we were not contacts on a personal level and she wasn't a classmate. Thoughts? Also, she was working at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago). I didn't think anything of her being a student still but she was asking if I am sure the schools will accept her as a reference. I would ask the actual Lecture teacher but he had 150 students and rarely saw any of us one-on-one.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

List her as a TA if anything. I doubt her recommendation will hold much weight, but it shouldn’t negatively work against you!

 

[Joleybear]

List her as a TA if anything. I doubt her recommendation will hold much weight, but it shouldn’t negatively work against you!

Thanks!! I mean can I list it at all on PharmCAS? It didnt really say what to put her as, it just wanted name and email. lol but in any case I figured with 2 regular professors it doesnt hurt that at least she can say I did well in Biology as well and she saw Im driven etc, right? Better than 3 all in chemistry. I thought 2 was enough lol.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Thanks!! I mean can I list it at all on PharmCAS? It didnt really say what to put her as, it just wanted name and email. lol but in any case I figured with 2 regular professors it doesnt hurt that at least she can say I did well in Biology as well and she saw Im driven etc, right? Better than 3 all in chemistry. I thought 2 was enough lol.

🙁 Sorry I don’t have a specific answer for this. Hopefully, someone can chime in with a reply

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

Does your school specify who they prefer the LORs come from? I've seen some schools list it on their website with the admissions info and requirements.

 

[Amicable Angora]

She was running my Biology Lab on her own and she did an amazing job. To the point I had no idea she was a student teacher. I am asking her for a recommendation, along with getting one from my Organic Chemistry I and II professor and my Basic Chemistry Professor from last Spring. The fourth PharmCAS request I am leaving open for now in hopes of starting as a Technician and getting one from a Pharmacist. Does this sound OK? I am trying to show that I am well-rounded and have made positive impressions in different subject areas. I understand she is not a professor yet, but she acts as one and she was very professional and I learned a lot from her. I also figured it is still a professional reference since we were not contacts on a personal level and she wasn't a classmate. Thoughts? Also, she was working at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago). I didn't think anything of her being a student still but she was asking if I am sure the schools will accept her as a reference. I would ask the actual Lecture teacher but he had 150 students and rarely saw any of us one-on-one.

She was the instructor for your biology lab. In that capacity, she was your laboratory professor. It is not required to have a PhD to be a professor. There is no problem with you listing her as the reference.

 

[Joleybear]

Does your school specify who they prefer the LORs come from? I've seen some schools list it on their website with the admissions info and requirements.

Yep. I think the main page I saw said Chemistry professor was preferred as one of the two but this was a full this I found:

• Employer
• Faculty Adviser
• Health Care Professional
• Pharmacist
• Pre-Health Adviser
• Professor (Math)
• Professor (Science)
• Supervisor